BiW Fixture Design Methodologies Challenges

1.What is Design Methodology?

So in this methodology we learn about three design processes, we're going to study how do we proceed while doing a design. And one of the things that we take care of structuring or design tree so we'll be learning how to structure the design tree, and how to name the particular component or particular assembly, or the part of an assembly, which is very easy to read and very easy to understand.

Design methodology is nothing but steps followed during the concept of designing stages of fixture design is basically, when we do a conceptualization of our design, there are a few millimeters that we have to consider, and then we start moving towards the design.

• Design methodology is divided into four subcategories
• Purchase Order
• Inputs From Customer
• Percentage Completion Criteria
• Design Output

1.Purchase Order

It is basically a confirmation from the customer side, that we are ready to start the designing or, go ahead.

2.Inputs From Customer

Input From customers are the major inputs that we get from the customers, how do we study those inputs,what kind of information and get out of those inputs,These are the criteria that we mentioned in this particular input from the customer.

3.Percentage Completion Criteria

Percentage completion criteria is basically schedule. What time that we can complete the entire process again this is more detailed. So when we are going to complete the in entire designing, then we're going to move on to simulation on all these subcategories would be considered in percentage completion cateria like a probability to when we can complete the entire fixture design.

4.Design Output

In BIW fixture design or any industry. We don't only just design a particular component and just give the CAD file to the customer, you have to give a lot of documents like 3d documents,2d documents, which is the detailing part, and as well as other factors as well like bom, bom bill of material and other documents as well about this particular component and their standards, all has to be submitted to the customer.

2.What are the inputs required from the customer to start designing a Fixture?

To start designing a fixture below are the Inputs from customer

• Functional Requirements
• Preferred Standard Components
• car Products
• Layout
• Ergo Data
• Weld Study
• Standard Detailing Templates

Functional Requirements

In functional requirements this is basically what kind of function that particular fixture design is going to have, for example welding,Glueing,riveting fastening this kind of information will be given to us from financial department.

Prefered standard component

Prefered standard component is basically what kind of standard components that the customer already have. And we have to design, according to the standard component itself. And this inputs actually saves a lot of time, as it saves a lot of efforts from our side as well as the company side as well. So if they have any component that we already have their standards, then we don't have to design those particular components. First of all, and then they don't have to purchase it from the outside as well.

car products

Car products like 3d files, read files, as well as to learn and to study what kind of geometrical tolerances and what kind of PLP points (Principle Locating Points) where we can fix those pinion edge and or the clamping edge and then putting a position.

layout

Layout is basically an layout of the entire assembly line to understand the process and the flow of work.

Ergo Data

Ergo data is basically involved well manual operators are involved, and every company has different types of standard for aggregate data, so we'll be getting that particular input from the customer so these are the standards that we follow So,this kind of Ergo data we get from the customer.

Weld Study

weld study means A study of the particular gun that we are going to use for welding and where we are going to weld. So if you're doing a spot welding what kind of spot welding we are going to do number of welding to the particular component.

Standard Detailing Templates

Standard detailing template means every company has different types of standards, so they will give us detailing templates about how to detail the particular component and dimensions.

What is the input we get from "Car Products"?

Car products like 3d files, read files, as well as to learn and to study what kind of geometrical tolerances and what kind of PLP points (Principle Locating Points) where we can fix those pinion edge and or the clamping edge and then putting a position.

Car Products includes

• GD&T
• Part list
• The revision
• part thickness
• Cad Files Of Car Parts
• Clamp Plan
• Product Assembly Process Sheet

GD&T

First Car product include GD and T the geometrical dimensioning and tolerances of the particular parts.

• GD&T provides information of Locating pins,rest,Clamps,Dumps & Slide information of each station.
• Sequence of opening of clamps,dumps and Slide stroke information.
• In GD & T we will be learning about locating pins so where we can actually locate our pin units and best clamp.How the entire component is gonna rest, or it's going to get clamped and dumb and slide information in each station sequencing and opening of clamp and slide Strock information.

Part list

Part list Means what kind of assembly, those parts are going to be.

• For example, first assembly is going to be between put in a panel and that which is going to get attached. And then the next one will be the hinge.So every assembly will have a different section in it. So, we have to design different assembly parts.

• In the part list they are part numbers,part names is mentioned.Every part having different name.

The revision

In the revision the first component has 21 divisions. So the cost and patent are revised 21 times.Division of the tooling that means the tool as device 30 times, and the pre-production fixture is revised 30 times.

