Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Baden Michael Powell

Gurdeep Singh

Larry A Walton

Mohammad A Khorrami

Leonid Basin

Fredrick R Poskie

A fastener retainer is provided capable of retaining a fastener to a part prior to and during assembly. A first portion engages a fastener flange while leaving a fastener head exposed for assembly tool access. A second portion has flanges that engage the edges of the part.

Fastener retainer

An apparatus for transporting a first workpiece assembly, the apparatus includes a pallet, a universal fixture and an adaptable fixture. The pallet has a rectangular base and support members fixed to opposite edges of the base. The universal fixture has a frame, a first and second support arms and three workpiece mounts. The support arms are fixed to opposite sides of the frame and are rotatably supported in the support members of the pallet. The adaptable fixture has a frame, three fixture mounts and three workpiece mounts. The fixture mounts are disposed on the bottom surface of the frame and aligned with the workpiece mounts of the universal fixture. The workpiece mounts of the adaptable fixture are disposed on the top surface of the frame and aligned with a first, second and third locator of a workpiece assembly.

Adaptable assembly fixture apparatus

A method and apparatus for monitoring clamp loads used to clamp production pallets in position in a transfer machining line is disclosed. The steps include substituting a test pallet for a production pallet during a production cycle. The test pallet includes at least one load cell located at a respective clamp portion. The next step is to detect when the test pallet is at the machining station and ready to be clamped. The test pallet is then clamped at its clamp portion having the load cell. Clamp load data is collected and stored in a data collector located on-board the test pallet. This data may be downloaded at the end of the cycle in a readable format.

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Tecumseh, Canada

Baden Michael Powell