Daimler Ag

Daimler Chrysler Ag

Uwe Habisreitinger

Bernhard Nordmann

Wolfram Walter

Michael Zuern

Konrad Wirth

Christoph Grevener

Thomas Stark

Andreas Krevet

Matthias Mueller

Fritz Starzmann

Thomas Link

Michael Ostgathe

Marcel Braun

Rainer Scheeff

A device for the automated charging and discharging of an object on a free-flying autonomously controlled drone includes a landing platform for the drone, a storage device for storing objects, a robot where the robot is configured to remove an object from the storage apparatus in an automated manner and to provide the object on the landing platform to be picked up by the drone and is configured to pick up in an automated manner an object that is provided on the landing platform by the drone and to deposit the object in the storage apparatus, and a controller where the robot is controllable by the controller.

Device for the automated charging and discharging of a free-flying autonomously controlled drone

A method for assembling motor vehicles, in particular personal motor vehicles having a self-supporting shell involves equipping the respective shell of the motor vehicle with a corresponding chassis and equipping the chassis with vehicle wheels at least before an end of a main assembly line has been reached.

Method for fitting motor vehicle suspension systems

A method for assembling motor vehicles in which a drive train, chassis and floor module are pre-assembled and then connected to a shell of the motor vehicle. The floor module is pre-assembled in a first pre-assembly process and the drive train and the chassis are pre-assembled in a second pre-assembly process. The floor module, the drive train and the chassis are combined and then connected to the shell of the motor vehicle.

Method for assembling motor vehicles

A floor module for a motor vehicle includes a floor shell, which can be fastened to a shell of the motor vehicle, and equipment with a plurality of variant-specific constructional units arranged on the floor shell. A method for assembling a floor module involves equipping a respective shell of the motor vehicle with a floor module with corresponding chassis and drive train.

Floor module for a motor vehicle with a variable driving concept

A method and a device for carrying out a work operation, on a workpiece continually moving forward on a conveying device, by an industrial robot moving along with the workpiece during a common run though a work path are provided. The industrial robot is displaceable along a separate longitudinal guide next to the conveying device. During the common run a base part of the industrial robot is rigidly coupled to a workpiece carrier, and the base part floats relative to a bogie running in the longitudinal guide. The industrial robot includes an exchangeable tool which, at the beginning of the common run through the working path, is a scanner tool connected to a working arm of the industrial robot. A relative position between the work piece and the workpiece carrier is determined from the reference coordinate system of the industrial robot.

Method and device for carrying out a work operation on a moving workpiece

The processing system () serves for processing a moving workpiece () by means of an industrial robot () that can be rigidly coupled, intermittently, to the workpiece () and/or to a movable workpiece carrier unit (), the industrial robot (), when in a decoupled operating position (), being carried by a carrier device () that is movable, independently of a workpiece, by means of a drive unit () acting with active drive, and, when in a coupled operating position (), being floatingly mounted relative to the carrier device () by means of a floating bearing system (). Provision is made in this case whereby, in a coupled operating position () of the industrial robot (), the drive unit () does not act with active drive upon the carrier device (), the carrier device () being moved concomitantly, at least intermittently, by the moving workpiece () and/or by the moving workpiece carrier unit (), by means of the floating bearing system (), when the industrial robot () has been coupled. Further provided is a positioning method for an industrial robot () of such a processing system (), which industrial robot () can be coupled to a moving workpiece ().

Processing system for a moving workpiece and method of positioning the processing system

A method and a device for the automated application of a self-adhesive paint film to a three-dimensionally curved bodywork part, using a robotic application tool, the paint film being held ready in the form of a multi-layered film composite ready for picking up. After picking up has taken place, a protective strip on the adhesive side is removed from the film section, which is held taut, by means of a contact piece attached to the film composite on the end side and the adhesive side of the film section is thereby exposed. The paint film section is subsequently aligned above the body part to be covered, at a small distance from it, and is progressively pressed onto the bodywork part from the spaced-apart, taut position by means of a roller or doctor moving over the paint film. In order to be able to apply even large or curved paint film sections without creases and at justifiable tool costs, use is made of a rectangular film composite which protrudes on all sides over the bodywork portion to be covered and is secured on all four sides in a rectangular suction frame. As a result, during the application of the paint film, the latter is held under tensile stress in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction. To simplify the tool, the protective strip on the adhesive side is removed from the paint film in a stationary manner.

Method and device for the automated application of paint film to bodywork parts

A method for manufacturing SMC components from an appropriately adapted amount of a fibrous reactive synthetic resin which is provided in the form of defined blanks of prepregs. The prepregs are placed in a defined position into a heated mold of a molding press, the heated resin/fiber mass is flow-molded in the closing mold to form the SMC component, said component is thermally cured and subsequently removed from the mold. Two different approaches are taken, one being intended for introducing the resin mass into the mold as multiple layers and the other for introducing the resin mass as a single layer.

Methods for assembling prepreg stacks having exact weight for producing SMC components

A method and an apparatus for automated application of paint film to bodywork parts () and to a paint film composite () which is suitable for automation. A paint film composite () which is suitable for automation is created and adhesively bonded onto the bodywork part () in an accurate position and without any bubbles or creases by means of a robot-controlled application tool that is appropriate for this purpose. To securely hold the film composite (), which has been picked up from a substrate, the suction grippers () which grip the ends are angled in mirror-image form, in order in this way to prevent the ends from becoming detached from the suction grippers. The lower protective strip () is then at least partially pulled off, thus exposing the adhesive face of the useful part () of the paint film. The film composite () is aligned in the correct orientation at a short distance from the bodywork part () and the useful part () of the paint film is wiped onto the bodywork surface ().

