Systems and methods for manufacturing aircraft are disclosed. For example, an aircraft manufacturing system for repetitively manufacturing aircraft comprises a first manufacturing zone configured to repetitively manufacture first aircraft subassemblies, a second manufacturing zone configured to repetitively manufacture second aircraft subassemblies, and a third manufacturing zone configured to receive the first aircraft subassemblies from the first manufacturing zone, to receive the second aircraft subassemblies from the second manufacturing zone, and to repetitively assemble the first aircraft subassemblies and the second aircraft subassemblies into the aircraft. In another example, a method for repetitively manufacturing aircraft assemblies comprises assembling first aircraft subassemblies and second aircraft subassemblies in parallel on separate assembly lines at a common geographic region; and transferring the first aircraft subassemblies and the second aircraft subassemblies to a final assembly facility located in the same common geographic region.

Disclosed are a vehicle headliner assembly system and a vehicle headliner assembly method wherein position correction based on image capture and full process automation resolve nonuniformity of assembly quality which may occur if operators manually mount and assembly vehicle headliners individually with regard to various vehicle types, and manpower required for processes is reduced, thereby improving productivity.

A partially assembled vehicle that autonomously completes its own assembly, including a chassis, wheels that are rotationally coupled to the chassis, a drive system mounted on the chassis and in operational communication with the wheels, a navigation system, a central platform controller, and a position determining system. Added thereto is a safety sensor guidance system and a controller circuit programmed to begin a temporary takeover of the central platform controller, responsive to an external fleet control. The temporary takeover including the steps of identifying a plurality of assembly stations that the partially assembled vehicle must visit to complete its own assembly; constructing a sequence in which to visit each of the plurality of assembly stations; and commanding the drive system to propel and steer the partially assembled vehicle through the sequence of the plurality of assembly stations, responsive to sensor input from the safety sensor guidance system.

A vehicle body assembly system each forming a pre-buck section and a main-buck section set along a transport path of the floor assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a pre-buck unit configured in the pre-buck section to regulate the seal side and the front and rear sides of side assemblies that are different for each vehicle type, and to assemble the side assembly and the floor assembly, and a main-buck unit configured in the main-buck section to regulates the roof portion and the quarter portion of the side assembly assembled to the floor assembly in the pre-buck section, assemble the roof portion, cowl, roof rail and package tray and assemble the quarter portion and the floor assembly.

A system for producing a vehicle body assembly in a manufacturing facility is provided. The system includes a forming station configured to form a vehicle body member from a metal material; and an assembly station configured to assemble the vehicle body member with at least one additional vehicle body member to form the vehicle body assembly. The forming station and the assembly station are disposed, in the manufacturing facility, at a predetermined distance from each other, and wherein the predetermined distance is in the range of 0-50 feet.

Provided is a method for assembling an automobile body including an orientation-maintaining step in which outer side panels (2) and a roof (3) are brought into contact with predetermined parts of an inner skeleton (1) so as to be held in predetermined orientations, and a joining step in which the outer side panels (2) and the roof (3) which have been brought into contact in the orientation-maintaining step are joined to the inner skeleton (1) in a state of enabling to maintain at least an orientation as the automobile body.

A method for manufacturing an automotive mirror, in particular a side mirror, includes forming a printed circuit board as flexible printed circuit board with n+1 branches, nεN, providing n modules each including at least one electronic element housed within a plastic casting and connected to conducting paths on at least one of the surfaces of the plastic casting, and at least one standard gripping point, guiding structure, snap connection element and/or sealing member provided by the plastic casting, connecting up to n of said branches to one module each and connecting one branch to cables or a cable harness to be connected to a power supply and/or a control unit outside the mirror, providing mirror parts free of electronic elements, and assembling the mirror parts and the modules.

A system and method can change location pins on a pallet for an assembly line. The system may include a plurality of pallets, each pallet including at least a first and second sockets configured to receive a location pin. The system may include a pin changing unit located between a top assembly line and a lower return line. The pin changing unit may include a pin grabber configured to engage the location pin within the first socket. The pin changing unit may include a horizontal linear actuator configured to move the pin grabber and the engaged location pin into alignment with the second socket. The pin changing unit may include a vertical linear actuator configured to extend the pin grabber into engagement with the location pin and retract the pin grabber away from the location pin.

Methods for welding motor vehicle body component subassemblies at a weld stations are disclosed. First and second pallets may be arranged for reciprocal movement between a load/unload station and the weld station and the pallets are alternately moved from a load/unload station to the weld station while the other pallet is moved from the weld station to a load/unload station. Each pallet may have a plurality of substations for receipt of component subassemblies and, while each pallet is at the load/unload station, the component subassembly at each substation is moved to the next successive substation and a further component is added to the moved component.

Adjustable load leveler apparatus and related methods for use with automotive manufacturing systems are disclosed. A disclosed automotive manufacturing system includes a hoist supported by a support structure and configured to carry a vehicle component. The automotive manufacturing system also includes a load leveler mechanism attached to the hoist. The load leveler mechanism includes a frame, a weight movably coupled to the frame, and an actuator operatively coupled to the weight. The automotive manufacturing system also includes control circuitry connected to the actuator and an input device connected to the control circuitry and configured to generate input data in response to a user interacting with the input device. The control circuitry is configured to move, via the actuator, the weight relative to the hoist based on the input data to adjust a levelness of the hoist.