Kuka Systems Corporation North America

Utica Enterprises, Inc.

Timothy James Marx

Thomas William French

Thomas J Carter

Thomas W French

Aaron K Kinsella

Thomas Jon Nieman

Scott McIsaac

Craig Richard Nilson

Jason Edmunn Messner

Kenneth Michael Boulan

A system for automatically handling components to be assembled onto a product on an assembly line includes a carriage that is movable to and between a first, retracted position spaced from the assembly line, and a second position displaced from the retracted position in a direction toward the assembly line. A manipulator on the carriage supports a component mounting tool configured to receive and support at least one component for assembly to the product. The manipulator may be arranged in a first orientation when the carriage is in the first position, and may be pivoted to a second orientation when the carriage is in the second position, such that a component on the component mounting tool is supported in a pose for processing when the carriage is in the first position, and is supported in a pose for joining to the product when the carriage is in the second position.

System and method for automated assembly of components

A tool for forming an attachment pad on a sheet material includes an anvil supported on a housing and defining a working axis for forming the pad. A slide block is supported on the housing for movement at least along the working axis, and a die block is supported opposite the slide block and is movable in directions along the working axis to cooperate with anvil to form the pad. At least one actuator on the housing biases the slide block in a direction toward the die block. The actuator is operable in a first mode wherein the slide block is movable toward and away from the die block, and a second mode wherein the slide block is locked against movement in a direction away from the die block. A selectively adjustable counterbalance device cooperates with the actuator to counterbalance a force applied to the slide block by the actuator.

Apparatus and methods for forming attachment pads

A fastener feeding system and method for automatically delivering fasteners to a plurality of different manufacturing cells in a manufacturing line from a single load point. The fastener feeding system includes a fastener distribution assembly and a transport assembly for selecting and delivering fasteners to the manufacturing cells. Individual fasteners are selected from a fastener reservoir by a robotic manipulator of the fastener distribution assembly, and are placed on a fastener carrier supported on conveying structure extending between the fastener distribution assembly and the manufacturing cells for movement therealong. The fastener carrier is controlled to move along the track to deliver one or more fasteners to a manufacturing cell.

Fastener feeding system and method

Vehicle body assembly apparatus () includes a sensor assembly () having a lateral Y axis slide assembly (), a longitudinal X axis assembly () and a vertical Z axis assembly () that respectively include magnetostrictive type linear sensors for sensing X, Y and Z locations of a vehicle body to control vehicle body assembly. Signals of the X, Y and Z locations are sent to a controller () that operates a robot () that supports an end effector.

Vehicle body assembly apparatus having triaxial position sensing

A system and method for mounting a vehicle closure member () on a vehicle body () utilizes vision sensing of a master gauge location () of the vehicle body, of coordination formations () on the vehicle body, and of opening extremities of a closure member opening of the vehicle body, and the sensing is used by a controller () to provide mounting of a hinge at a proper location.

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Macomb, MI, United States of America

Timothy James Marx