The Satisfying Machines Involved In Building Cars

To list all the machines employed in an auto plant would be an exercise in futility. But here are some of what you might find on a typical plant floor (via Robotics Business Review).

Assembly machines install parts and tighten fasteners. Some of the newest machines include tire installers that can accurately position tires on the car, and tighten all the lug nuts simultaneously

Spot and arc welders assemble complete bodies of modern cars. They often have dozens of arms that spot weld multiple points of the body at once. These machines appear as if they are a team of robots descending on loose body panels that emerge from the machine as a complete car.

Painting, coating, and sealing robots take humans away from some of the most hazardous environments full of noxious chemicals and gases. They also leave cars with perfectly smooth finishes gleaming as they leave the factory floor.

Part transfer and machine tending robots pick up finished parts off of presses and CNC machines to transfer to another part of the assembly process. These are particularly useful in areas of the foundry, where molten metals reach thousands of degrees and pose significant hazards to humans.

Material removal robots help to turn raw panels and trim into finished parts. For items, for example, that come out of a press and need clean edges, precision laser-guided robots can cut straight, clean edges, preparing a part for final assembly.

Logistics robots are used to move parts and raw materials in place for installation. These mechanized, robotic systems can track inventory, and ensure stations around the factory are properly stocked and well supplied for smooth, continuous operation.

When all these systems operate at full capacity and without error, auto plants can run continuously for weeks on end with ever-increasing efficiency. They not only make it possible to build more cars in less time, but they also do it while keeping the threat of injury to workers lower than ever.