Part thickness

Part thickness is very important in a particular assembly let's say if you're assembling a part of thickness 1mm,2mm,.75mm,so this will give you what kind of value that you can do, or what kind of gun that you have to use. So it's also very important parameter to consider.

Cad Files Of Car Parts

CAD files of cad products means the 3d component that we required from all the Cad parts.

Clamp Plan

Clamp Plam is very important input that we get in the car products is where exactly we can place those clamping units are the particular pin Units.

• we should never change the position of the particular clamp or the pin, which is given in these data.

• we can change our design a little bit here or there, but we should not change the input design data about the clamp position or the pin position.

Product Assembly Process Sheet

In the Product Assembly Process Sheet what kind of products we are going to assemble in that particular component or the particular Unit.

What is the Clamp plan?

Clamp Plan

Clamp Plan is very important input that we get in the car products is where exactly we can place those clamping units are the particular pin Units.

• we should never change the position of the particular clamp or the pin, which is given in these data.

• we can change our design a little bit here or there, but we should not change the input design data about the clamp position or the pin position.

• In the Clamp plan there is clamp unit,pin unit and it is more detailed. It also gives the exact location of y and Z coordinates designing as well you can just input these coordinates and you can start designing from there.

• If the three coordinates,whole diameter and everything is already given to design the entire future design phase, and it sometimes ministry as well. It happens that another thought position, also given very close to the clamp, or the clamp location. So always ask to whether you have changed the clamp position.

• You should never change the vent position or the clamp position without asking it So always be vary about these situations So the tool might get damaged or department get damaged so for that itself need to clarify once again before doing any changes in the clamp.

What is the purpose of a Layout?

layout

Layout is basically an layout of the entire assembly line to understand the process and the flow of work.

• Layout sheet will give you information about all the fixtures are placed the robots are going to work on it.

• In layout sheet the circle around the robot is called Trapped area of that particular robot.

• So this is basically the reachability of that robot and which is confined to the particular circle.

• For example,Robot is going to work on the fixture,Details also mentioned the geo 250 and then number is given 250, and as you can see, 250 02 so this is dueling to one or two it's going to use there. So, this robot is going to work on the site first. Then after finishing the site. This fixture is going to rotate. And then it will come to T 01, and these two robots are going to work on the other side of the fixture. Similarly this robot is also going to work on the particular component as well.

• Entire sheet will give you in that plan of the layout of what are the constraints that is there from the customer side itself.

• if you want to do any changes for example, you're changing the geo fixture design and it's gonna exceed a little bit bigger or smaller inside you have to inform the customer and you have to get the customers permission to do that so that he will also be able to change the design. If we present him with anything.

Layout provides information about

Flow Of Parts

In the flow of parts how the particular component is going to move from one unit to another or one station to another station.

Station Pitch

In Station pitch a distance between two stations. What is the space concept that they have between two stations.

Robot Stations

Robot stations and positions where the robot placed stations.

Accessories Like Tool Changer and Tip Dresser

Accessories like tool changes and tipless. So where are those also placed. So that is it the robot wants to change the particular tool, which it has to go to the particular location and change it or the tip dresses, if you have a welding gun which is you're going to use a trip this is a useful. Again, as I said before, I used to shop on the tip of the particular gun.

Sub Assembly Links

Sub assembly links are basically how the particular fixtures how the assembly fixtures are linked to the main assembly line,

Loading/Unloading Sequence/Heights

Platform height and loading and unloading sequence of height.

What is Ergo data?

Ergo Data

Ergo data is basically involved well manual operators are involved, and every company has different types of standard for aggregate data, so we'll be getting that particular input from the customer so these are the standards that we follow So,this kind of Ergo data we get from the customer.

• Ergonomics refers to the study of human behaviour and movements.

• Ergo data provides information of loading height,working safety zone of operator etc.

• Ergo data is basically where is given when a manual operator is required. So this import will be given in regards to how their standards of Ergo data so this is one of the standards of the country that they follow for an ERGO data so height and minimum height of the session we mentioned here, and also the distance, which is required for the operator from the fixture design except.

• So this is very important as images to the study of human behavior and moments, and your data provides information of loading height working safety zone and operation. So it also gives you the safety zone of a particular man operator. So, how much distance is supposed to be from the weld gun.

• The heights are mentioned because of the operator itself, he should not bend, while doing the operation. It was going to be a strain on his back, the height should not be way too much so that he can't even see what are the other particles because it's gonna be uncomfortable for him and his shoulders are gonna get frayed.

