Comau, Inc.

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Neil G Greig

Velibor Kilibarda

Michael R Dugas

William Maybee

Freddie Tappo

Lei Zhou

Michael L Gentile

Matthew P Sosnowski

Jeffrey W Mason

Arnon Wexler

Peter L Busuttil

Tamara Hanel

An inverted carrier lift and method is disclosed. The inverted carrier lift includes a trolley movable along an overhead conveyor and a carrier for supporting a workpiece to undergo an assembly or manufacturing process. The carrier is movable relative to the trolley from a raised position to a lowered position by a motor engaged with a lifting mechanism on the trolley. On rotation of the motor, the carrier and supported workpiece is lowered or raised to position the workpiece in the workstation for processing. The workpiece may be disengaged by the carrier for support of the workpiece by one of many different fixtures depending on the processing. Following processing, the workpiece is re-engaged by the carrier, moved to a raised position and the trolley is transferred to a subsequent workstation.

Inverted carrier lift device system and method

An inverted carrier lift and method is disclosed. The inverted carrier lift includes a trolley movable along an overhead conveyor and a carrier for supporting a workpiece to undergo an assembly or manufacturing process. The carrier is movable relative to the trolley from a raised position to a lowered position by a motor mounted engaged with a lifting mechanism onboard the trolley. On rotation of the motor, the carrier and supported workpiece is lowered or raised to position the workpiece in the workstation for processing. The workpiece may be disengaged by the carrier for support of the workpiece by one of many different fixtures depending on the processing. Following processing, the workpiece is re-engaged by the carrier, moved to a raised position and the trolley is transferred to a subsequent workstation.

A welding system is provided. The welding system includes a fixture, a plurality of pressure blocks, and a laser welder. The fixture is configured to grasp a roof panel and transition to an advanced position in order to align the roof panel with a roof rail along a weld line. The plurality of pressure blocks are movably secured to the fixture such that advancing the pressure blocks when the fixture is in the advanced position provides a compression force between the roof panel and roof rail along the weld line to prevent distortion during a welding operation. The laser welder is configured to weld the roof panel to the roof rail along the weld line.

Welding system for vehicle body components

Growing community of inventors

Auburn Hills, MI, United States of America

Neil G Greig