Production station for workpieces, in particular vehicle body parts, and production system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11975413-B2
Application number	US-202118008597-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2021
Priority date	Jun 18, 2020
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

A production station for vehicle body parts is configured in a modular manner and has at least two production cells ( 8, 10; 12, 14 ), each of which has a separate work area ( 16, 18; 20, 22 ). The work areas have uniformly disposed robots ( 64, 66, 68, 70 ) and receiving arrangements ( 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 ) that interact with the robots. At least one transport arrangement ( 56 ) for required components ( 58, 60, 62 ) and workpieces ( 44, 46 ) is provided for both production cells ( 8, 10; 12, 14 ). A receiving arrangement store ( 24, 26; 28, 30; 110 ) with all of the receiving arrangements is assigned to each production cell ( 8, 10; 12, 14 ), and a transport arrangement ( 48, 50; 52, 54; 111 ) is provided for at least one production cell. The production cells are coupled to one another via a connecting axle ( 102 ) having at least one connecting robot ( 104 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A production station for workpieces, the production station ( 4 , 6 ) being configured in a modular manner and comprises at least two production cells ( 8 , 10 ; 12 , 14 ), each of the production cells having a separate work area ( 16 , 18 ; 20 , 22 ), the work areas ( 16 , 18 ; 20 , 22 ) comprise a plurality of respectively uniformly disposed robots ( 64 , 66 , 68 , 70 ) and receiving arrangements ( 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , 42 ) that interact with the robots, wherein at least one transport arrangement ( 56 ) for required components ( 58 , 60 , 62 ) and workpieces ( 44 , 46 ) is provided for at least both production cells ( 8 , 10 ; 12 , 14 ), wherein
a receiving arrangement store ( 24 , 26 ; 28 , 30 ; 110 ) comprising all of the receiving arrangements ( 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , 42 ) is assigned to at least each of the production cells ( 8 , 10 ; 12 , 14 ) and a receiving transport arrangement ( 48 , 50 ; 52 , 54 ; 111 ) is provided for at least one production cell ( 8 , 10 ; 12 , 14 ), wherein the at least two production cells ( 8 , 10 ; 12 , 14 ) are coupled to one another via a connecting axle ( 102 ) having at least one connecting robot ( 104 ).

2. The production station of claim 1 , wherein each of the production cells ( 8 , 10 ; 12 , 14 ) is assigned exactly one of the receiving arrangement stores ( 24 , 26 ; 28 , 30 ).

3. The production station of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the production cells ( 8 , 10 ; 12 , 14 ) are assigned a common receiving arrangement store ( 110 ).

4. The production station claim 1 , wherein the transport arrangement ( 56 ) is configured as an AGV (automated guided vehicle) transport system or floor conveyor technology.

5. The production station of claim 1 , wherein the receiving transport arrangement ( 48 , 50 , 52 , 54 ; 111 ) is configured as an AGV (automated guided vehicle) transport system.

6. The production station of claim 1 , wherein each of the production cells comprises four robots ( 64 , 66 , 68 , 70 ), all of which are suitable for carrying out joining processes and handling processes and at least one of the robots ( 64 , 66 ) of each of the production cells is in operative connection with the transport arrangement ( 56 ).

7. The production station of claim 6 , wherein two of the robots ( 64 , 66 ) are in operative connection with the transport arrangement ( 56 ) and are disposed spatially separated from the remaining robots ( 68 , 70 ) by the receiving transport arrangement ( 48 , 50 , 52 , 54 ).

8. The production station of claim 1 , wherein process or operating equipment connection arrangements ( 98 , 100 ) are provided in identical positions in each of the production cells ( 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 ).

9. The production station of claim 1 , wherein tool change locations ( 92 , 94 , 96 ) fitted with tools ( 74 , 76 , 78 , 80 , 82 , 84 , 86 , 88 , 90 ) are provided at identical positions in each of the production cells.

10. The production station of claim 1 , wherein at least one parts store ( 65 ) for providing components ( 58 , 60 , 62 ) and/or workpieces ( 44 , 46 ) is provided on a side of the transport arrangement ( 56 ) opposite to the production cells ( 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 ).

11. The production station of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the robots ( 68 , 70 ) comprises control means for a geometric measurement of the receiving arrangements ( 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , 42 ) and the workpieces ( 46 , 48 ).

12. The production station of claim 1 , wherein the connecting robot ( 104 ) at least comprises means for carrying out material-locking joining processes.

13. A production system comprising at least two of the production stations of claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate space ( 106 ) provided between each of two adjacent production stations ( 4 , 6 ) and used for possible temporary storage or for the loading and unloading of workpieces.

14. The production system of claim 13 , wherein at least one transport device ( 108 ) is provided in the intermediate space for communication with adjacent production cells ( 10 , 12 ).

Assignees

• Porsche Ag

Inventors

• Boehmer Johannes Christoph
• Eckert Alexander
• Kreutel Markus
• Wachtel Andreas

Classifications

• Y10T29/53539

  including work conveyor · CPC title

• Y10T29/49829

  Advancing work to successive stations [i.e., assembly line] · CPC title

• Y10T29/49828

  Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work · CPC title

• B23P21/006

  the conveying means comprising a rotating table · CPC title

• Y10T29/53365

  Multiple station assembly apparatus · CPC title