Method and apparatus for automated application of lacquered films to body parts, and automation-compatible lacquered film composite

A process and a production installation for producing shell-shaped, fiber-reinforced plastic parts are provided. The plastic parts can be produced efficiently, in an automated manner which is flexible with respect to the process and workpiece and is operationally reliable. A blank of the endless fiber mat corresponding to a workpiece is placed in an automated manner by industrial robots onto a clamping frame surrounding the female mold and is taken over by the clamping frame in a clamping manner and in such a way that it can slide after itself against a defined resistance. Wide-ranging accessibility required for this is created by a horizontally movable unit, comprising a female mold and a clamping frame, being temporarily moved completely out from the forming press and moved back again into the forming press after completion of loading.

Method and device for producing shell-shaped, plastic parts reinforced with fibre mats

Taping down tool and method for the automated, series application of adhesive tape, in particular on surface parts of vehicle bodies. The taping down tool comprises a mount for an adhesive-tape roll containing adhesive tape to be applied, an application roller for the application of adhesive tape, which has been pulled off from the adhesive-tape roll, and a holding device, which is arranged upstream of the application roller, for holding ready adhesive tape, which has been pulled off from the adhesive-tape roll, between two application processes, the holding device moreover serving for the pressing-on of held-ready adhesive tape on the surface to be covered, so as to initiate an application process, and, after a forwards movement of the taping down tool, adhesive tape, which has been pressed on by the holding device, being taken over by the application roller which can be extended essentially perpendicular with respect to the plane of the pressed-on adhesive tape in the direction of the adhesive tape and is used for the force-controlled pressing-on of the adhesive tape.

Adhesive application too and method for the automated and serial application of adhesive tape

A method for the automated, series application of a self-adhering protective film to a surface portion of vehicle body includes (1) readying of a film piece, pulled off from a supply roll, in a readying station in a stretched-out, fold-free state by at least one holding element; and (2) pulled off the film piece to the desired length from the supply roll, cutting off the film piece and holding on opposite edges, with the fold-free stretched-out state being retained and being transferred into the application station. The next film piece, which is pulled behind by the film piece is held stretched out in the fold-free state by the at least one holding element of the readying station. The film piece is applied to the body by lowering it in a positionally correct manner, by the at least one application robot, onto an associated surface portion of the body and is pressed onto the portion in a fold-free and bubble-free manner.

Method and device for applying a self-adhesive protective film to car bodies

In a method and apparatus for automatically applying self-adhesive protective sheeting to surface parts of vehicle bodies, a specific rectangular piece of protective sheeting in the form of stock roll is grasped on its non-adhesive side, using a robot-controlled tentering frame with suction legs, is drawn off and is cut off. Before the sheeting blank is laid on to the body, in the freely stretched-out state tear-off lines are perforated, preferably from the non-adhesive sheeting side, in the region of accessory parts by means of a perforating device guided along definite contour lines. Thereafter the protective sheeting, which is thus prepared and stretched out so as to be free of creases in the tentering frame, is lowered in the correct position onto the associated part by the handling robot and laid onto the surface part so as to be free of bubbles. The sheetings are subsequently pressed down in a brushing manner under an elastic brushing bar extending over the entire vehicle width. In the region of glued-over gaps in the vehicle body surface, the protective sheeting is severed and the cut edges are pressed down. In the region of accessory parts, protective sheeting parts are drawn off along the perforated tearing lines and openings are thus made in said regions in a manner appropriate for assembly.

Method and apparatus for applying self-adhesive protective sheeting to vehicle bodies

In an apparatus for the conveyance and positioning of a vehicle supported on its own wheels along a production line, the vehicle wheels of each vehicle side are assigned conveying systems, for example apron conveyors or drag-chain conveyors, by means of which the vehicles can be moved further on in strokes. So that the vehicles can be positioned and oriented accurately and efficiently in the longitudinal and transverse directions in an automation-compatible and type-flexible way, in each workstation, the two wheel tracks are assigned in each case a prismatic shaped wheel well which can accept variously sized wheels in the same position. The vehicle wheels are supported transversely displaceably therein. Furthermore, a wheel support is arranged at a distance from the wheel wells and can support the wheels of the other vehicle axle likewise so as to be transversely displaceable. The wheel supports cover the various center distances of all the vehicle types occurring in the production line. The same applies to the width of the rolling tracks, the wheel wells and the wheel supports. Each of the wheel wells and the wheel supports has a pair of movably guided centering edges which project above the rolling level of the rolling tracks and which can be laid against mirror-symmetrical sides of the vehicle tires and can be moved by means of a centering mechanism transversely to the conveying direction positively in synchronism and mirror-symmetrically to the center line of the production line.

Device for positioning vehicles standing on their own wheels in a manner which is suitable for automation and for vehicles of different types

Device and method for changing film rolls, with apparatus for holding a first film roll in a working position in which film can be pulled off and separated from the film roll as desired, and holding a second film roll in a standby position. The second film roll can be moved from the standby position into the working position, with the first film roll being removable from the working position by moving the second film roll.

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Freudenstadt, Germany

Uwe Habisreitinger