Workstation for assembling workpieces in an automotive assembly line

Applicant: Progressive Tool & Ind Co. (US)Patent number: EP1568582Publication date: 31 August 2005

Keywords: Patents, Automotive industry, Assembly

A workstation and method for processing a plurality of workpieces includes at least one material handling robot movable along a processing path for supporting a workpiece to be moved along the processing path. At least one station can be defined by at least one processing position adjacent the processing path for receiving workpieces to be processed when delivered and positioned by the at least one material handling robot. Interchangeable end effecters can be connected to the material-handling robot for holding and supporting different configurations of workpieces. The material-handling robot can disengage from the end effecter at the processing position, to allow engagement with a processing tool for performing additional processing operations on the workpiece. A flexible body workstation for assembling workpieces can use multiple robots and/or multiple fixtures for processing different workpiece configurations in any sequential order along two processing paths. In particular, a welding workstation for automotive assembly lines is provided.