Multi-station robotic welding assembly

A multi-station robotic welding assembly, comprising:

• (a) a mounting platform;
• (b) a plurality of robots attached to said mounting platform and located in respective weld stations, each of said robots comprising an elongated movable arm and wrist;
• (c) a welding torch attached to each of said robots and adapted for being manipulated by said movable arm end wrist;
• (d) a rotatable fixture base located on said mounting platform, wherein said fixture base comprises a junction box containing an electrical D-ring connector adapted for enabling continuous 360 degree rotation of said fixture base;
• (e) a plurality of fixtures supported on said fixture base, each of said fixtures adapted for holding and positioning a workpiece for welding in respective weld stations;
• and
• (f) a base indexer adapted for repeatedly rotating said fixture base by a predetermined degree, such that said fixtures are positioned within respective weld stations for an index interval sufficient to complete welding of the workpieces.

A multi-station robotic welding assembly, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of robots mounted on a supporting surface and located in respective weld stations, each of said robots comprising an elongated movable arm and wrist;
• (b) a welding torch attached to each of said robots and adapted for being manipulated by said movable arm and wrist;
• (c) a rotatable fixture base adapted for supporting a plurality of fixtures, each of the fixtures adapted for holding and positioning a workpiece for welding in respective weld stations, wherein said fixture base comprises a junction box containing an electrical D-ring connector adapted for enabling continuous 360 degree rotation of said fixture base;
• and
• (d) a base indexer adapted for repeatedly rotating said fixture base by a predetermined degree, such that the fixtures are positioned within respective weld stations for an index interval sufficient to complete welding of the workpieces.

A method for welding a workpiece comprising the steps of:

• (a) loading a first workpieces into a first fixture located in an operator's station;
• (b) indexing the first fixture to locate the first workpiece in a first weld station;
• (c) welding a first portion of the first workpiece in the first weld station;
• (d) during the welding process of step (c), loading a second workpiece into a second fixture located n the operators station;
• (e) indexing the first and second fixtures to locate the first and second workpieces in respective second and first weld stations;
• (f) welding a first portion of the second workpiece in the first weld station while simultaneously welding a second portion of the first workpiece in the second weld station;
• (g) during the welding process of step (f), loading a third workpiece into a third fixture located in the operators station;
• (h) indexing the first, second, and third fixtures to locate the first, second, and third workpieces in the operator's station, the second weld station, and the first weld station, respectively;
• (i) welding a first portion of the third workpiece in the first weld station while simultaneously welding a second portion of the second workpiece in the second weld station;
• and
• (j) during the welding process of step (i), removing the first workpiece from the first fixture in the operator's station.