Flexible Automation of Automobile Weather-Strip Assembly

Automating the process of automotive weather strip assembly has been a challenge to production engineers for years. In fact, a recent publication concluded that this process is too difficult to automate. At the IPA a robot tool for flexible automation of the weather strip assembly process has been developed. In close cooperation with Opel AG, weather strip supplier Mesnel S.A. in France, assembly system manufacturers Kuka, and Thyssen Nothelfer, a prototype assembly cell has been set up at IPA. The assembly system consists of a pick-up station supplying the weather strip seals, a sophisticated insertion tool, and an industrial robot (Fanuc S-420F). The basic function of the robot tool is very similar to the manual operation. The tool combines gripping, guiding and hammering functions. It uses open guides with pneumatic fingers to pickup and guide the seal, and a pneumatic hammer to drive the seal onto the flange. Based on a thorough analysis of significant process parameters, the cycle time of the seal assembly could be halved compared with manual operation. Extensive tests have proven a process reliability of close to 99%. Integration of a four robot weather strip assembly system into the final assembly line at Opel's plant in Rüsselsheim is in progress.