# US 7,744,514 B2 · Machining station and method for producing vehicle bodies > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,744,514 B2 - Document ID: US7744514B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/604,629 - Filed: 2006-11-27 - Published: 2007-06-07 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-02 - Assignees: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Markus Rössinger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7744514B2 ## CPC - B62D 65/02: Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components - Y10S 483/901: Robot end effectors - Y10T 29/49622: Vehicular structural member making - Y10T 29/49998: Work holding - Y10T 29/53961: with work-holder for assembly - Y10T 29/53978: including means to relatively position plural work parts - Y10T 483/10: Process - Y10T 483/165: Plural machine tools, e.g., flexible manufacturing - Y10T 483/17: including machine tool or component - 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) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A machining station and a method produce vehicle bodies of different types. A clamping station has interchangeable clamping frames, at least one clamping frame magazine, into which the interchangeable clamping frames are deposited when not in use and from which the interchangeable clamping frames are removed when in use, and at least one robot for transporting the interchangeable clamping frames. The interchangeable clamping frames, in particular the clamping frames for the vehicle body side parts, are divided into a plurality of separable segmental clamping frames, with, to convert to a different type of vehicle body, one segmental clamping frame in each case being transported by a robot from the clamping station to the clamping frame magazine, being deposited there, a segmental clamping frame of a different type being removed from the clamping frame magazine and this segmental clamping frame being transported to the clamping station. ## Claims ### Claim 1 In a method of producing vehicle bodies of different types on a production line wherein: clamping frames with positioning, holding and clamping devices for a vehicle body of a certain type are interchanged in a clamping station to convert production to a vehicle body of a different type; the clamping frames are deposited in at least one clamping frame magazine when not in use and removed from the at least one clamping frame magazine when in use; the improvement which comprises: providing at least one of the clamping frames as a separable clamping frame that is separable into individual segmental clamping frames; interchanging a clamping frame in the clamping station in each case by transporting one segmental clamping frame with a robot from the clamping station to the clamping frame magazine, depositing the one segmental clamping from in the clamping frame magazine, removing a segmental clamping frame of a different type from the clamping frame magazine, and transporting the segmental clamping frame of the different type to the clamping station; providing a plurality of receiving means for accommodating a respective one of the segmental clamping frames and each said receiving means having a respective drive unit connected thereto for horizontal displacement of the respective receiving means; displacing the respective one of the segmental clamping frames that is accommodated in the plurality of receiving means from an interchanging position to a locking position and vice versa with the respective drive unit for horizontally displacing the receiving means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which comprises exchanging clamping frames that are divided into two segmental clamping frames, for side parts of the vehicle body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which comprises exchanging one of the segmental clamping frames by one robot assigned to the segmental clamping frame being exchanged. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, which comprises simultaneously exchanging the segmental clamping frames with further segmental clamping frames. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which comprises depositing joining tools for a certain type of vehicle body into at least one tool magazine and interchanging the joining tools for joining tools for a vehicle body part of a different type by way of the robot. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the robot is assigned to the one segmental clamping frame, and the method further comprises exchanging joining tools that are assigned to the one segmental clamping frame with the assigned robot. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the robot positions the one segmental clamping frames in the plurality of receiving means in the clamping station and remove the one segmental clamping frames from there. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which comprises controlling the drive units of the respective one of the segmental clamping frames in synchronicity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which comprises, in the clamping station, holding, centering, and clamping individual, previously loosely joined-together vehicle body parts with the segmental clamping frames, and subsequently welding the vehicle body parts together.