Handling seven variants of body in white components on the welding line
Handling seven variants of body in white components on the welding line
Body in white (BIW) refers to the early stage of automobile manufacturing, where the car body's frame is assembled but not yet painted or fitted with components like the motor, chassis sub-assemblies, or trim such as glass, door locks/handles, seats, upholstery, and electronics. Fine Handling identified developed manipulator with orientation change mechanism and up and down functionality for easy handling BIW components.
Challenges
- Cost-effective solution to handle 7 Variants of components of BIW components
- Client wanted a solution which could help them to transfer BIW components from one welding station to other, Solution with a cost-effectively
- Safe gripping for sheet metal components prone to bending or being flexible while handling
- Providing up down Functionality without high cost solutions
- The fixtures for weld stations had wheels which created misalignment when mounting of components
Solution and Benefits
Fine Handling identified common points in each component and developed innovative tackle to handle all 7 variants.
Fine Handling developed a project with 6 identical Telescopic manipulator with orientation change mechanism and up and down functionality.
Fine Handling factored in the change in dimensions due to flexibility of the components and Gripping system was designed to handle components to adjust to change in dimension.
To provide up down Functionality by way of pneumatics was turning out to be costly. Air motor were provided along with chain and hoist to control the costs.
Fine Handling developed a under track for fixtures, which kept all fixtures aligned to each other and placing component became easy.