JPH0649255B2 - Car assembly line - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an automobile assembly line having a manual assembly process and an automatic assembly process by an industrial robot or the like.

<Prior Art> An automobile assembly line having a manual assembling process and an automatic assembling process is disclosed in JP-A-61-21869.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> The above-described conventional assembly line includes a main line that circulates in a loop, a power-and-free type conveyor that is relayed in parallel with the main line and meanders, and the power-and-free type. Consists of an automatic assembly process line that runs in a straight line and is relayed in parallel with the conveyor, the main line enables tact feed and continuous feed switching for automation and manual work, and the power and free type conveyor is continuous feed, The automatic assembly process line uses tact feeding.

The problem with this prior art is that, in order to automate the manual work for one process of a manual assembly process line, it usually requires a process space that is two to three times as large as that of the manual work process line. It is extremely difficult to install an automatic assembly process for that amount in the main line in the limited space of an urban factory.

Further, if only the first half and the final line of the main line are used as the automatic assembly process, there are some operations that cannot be automated due to the normal assembly priority order. Therefore, there is a possibility that the efficient knitting of the manual assembly process may be hindered, and the structure of the automobile is limited.

<Means for Solving Problems> The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its characteristic configuration is a plurality of rows of manual assembly process lines arranged in parallel on the first floor. And a second floor is provided on both ends of each of the manual assembly process lines to form an automatic assembly process line, and a lift is installed to relay the second floor and the manual assembly process line. However, the buffer section is configured by arranging a looped conveyor that alternately relays between the adjacent second floors of each of the above-mentioned manual assembly process lines. When the buffer section is to be automated, tact feed is used, and automation is performed. When not carrying out, fast forward continuously and cooperate with each manual assembly process line, install a carry-in conveyor on the second floor at one end of the front row of the manual assembly process line, and carry out the manual assembly process. A carry-out conveyor is installed on the second floor of the other end of the last line of the line.

<Operation> According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, the body of the automobile is carried onto the second floor by one end of the front-row manual assembly process line by the carry-in conveyor, and is lowered by the lift to the manual assembly process line, to the other end. Transfer. At the other end of this manual assembly process line, lift up to the second floor,
It is transferred to the loop conveyor, relayed to the second floor of the other end of the adjacent manual assembly process line in the next row, lowered to the manual assembly process line by a lift, and transferred to one end thereof. At one end, it is lifted to the second floor and transferred to the loop conveyor, and then relayed to the second floor of the next line of the manual assembly process line. Transfer. Such an operation is repeated, and finally, the lift at the other end of the last line of the manual assembly process line raises it to the second floor and transfers it to the carry-out conveyor to carry it out.

The buffer part at the end of the above-mentioned manual assembly process line is scheduled to be automated, and if it is not automated yet, it is linked to each manual assembly process line by continuous fast-forwarding the looped conveyor,
Operates with only the work in progress for the required buffer.

Further, when the automation is carried out, the loop-shaped conveyor of the buffer section is set to the tact feed, and the automatic assembly process can be introduced without changing the line configuration.

<Examples> Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 1a to 1e are multiple rows of manual assembly process lines arranged in parallel, and the leftmost 1aL is the loading section 2 in the frontmost row of the manual assembly process line 1a, and the last line of the manual assembly process line is also shown. In the drawing of 1e, the right end 1eR is used as the carry-out section 3. Strut conveyors are installed in the manual assembly process lines 1a to 1e.

As shown in FIG. 3 at both ends of each of the manual assembly process lines 1a to 1e, a second floor 12 such as a pedestal, and the second floor 12 and the manual assembly process lines 1a to 1e are relayed. Lifts 10 and 11 are provided.

The carry-in conveyor 4 linked to the painting process of the previous process is installed on the second floor 12 in the carry-in part of the left end 1aL of the manual assembly process line 1a in the front row, and the right end of the manual assembly process line 1e in the last line. Second floor 12 in 1eR unloading section 3
The carry-out conveyor 5 is installed above.

Alternate ends of the manual assembly process lines 1a to 1e other than the carry-in unit 2 and the carry-out unit 5, that is, the manual assembly process line
1a, 1b right end 1aR, 1bR, manual assembly process line 1b, 1c left end 1bL, 1cL, manual assembly process line 1c, 1d right end 1cR
, 1dR, left side of manual assembly line 1d, 1e 1dL, 1eL
The loop-shaped conveyors 6, 7, 8 and 9 for relaying between the second floors 12 are arranged on the second floor 12 to constitute a buffer section.

Regarding each of the conveyors, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the carry-in conveyor 4 conveys the body B by the inverted conveyor 21 that travels on the guide rail 20a, and the jig 22 is lifted from the lower portion so that the body B is predetermined. It can be positioned at any position. Further, the loop conveyors 6 and 9 and the carry-out conveyor 5 are, as shown in FIG.
b It is a train type conveyor 23 which travels on the top, and the looped conveyors 7 and 8 are overhead type conveyors 24 which are suspended by guide rails 20c and travel, as shown in FIG.

The present invention having the above configuration performs the following series of operations.
The body B of the car is carried by the carry-in conveyor 4 onto the second floor of the left end 1aL of the front-row manual assembly process line 1a, and is lowered by the lift to the left end 1aL of the manual assembly process line 1a and conveyed to its right end 1aR.

At the right end 1aR of this manual assembly process line 1a, the lift 10 moves up to the second floor 12 of the right end 1aR, and it is transferred to the loop conveyor 6 and the right end 1b of the adjacent manual assembly process line 1b.
It is relayed to the second floor 12 of R, lifted down to the right end 1bR of the manual assembly process line 1b, and transported to its left end 1bL.

