A vehicle body assembling system forms a pre-buck section and a main buck section set along a transfer path of a floor assembly. A main buck unit is set at opposite sides of the transfer path in the main buck section, controls an upper portion of a side assembly in a state that a lower portion of each side assembly is pre-assembled to the floor assembly the pre-buck section, and assembles the upper portion of the side assembly and vehicle body parts using a second welding robot.

A pre-buck apparatus for a vehicle body assembling system comprises a pre-buck section and a main buck section that are set along a transfer path of a floor assembly. The pre-buck apparatus is formed in the pre-buck section, and while the side assembly is disposed in each of opposite sides of the transfer path in the pre-buck section, the pre-buck apparatus controls a lower portion of the side assembly, and the lower portion of the side assembly is pre-assembled to the floor assembly using a first welding robot.

The invention relates to an automatic manufacturing device (18-22) for vehicle body parts (2, 2), comprising at least one program-controlled manufacturing means (28, 29) and a processing zone (26) designed to sequentially receive at least two different load accepting means (6). A detection device (36) detects a type designation (37) of one of the load accepting means (6), and a control device (38) ascertains the type (A, B, C, D) of the load accepting means (6) on the basis of the detected type designation (37) and selects and executes a control program (40) for the manufacturing means (28, 29) on the basis of the ascertained type.

The invention relates to a production plant (1) for vehicle body components (2), comprising a production area (3) with a plurality of automatic program-controlled production devices (18 to 22) and a provision (10) for workpieces (2). The production plant (1) further comprises a provision (11) for various application-specific tools (8) and a conveying device (4) which flexibly connects the production devices (18 to 22) to one another and to the external provisions (10,11).

Automated systems and methods of using a tape applicator mounted on a robot arm to apply a tape onto an object surface are provided. The tape applicator, which is instructed by a controller, can automatically follow a real-time-updated tape coverage path on the object surface to optimize the tape application while the tape applicator moves along the object surface. The tape applicator can also create tabs in real time.

A vehicle body transport system includes an unmanned carrier carrying and transporting a vehicle body between work stations; and an imaging device including an imaging part imaging a traveling route of the unmanned carrier and the surroundings of the traveling route from above, an analysis part analyzing an image captured by the imaging part, and a transmission part transmitting a signal to the unmanned carrier. When a moving object other than the unmanned carrier carrying the vehicle body is present in the image, the analysis part predicts whether a movement trajectory that the vehicle body passes after a predetermined time intersects a movement position where the moving object is located after the predetermined time. When predicting that the movement trajectory and the movement position intersect after the predetermined time, the transmission part transmits an emergency operation signal to the unmanned carrier before the predetermined time elapses.

A system for recycling energy within an assembly line includes a mobile power generator attached to a conveyer platform (a.k.a. a skillet) or other conveyance within the assembly line. The mobile power generator has a drive wheel that contacts an adjacent surface, such as a floor, and is rotated by movement of the conveyance along or past the surface. Rotation of the drive wheel is transmitted to a low RPM electrical generator to produce electrical energy at the conveyance.

A method for positioning a vehicle assembly support device in a vehicle assembly station positioned along an assembly line. The method includes use of a plurality of locator pads selectively engaged with respective receiver sockets to position a vehicle support pallet in the X and Y coordinate directions. Vertical supports are used to position the vehicle support pallet in the Z coordinate direction. In one example, at least one receiver is a four-way positional receiver and at least one receiver is a two-way positional receiver. In another example, each receiver socket includes rollers which engage the respective locator pad to bias the vehicle support pallet towards the desired X and Y coordinate position.

A method produces shells for a motor vehicle, in which, in each case, at least one shell part of the shell is arranged on a driverless transport vehicle and is conveyed through a production plant by way of the driverless transport vehicle. A workstation of the production plant has at least two working regions which can be driven through parallel to one another by the driverless transport vehicles and in which, during a work process, manual work is carried out on one of the shell parts introduced into the working region by way of the driverless transport vehicle and, during a changing process, one of the shell parts arranged on the driverless transport vehicle is introduced into the working region or removed from same by way of the driverless transport vehicle.

A multi-parts autotransferring apparatus for transferring parts to be mounted in a car body includes: a body configured to be mounted spaced apart from a ground by a plurality of supports; a vertical moving part configured to be mounted at the lower portion of the body to descend; a horizontal moving part configured to be mounted at a lower portion of the vertical moving part to be advanced and retreated in a front and rear direction; front jig parts configured to be each mounted at opposing sides of a front of the horizontal moving part; and rear jig parts configured to be each mounted at opposing sides of a rear of the horizontal moving part.