Approach to increase flexibility in automobile body shops through component-integrated fixture functions

MATEC Web of Conferences, vol. 312, pp. 03002

Abstract

Due to shorter product life-cycles, increasing product customization and the co-existence of electric and combustion engine vehicles, variant flexibility is gaining importance in the automobile production. The automobile body shop is characterized by inflexible, rigid fixture systems dedicated to meet the geometrical requirements of specific body parts. Changes in part geometry or dimension require the development of new fixture systems, thus increasing product variety results in higher fixture costs. This paper presents an approach for a fixtureless body shop based on component-integrated fixture-functions, increasing variant flexibility and reducing fixture costs. The approach is implemented using a body part assembly of an electric vehicle.

Authors 3

1. Achim Kampker Aachen Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen, Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components, Campus Boulevard 30, Aachen, Germany

2. Johannes Triebs Aachen Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen, Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components, Campus Boulevard 30, Aachen, Germany

3. Jan Ole Hansen corresponding Aachen Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen, Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components, Campus Boulevard 30, Aachen, Germany