Assembly in Action: Pre-Adjust Fixtures Locate Door Glass
Peak Industries (Dearborn, MI) has built and delivered two pre-adjust fixtures to perform this task at DaimlerChrysler (Auburn Hills, MI).
The two fixtures establish the location of the glass in the closed position and reduce the adjustment required on the final assembly line. Each fixture presets the glass in the correct up, fore and aft, and in and out positions.
The fixtures are located on either side of a moving door line. Each fixture is carried by an ergo arm suspended from an overhead rail. These pneumatically powered lifting and handling devices feature a balancing system that diminishes the weight of the glass. This enables the operator to raise and lower the arm and its load with essentially no effort.
In a typical sequence, the operator loosely positions the fixture to a door via the ergo arm and engages two primary location point (PLP) pins. The pins enter locating holes on the interior door panel. Four PLP pads on the door trim mounting surface locate the fixture in the in and out position. The operator then presses a button to actuate three clamps, two at the top of the interior panel and one at the lower center of the panel.
Doors arrive at this location with the glass installed (in the lowered position) and the side-view mirror flag loosely mounted. The operator pushes the mirror flag against two locating details on the fixture. After plugging the window regulator power connector into the mating connector on the fixture, the operator presses a button to move the glass into four sets of V blocks. Indicator lights notify the operator if the glass is fully raised. If not, the operator manually maneuvers the glass into position.
A laser sensor controls each indicator light. The sensor detects glass position within 0.004 inch. Other indicator lights are provided to confirm the position of the glass. Two ultrasonic sensors detect the in and out location at two points on the glass. Two laser sensors detect the fore and aft location.
With the glass in the correct position, the operator uses a nutrunner to tighten seven fasteners. The operator then lowers the glass into the door, unclamps the fixture, and moves it back up the line to the load station. Cycle time for the entire operation is 71 seconds.
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The equipment provides an improved method for locating the glass in frameless doors and adds to overall quality.
For more information on fixturing equipment, call Peak Industries at 313-846-8666, visit www.peakindustries.com or Reply 2.
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