At the left end 1bL of this manual assembly process line 1b, a lift lifts to the second floor of the left end 1bL, and it is transferred to the loop conveyor 7 and the left end 1cL of the adjacent manual assembly process line 1c
Relayed to the floor on the first floor and lifted by a manual assembly line 1c
It descends to the left end 1cL and conveys to the right end 1cR.

At the right end 1cR of this manual assembly process line 1c, lift to the second floor of the right end 1cR of the manual assembly process line 1c,
It is transferred to the loop conveyor 8 and relayed to the second floor of the right end 1dR of the adjacent manual assembly process line 1d, and it is lowered by the lift to the right end 1dR of the manual assembly process line 1d and its left end 1d.
Transport to L.

At the left end 1dL of this manual assembly process line 1d, lift to the 2nd floor of the left end 1dL of the manual assembly process line 1d,
It is transferred to the loop-shaped conveyor 9, relayed to the left end 1eL of the last line of the manual assembly process line 1e, lowered by the lift to the left end 1eL of the manual assembly process line 1e, and conveyed to its right end 1eR.

At the right end 1eR of the manual assembly process line 1e, the lifter moves up to the second floor of the right end 1eR of the manual assembly process line 1e, transfers it to the carry-out conveyor 5, and carries it out.

Therefore, the parts are obtained and assembled to the body that carries out the manual assembly process lines 1a to 1e.

Therefore, the loop-shaped conveyors 6, 7, 8 installed on the second floor 12 at the end of each manual assembly process line 1a to 1e.
If the automatic assembling process is scheduled in the buffer section by 9 and the automatic assembling apparatus such as the industrial robot 13 is not installed in the buffer section and is not automated, the loop conveyors 6, 7, 8, 9 Can be connected as a normal line by contacting each of the manual assembly process lines 1a to 1e by continuous fast-forwarding and operating with only the work in process for the required buffer.

In addition, the industrial robot 13 is installed in the buffer section on the second floor 12.
When installing automated assembly equipment such as
The loop-shaped conveyors 6, 7, 8 and 9 are used for tact feeding to perform automatic assembly.

In this case, for example, 2 on the left end 1aL of the manual assembly process line 1a
Door removal is automated on the floor on the first floor, and automatic assembly such as quarter window installation, rear combination installation, front axle installation, etc. on the second floor on the right end 1aR of the manual assembly process line 1a is performed on the right end 1bR of the manual assembly process line 1b. Transition.

Then, on the second floor of the left end 1bL of the manual assembly process line 1b, the rear axle is mounted and the engine is automatically installed to shift to the manual assembly process line 1c. On the second floor of the right end 1cR of the manual assembly process line 1c, tires and exhaust pipes are automatically attached and the process moves to the right end 1dR of the manual assembly process line 1d.

On the 2nd floor of the left end 1dL of this manual assembly process line 1d, windshield mounting, seat mounting, battery mounting,
PS oil is automatically injected to move to the left end 1eL of the manual assembly process line 1e, and the washer fluid, antifreeze liquid, and gasoline are automatically injected and discharged at the right end 1eR of the manual assembly process line 1e. As a result, the first floor can be used as a manual assembly process, and the buffer assembly at the end of each manual assembly process line 1a to 1e can be used as an automatic assembly process system on the second floor. The automatic assembling process line is three-dimensionally configured to reduce the installation space.

<Advantages of the Invention> As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of rows of manual assembly process lines arranged in parallel on the first floor are arranged, and automatic assembly devices are arranged at both ends of each of the manual assembly process lines for automatic assembly. A loop is provided to provide a second floor that forms a process line, a lift that relays the second floor and the manual assembly process line, and a relay that alternately alternates between the adjacent second floors of each manual assembly process line. Consists of a buffer section with a conveyor belt arranged, and when the buffer section is to be automated, it is tact feed, and when it is not automated, it is continuously fast-forwarded to cooperate with each manual assembly process line to perform the manual assembly process. A carrying-in conveyor is installed on the second floor on one end of the front row of the line, and an unloading conveyor is installed on the second floor on the other end of the last row of the manual assembly process line. This saves space, and the buffer section can be used as a normal continuous feed line when it is not automated. It is possible to install automation equipment according to the assembly priority order.

Also, in the case of automation, the relative positional relationship of the work is constant,
Suitable for work stopped by tact feeding.

Further, in terms of safety of automation by the industrial robot, the manual working zone on the first floor and the automation zone on the second floor are advantageously separated from each other, which is advantageous.
Since the transfer of the work to and from the floor is performed by the relay lift, the safety and labor saving of the work of the worker can be obtained, and the efficiency of the assembly work is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a buffer section, FIG. 3 is a view in the direction of arrow III of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of a conveyor. 1a to 1e …… manual assembly process line, 2 …… loading section, 3 ……
Carry-out section, 6-9 ... Buffer section, 10, 11 ... Lift, 12
...... Second floor, 13 ... Industrial robot.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A second-floor floor in which a plurality of rows of manual assembly process lines are arranged in parallel on the first floor, and automatic assembly devices are arranged at both ends of each of the manual assembly process lines to form an automatic assembly process line. A buffer unit is provided in which a lift for relaying the second floor and the manual assembly process line is installed, and a loop-shaped conveyor for alternately relaying between the adjacent second floors of the manual assembly process line is arranged. When the buffer section is automated, it is tact-fed, and when it is not automated, it is continuously fast-forwarded to cooperate with each manual assembly process line, and the second floor at one end of the front row of the manual assembly process line. An automobile assembly line characterized in that a carry-in conveyor is installed on the floor, and a carry-out conveyor is installed on the second floor at the other end of the last row of the manual assembly process line.