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US 8,011,558 B2Granted
Turntable welding method with light curtain protection
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsGeorge Charbel, Yoshinori Ishihata, Julia Zoldak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robotic welding system and method includes multiple welding cells equidistantly spaced in a circular arrangement, multiple perimeter light curtains to provide safety protection around the welding cells, a turntable centrally located in the circular arrangement, and multiple welding robots attached to the turntable. The welding system and method further includes a first welding process and a second welding process whereby both the first welding process and the second welding process each include a primary welding operation and a secondary welding operation whereby the turntable rotates between the welding cells to perform the primary and secondary welding operations.
Claims17
A method for welding multiple welding assemblies comprising:
- providing welding cells equidistantly spaced in a circular arrangement, light curtains positioned at a perimeter of the welding cells, a turntable having a rotating portion and a stationary portion, and at least one welding robot operatively attached to the rotating portion;
- programming a first welding process into a control system;
- loading a first welding assembly into a fixture in a first welding cell;
- rotating the rotating portion of the turntable such that the at least one welding robot is aligned with the first welding cell;
- performing a primary welding operation on the first welding assembly;
- removing the first welding assembly from the first welding cell;
- placing the first welding assembly in a buffer area;
- loading a second welding assembly into the fixture in the first welding cell;
- performing simultaneously;
- the primary welding operation on the second welding assembly;
- and
- placing the first welding assembly in a fixture in a second welding cell;
- rotating the rotating portion of the turntable such that the at least one welding robot is aligned with the second welding cell;
- performing simultaneously
- a secondary welding operation on the first welding assembly;
- removing the second welding assembly from the first welding cell;
- placing the second welding assembly in the buffer area;
- and
- loading a third welding assembly in the fixture in the first welding cell,
- wherein the rotating portion of the turntable rotates about an axis of rotation and includes a top portion, a first activation/deactivation ring having a center offset from the axis of rotation and positioned between the top portion and the stationary portion, and a second activation/deactivation ring having a center offset from the axis of rotation and positioned between the first activation/deactivation ring and the stationary portion, wherein the top portion, the first activation/deactivation ring, and the second activation/deactivation ring are mechanically connected together such that the top portion, the first activation/deactivation ring, and the second activation/deactivation ring rotate together about the axis of rotation relative to the stationary portion, and wherein the center of the first activation/deactivation ring is offset from the axis of rotation in a different direction than the center of the second activation/deactivation ring.
17 more elements
A method for welding multiple welding assemblies comprising:
- providing welding cells equidistantly spaced in a circular arrangement, multiple light curtains positioned at a perimeter of the welding cells, a turntable having a rotating portion and a stationary portion, at least one welding robot operatively attached to the rotating portion, and light curtains positioned between the turntable and the welding cells;
- programming a first welding process into a control system;
- loading a first welding assembly into a fixture in a first welding cell;
- rotating the rotating portion of the turntable such that the at least one welding robot is aligned with the first welding cell;
- performing a primary welding operation on the first welding assembly;
- removing the first welding assembly from the first welding cell:
- placing the first welding assembly in a buffer area;
- loading a second welding assembly into the fixture in the first welding cell;
- performing simultaneously;
- the primary welding operation on the second welding assembly;
- and
- placing the first welding assembly in a fixture in a second welding cell;
- rotating the rotating portion of the turntable such that the at least one welding robot is aligned with the second welding cell;
- performing simultaneously
- a secondary welding operation on the first welding assembly;
- removing the second welding assembly from the first welding cell;
- placing the second welding assembly in the buffer area;
- and
- loading a third welding assembly in the fixture in the first welding cell,
- wherein during rotation of the rotating portion of the turntable, the rotating portion engages a plurality of limit switches that activate and deactivate the multiple light curtains positioned at the perimeter of the welding cells and the light curtains positioned between the turntable and the welding cells prior to the primary welding operation and the secondary welding operation.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.