A door operating system includes: a handle having: loop shaped gripping portion; an attaching portion defining a slot; structure enclosing the slot, the structure defining fastener holes, wherein the slot is defined by the attaching portion and the structure enclosing the slot; and a door operating lever located in the slot. A method of making a door operating system includes: forming a handle having loop shaped gripping portion and an attaching portion; forming a slot in an attaching portion; enclosing the slot with a structure, the structure defining fastener holes, defining the slot with the attaching portion and the structure enclosing the slot; locating a door operating lever in the slot; and attaching the handle to the operating lever with fasteners located in the fastener holes.

A door attachment method assembles a door with a high degree of accuracy. Embodiments include a primary fastening step of bolting hinges to attachment surfaces of a vehicle body; a door panel position measurement step of measuring a relative position of a door panel in an opening when a door is brought into a cantilevered state and the hinges are fastened; a loosening step of loosening the fastening; a door position correction step of moving the door within the attachment surfaces based on a measurement result in the door panel position measurement step; and a secondary fastening step of re-fastening the hinges to the attachment surfaces. Throughout the primary fastening step, the door panel position measurement step, the loosening step, the door position correction step, and the secondary fastening step, a state where clamps respectively grip the hinges to cause the hinges to abut the attachment surfaces is maintained.

A door attachment method assembles a door with a high degree of accuracy. Embodiments include a primary fastening step of bolting hinges to attachment surfaces of a vehicle body; a door panel position measurement step of measuring a relative position of a door panel in an opening when a door is brought into a cantilevered state and the hinges are fastened; a loosening step of loosening the fastening; a door position correction step of moving the door within the attachment surfaces based on a measurement result in the door panel position measurement step; and a secondary fastening step of re-fastening the hinges to the attachment surfaces. Throughout the primary fastening step, the door panel position measurement step, the loosening step, the door position correction step, and the secondary fastening step, a state where clamps respectively grip the hinges to cause the hinges to abut the attachment surfaces is maintained.

A method is disclosed, including: providing a part having a target at which an assembly operation is to be performed by an industrial robot; determining the target position, by controlling the end effector of the robot to approach the target, detecting a contact between a location utensil attached to the end effector and the target and controlling the end effector of the robot at least by force control until the location utensil reaches a predetermined position relative to the target, and determining the target position as indicated by the absolute position of the location utensil when the location utensil is in said predetermined position relative to the target; registering the target position; and controlling the end effector of the robot to perform the assembly operation at the registered target position. An assembly unit or system is also disclosed.

A method is disclosed, including: providing a part having a target at which an assembly operation is to be performed by an industrial robot; determining the target position, by controlling the end effector of the robot to approach the target, detecting a contact between a location utensil attached to the end effector and the target and controlling the end effector of the robot at least by force control until the location utensil reaches a predetermined position relative to the target, and determining the target position as indicated by the absolute position of the location utensil when the location utensil is in said predetermined position relative to the target; registering the target position; and controlling the end effector of the robot to perform the assembly operation at the registered target position. An assembly unit or system is also disclosed.

A system for controlling manufacturing of a vehicle door can set a position of the door by predicting a deflection thereof. The system includes a control unit detecting weight data of the door by vehicle model and position range data, generating a door deflection amount and a body deflection amount based on the weight data and the position range data, detecting a gap prediction value and a step difference prediction value according to the door deflection amount and the body deflection amount, and generating a result list including positioning data of the hinge unit if the gap prediction value and the step difference prediction value exist within a quality reference range, and a prediction unit configured to predict the gap prediction value and the step difference prediction value at which the body and the door are spaced apart based on the door deflection amount and the body deflection amount.

A system for controlling manufacturing of a vehicle door can set a position of the door by predicting a deflection thereof. The system includes a control unit detecting weight data of the door by vehicle model and position range data, generating a door deflection amount and a body deflection amount based on the weight data and the position range data, detecting a gap prediction value and a step difference prediction value according to the door deflection amount and the body deflection amount, and generating a result list including positioning data of the hinge unit if the gap prediction value and the step difference prediction value exist within a quality reference range, and a prediction unit configured to predict the gap prediction value and the step difference prediction value at which the body and the door are spaced apart based on the door deflection amount and the body deflection amount.

A roof assembly for a vehicle having an opening comprises a frame having two parallel longitudinal beams connected to a transverse beam. A drive system for a panel supports and moves the panel and includes a motor attached to the transverse beam, two substantially parallel guide rails attached to the longitudinal beams, and a support mechanism movably guided in the guide rails and operatively connected to the motor. The frame and the drive system as a unit are adapted to each other such that the drive system is partly inserted into the frame between the longitudinal beams and rotated such that the motor is on the lower side of the transverse beam of the frame and the guide rails at least partly positioned on a portion of the upper side of the longitudinal beams of the frame. There is also disclosed a method of assembling the roof assembly.

A roof assembly for a vehicle having an opening comprises a frame having two parallel longitudinal beams connected to a transverse beam. A drive system for a panel supports and moves the panel and includes a motor attached to the transverse beam, two substantially parallel guide rails attached to the longitudinal beams, and a support mechanism movably guided in the guide rails and operatively connected to the motor. The frame and the drive system as a unit are adapted to each other such that the drive system is partly inserted into the frame between the longitudinal beams and rotated such that the motor is on the lower side of the transverse beam of the frame and the guide rails at least partly positioned on a portion of the upper side of the longitudinal beams of the frame. There is also disclosed a method of assembling the roof assembly.

A portable windshield alignment and installation device and method of setting windshields mounts to a windshield wiper post to mark the position of a removed windshield, so that a replacement windshield can be set in the exact same position. The tool comprises a bracket having a base plate, a slide plate, and a face plate. The base plate mounts to a slave post, and the slide plate abuts a replacement windshield. The plates form longitudinal slots. A wiper post panel has an aperture. The aperture enables passage of the windshield wiper post for mounting. A face plate having a stud overlays the slide plate to support the replacement windshield to replace the windshield, and also protect the replacement windshield. The studs align with, and slides through the slots to enable horizontal and vertical adjustments relative to wiper post and replacement windshield.