System and method for machining body parts, wherein robots are synchronised with a conveyor belt

A machining plant and/or joining plant, for the manufacture of body shells, the plant comprising:

• a conveyor for the workpieces;
• a plurality of multiaxial robots arranged stationarily along the transfer line, wherein the conveyor is designed as a continuously operating conveyor and the movements of the robots along axes of the robots can be synchronized with the conveying movement for machining the moving workpieces;
• a sensor system for detecting the movement and the position of the workpieces;
• and
• a control system, to which the conveyors, the sensor system and the robots are connected, said control system controlling the robots relative to the continuously operating conveyor so workpieces are conveyed continuously such that machining operations and/or joining operations are performed by the robot during the forward movement of the workpieces on the continuously operating conveyor section with the control system synchronizing the movements of the robots along the axes with the conveying movement of the workpieces.

A joining plant, for the manufacture of vehicle body shells, the plant comprising:

• a plurality of multiaxial industrial robots for machining and/or joining operations;
• a conveyor means for conveying the workpieces along a transfer line along which said robots are positioned with each of said robots being a stationary position and having a working area, the conveyor means having a continuously operating conveying section;
• a sensor system for detecting the movement and the position of the workpieces;
• and
• a control system controlling the continuously operating conveyor so workpieces are conveyed continuously and controlling movements of said robots such that machining operations and/or joining operations are performed by the robots during the forward movement of the workpieces on the continuously operating conveyor section with the control system synchronizing the movements of the robots along the axes with the conveying movement of the workpieces, said control system being connected to the conveyor means, to said sensor system and to said robots.