Cost effective and logically optimized assembly plant for series production of industrial products, especially vehicles

US6070320A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Micro Compact Car AG · DE

Inventors

• Johann Tomforde · Sindelfingen, DE
• Wilfried Gross · Renningen, DE
• Juergen Riehl · Stuttgart, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 22, 1996
• Grant date: Jun 6, 2000
• Expiry date: Apr 22, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T29/53539
• WIPO field: Machine tools
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An assembly plant for the series assembly of vehicles has a main assembly line and associated assembly works for relatively complex vehicle parts to be supplied "just in time". Simpler assembly components and small and standard components are held in readiness in a central component store and supplied from there to the assembly line. Stores for large components are arranged near to the corresponding assembly point. The overall conveying section is divided into a plurality of mutually adjoining U-shaped conveying loops. Provided between each of the assembly shops and the central component store, on the one hand, and the main assembly line, on the other, there are in each case feeder systems. In order to optimize the assembly plant both logistically and in terms of operation and costs, individual U-shaped conveying loops of the assembly line are directed radially away from a center of the assembly plant, preferably orthogonally relative to one another, leaving a free space between adjacent U-shaped conveying loops. In this arrangement, the separate assembly shops and the central component store are accommodated in immediate proximity to the assembly line in the free spaces between th…