Programmable fixture and assembly cell

An automatic assembly method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a flexible assembly cell comprising an automatic assembly machine and at least one flexible fixture for holding a plurality of details comprising an assembly, said fixture being capable of accepting a family of details which all have substantially the same configuration and differ by increments in size, said fixture having a plurality of movable positioning means at spaced locations along said fixture and each of said positioning means having holding means adapted to engage said details;
• b) providing controlled means separate from said flexible fixture;
• c) transporting details to be assembled to said cell;
• d) moving each of said positioning means in relation to said fixture linearly along a plane and rotatably about an axis substantially perpendicular to said plane to a particular location as determined by the nature of the particular details to be held in said fixture, said moving said positioning means being performed by said controlled means;
• e) sequentially placing details transported to said cell in said fixture in position to be assembled;
• f) moving said automatic assembly machine relative to said flexible fixture to perform assembly operations on said details;
• g) removing the assembled details from said fixture;
• and
• h) transporting the assembled details away from said cell.

An automatic assembly method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a flexible assembly cell comprising first and second automatic assembly machines and first and second flexible fixtures each for holding a plurality of details comprising an assembly, said first and second fixtures each being capable of accepting a family of details which all have substantially the same configuration and differ by increments in size, said first and second fixtures each having a plurality of movable positioning means at spaced locations along each fixture and each of said positioning means having holding means adapted to engage said details;
• b) providing controlled means separate from said flexible fixture;
• c) transporting details to be assembled to said cell;
• d) moving each of said positioning means of said first fixture in relation to said first fixture linearly along a plane and rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to said plane to a particular location as determined by the nature of the particular details to be held in said first fixture, said moving said positioning means being performed by said controlled means;
• e) sequentially placing details transported to said cell in said first fixture in position to be assembled;
• f) moving said first automatic assembly machine relative to said first flexible fixture to perform assembly operations on said details;
• g) moving each of said positioning means of said second fixture in relation to said second fixture linearly along a plane and rotatably about an axis substantially perpendicular to said plane to a particular location as determined by the nature of the particular details to be held in said second fixture, said moving said positioning means being performed by said controlled means;
• h) removing the assembled details from said first fixture, transporting the assembly to said second fixture and placing the assembly in said second fixture;
• i) moving said second automatic assembly machine relative to said second flexible fixture to perform assembly operations on said assembly;
• j) removing the assembly from said second fixture, rotating the assembly 180.degree. about an axis parallel to the lane of the assembly and placing the assembly back in said second fixture;
• k) moving said second automatic assembling machine relative to said second flexible fixture to perform assembly operations on said assembly;
• and
• l) removing the assembly from said second fixture.

In an automatic assembly method wherein an automatic assembling machine is moved relative to an assembly for performing assembling operations thereon, the improvement comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a flexible fixture for holding a plurality of details comprising the assembly, said fixture being capable of accepting a family of details which all have substantially the same configuration and differ by increments in size, said fixture having a plurality of movable positioning means at spaced locations along said fixture and each of said positioning means having holding meand adapted to engage the details;
• b) moving each of said positioning means in relation to said fixture linearly along a plane and rotatably about an axis substantially perpendicular to said plane to a predetermined location as determined by the nature of the particular details to be held in said fixture;
• c) placing details in said fixture in position to be assembled;
• d) moving said automatic assembling machine relative to said fixture to perform assembly operations on said details;
• e) removing assembled details from said fixture;
• and
• f) said steps of moving said positioning means, placing details in said fixture and removing assembled details from said fixture being performed by robotic means movable relative to said fixture along two substantially orthogonal paths in a plane and along a third path substantially perpendicular to said plane and having manipulative movements in three degrees of freedom.

An automatic assembly method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a flexible assembly cell comprising an automatic assembly machine and at lest one flexible fixture for holding a plurality of details comprising an assembly, said fixture being capable of accepting a family of details which all have substantially the same configuration and differ in increments in size, said fixture having a plurality of movable positioning means at spaced locations along said fixture and each of said positioning means having holding means adapted to engage said details;
• b) transporting details to be assembled to said cell;
• c) moving each of said positioning means in relation to said fixture linearly along a plane and rotatably about an axis substantially perpendicular to said plane to a particular location as determined by the nature of the particular details to be held in said fixture;
• d) sequentially placing details transported to said cell in said fixture in position to be assembled;
• e) moving said automatic assembly machine relative to said flexible fixture to perform assembly operations on said details;
• f) removing the assembled details from said fixture;
• g) transporting the assembled details away from said cell;
• and
• h) said steps of moving said positioning means, placing details in said fixture and removing assembled details from said fixture being performed by robotic means movable relative to said fixture in said cell along two substantially orthogonal paths in a plane and along a third path substantially perpendicular to said plane and having manipulative movements in three degrees of freedom.

In an automatic assembly method wherein an automatic assembling machine is moved relative to an assembly for performing assembling operations thereon, the improvement comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a flexible fixture for holding a plurality of details comprising the assembly, said fixture being capable of accepting a family of details which all have substantially the same configuration and differ by increments in size, said fixture having a plurality of movable positioning means at spaced locaions along said fixture and each of said positioning means having holding means adapted to engage the details, said holding means being movable by said positioning means linearly in first and second directions and rotationally in a third direction;
• b) providing fixture positional information as to said first, second and third directions of said holding means at a location remote from said fixture;
• c) providing details to be placed in said fixture to be assembled, each of said details having positional information defined by said first and second linear directions and said third rotational direction corresponding to a desired position in said fixture;
• d) providing detailed positional information as to said first, second and third directions of said details at a location remote from said fixture;
• e) translating said fixture positional information and said detail positional information into position move commands at a location remote from said fixture;
• f) providing robotic means in operative relation to said fixture;
• g) transmitting said position move commands to said robotic means;
• h) moving each of said positioning means in relation to said fixture linearly along a plane and rotatably about an axis substantially perpendicular to said plane to a predetermined location as determined by said position move commands in accordance with the nature of the particular details to be held in said fixture, said moving said positioning means being performed by said robotic means;
• i) operating said robotic means to place details in said fixture in position to be assembled as determined by said position move commands;
• j) moving said automatic assembling machine relative to said fixture to perform assembly operations on said details;
• and
• k) operating said robotic means to remove assembled details from said fixture.