# US 11,110,557 B2 · Manufacturing station and manufacturing process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,110,557 B2 - Document ID: US11110557B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/304,232 - Filed: 2017-05-24 - Published: 2020-10-15 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-24 - Assignees: KUKA Systems GmbH - Applicants: KUKA Systems GmbH - Inventors: Paul Thorwarth - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11110557B2 ## CPC - B23P 21/00: Machines for assembling a multiplicity of different parts to compose units, with or without preceding or subsequent working of such parts, e.g. with program control - B23P 21/004: {the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed} - B23Q 7/04: by means of grippers {(B23Q7/1494 takes precedence)} - B25J 9/0084: {comprising a plurality of manipulators} - B25J 9/0093: {co-operating with conveyor means} - B25J 21/00: Chambers provided with manipulation devices (constructional features of the mounting of the manipulator in the wall B25J1/08 {; glove-boxes for nuclear applications G21F7/04}) - B62D 65/022: {Transferring or handling sub-units or components, e.g. in work stations or between workstations and transportation systems} - B23P 2700/50: Other automobile vehicle parts, i.e. manufactured in assembly lines - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A manufacturing station and a manufacturing process for workpieces, in particular car body parts. The manufacturing station includes a processing area having a working point and a processing apparatus. A security partition surrounds the processing area and has a secure access point for workpiece transport. The manufacturing station further includes an automatic loading apparatus with loading robots. The loading apparatus loads and unloads workpieces onto and off a conveyor and transports the workpieces into and out of the processing area. The automatic and multifunctional loading apparatus is arranged, together with a workpiece support, inside the security partition, wherein the workpiece support is arranged within the working area of the loading robots. A loading robot provides workpieces and carries out a setting-up procedure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A manufacturing station for workpieces, comprising: a processing area with a processing site and a processing apparatus; a security partition enclosing the processing area and including a plurality of secure access points for workpiece transport into and out of the security partition; a multifunctional automatic loading apparatus including a plurality of loading robots and located within the security partition, the automatic loading apparatus configured to load and unload workpieces onto and off of a conveyor operating in cooperation with the manufacturing station, and to transport the workpieces into and out of the processing area; and a workpiece support positioned in respective working areas of the plurality of loading robots; wherein at least one of the loading robots is configured to make workpieces available to the workpiece support and to perform a setup process on the workpieces; and wherein one of the plurality of loading robots is configured and controlled as a presentation robot for supplying workpieces from the workpiece support to the processing area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The manufacturing station of claim 1, further comprising: a pass-through area within the security partition, the pass-through area including a plurality of stops for the conveyor; wherein at least one of the secure access points of the security partition is configured for at least one of a secure inlet of the conveyor into the processing area, or a secure outlet of the conveyor from the processing area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The manufacturing station of claim 2, further comprising a positioning device for the conveyor, the positioning device disposed at the stops. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The manufacturing station of claim 2, comprising a single processing apparatus and two loading robots, each loading robot located at a respective stop. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The manufacturing station of claim 1, wherein separate access points for a secure inlet or outlet of the conveyor are located at one side of the security partition. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The manufacturing station of claim 5, wherein the security partition includes an additional secure access point for the conveyor in the vicinity of the processing site of the processing area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The manufacturing station of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of loading robots is configured and controlled to select and unload workpieces from the conveyor and to place the workpieces onto the workpiece support. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The manufacturing station of claim 7, wherein the loading robot is further configured and controlled to perform a setup process on the workpieces that have been unloaded from the conveyor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The manufacturing station of claim 8, further comprising a preparation device disposed in the work area of the loading robot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The manufacturing station of claim 1, wherein the loading robot that is configured as a presentation robot is further configured and controlled to remove workpieces from the processing area and to load the conveyor with the removed workpieces at a stop of a pass-through area for the conveyor within the security partition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The manufacturing station of claim 1, wherein the processing apparatus comprises: a workpiece mounting disposed proximate the processing site; and at least one processing robot disposed proximate the processing site. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A manufacturing system for workpieces, the manufacturing system comprising: at least one manufacturing station according to claim 1; and a conveyor system with several conveyors for workpiece transport. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The manufacturing system of claim 12, wherein the conveyors are configured as floor conveyors, in particular as automated driverless vehicles. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The manufacturing system of claim 12, further comprising: a conveying path extending along a plurality of serially arranged manufacturing stations, the conveying path including several parallel conveyor track lanes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The manufacturing system of claim 12, wherein the conveyors have a type-specific, coded load suspension device for the defined mounting of one or more workpieces. ### Claim 16 A method for manufacturing workpieces, the method comprising: moving workpieces on a conveyor to at least one manufacturing station, the manufacturing station including: a processing area with a processing site and a processing apparatus, a security partition enclosing the processing area and including a plurality of secure access points for workpiece transport into and out of the security partition, an automatic loading apparatus including a plurality of loading robots and located within the security partition, and a workpiece support in the working areas of the loading robots, wherein one of the plurality of loading robots is configured and controlled as a presentation robot for supplying workpieces from the workpiece support to the processing area; loading and unloading workpieces onto and off of the conveyor with the loading apparatus; placing workpieces unloaded from the conveyor on the workpiece support with one of the plurality of loading robots; and performing a setup process on the workpieces using one of the plurality of loading robots. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: moving workpieces into and out of the manufacturing station on the conveyor through separate access points in the security partition; moving workpieces along a pass-through area inside the manufacturing station; and stopping at a plurality of locations in the pass-through area, between the access points. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein performing the setup process comprises stacking unloaded workpieces on the workpiece support. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein performing the setup process on the workpieces comprises applying an adhesive to the unloaded workpieces.