• So this is basically to make the operator as comfortable as possible so that he will be more efficient in doing work and he will not take a lot of time while doing the particular assembly.

• The distance from the operator and the component be 1070 is the particular component and this is the reachability 300 if it is there, and the max reachability of the particular operators is 380, so he doesn't have to stretch his arm to get that particular company, if it is 380 it's totally fine. If it is 300 that is also acceptable and 1070 particular component or particular parts location.

• The height of that particular component which is acceptable will be around is the operator's waist size, which is easily accessible for him. Again, the maximum height should be 1500, which is also easily accessible to him, and which is done.

• So this is the schematic example of how the algorithm looks like.Effective economic data or effective ergonomic friendly mixture designers, the better the efficiency of the particular operator to work on it, and the less the time consumed, so it's going to be very important factor, wherever the manual operator doesn't work.

What do you understand by Weld study?

Weld Study

weld study means A study of the particular gun that we are going to use for welding and where we are going to weld. So if we doing a spot welding what kind of spot welding we are going to do number of welding to the particular component.

Weld Study includes

1.Weld Gun Details

2.Weld matrix and weld points

3.Geo weld points and Respot Weld Points

1.Weld Gun Details

This involves the study of the gun. So this is one of the example of weld gun, which is used in assembly. So weld study includes weld Gun detail weld matrix and weld points.

2.Weld matrix and weld points

Weld points are basically where the welding is going to happen at which point at which coordinates is going to happen.

3.Geo weld points and Respot Weld Points

The data of weld metrix and weld points will be given to you in the form of spears i.e Green and red Spears.

• At that points welding is going to happen.
• Geo spots are Red in Color and Re spots are Green in color.
• All the red spheres are going to happen in geostationary.
• In the respot station where the green welding is going to happen. So this is happens where one component is going to attach to this particular component, and in the other station, the other component get attach.

What are the criteria for percentage completion in the designing stage?

Percentage Completion Criteria

Percentage completion criteria is basically schedule. What time that we can complete the entire process again this is more detailed. So when we are going to complete the in entire designing, then we're going to move on to simulation on all these subcategories would be considered in percentage completion cateria like a probability to when we can complete the entire fixture design.

Percentage Completion Criteria is followed in the designing stages and dispatch stages of welding fixtures.

• 0-25% Input and concept design
• 25-40% Concept approval and simulation
• 40-85% Design freezing and detailing
• 85-100% Check and Final dispatch

Percentage completion criteria is followed in design stages and dispatch stages of the welding fixtures.

For example,where the how much of the task and how much of the project that you have already finished and is it actually lining up with the schedule that you have planned before. And these are the information that we get from particularly a percentage completion criteria.

Input and concept designing - 0-25%

In this they given four days to design the fixtures that means we have to complete 25% of the task within four days.

Concept approval and simulation - 25-40%

The concept of design is approved here, and the simulation check is done here, which is 25 to 40% of your design is complete in Comcept approval and simulation.

Design freezing and detailing - 40-85%

In this process the design is getting Freazed. That means design is getting finalized. And the detailing is going to start again.Once the detailing is finished, and the design is also feezed that means you have completed at least 40 to 85% of task.

Check and Final dispatch - 85-100%

In this stage this is final stage,Here checking the quality check usage and the final dispatch, which is the output that we are going to give to the customer, which is from 85 to 100%.

Brief about "Output" in design?

Design Output

In BIW fixture design or any industry. We don't only just design a particular component and just give the CAD file to the customer, you have to give a lot of documents like 3d documents,2d documents, which is the detailing part, and as well as other factors as well like bom, bom bill of material and other documents as well about this particular component and their standards, all has to be submitted to the customer.

The output is 3D models and the 2D drawing of the tools

1.Unitized Tools

2.Non-Unitised Tools

1.Unitized Tools

In the unitized tools testing requires two types of drawing sheet,which is one key sheet and layout sheet.

So example of a unitized tools are fixtures,tools So where exactly multiple units are a placed.For example, the entire assembly welding fixtures,where a pin unit,clamp unit,rest unit and the panel, everything is included so that for those things.

Key sheet - An index of units and their placements on the tool base.

Layout sheet - A detailed drawing of individual units to include all of their components.

So, it is basically an index of units and placements on the tool base, so the key sheet going to show you the placement and the location of that particular tool on the tool base where exactly the tool is placed. And what is his exact position in a particular place.

Layout sheet is a detailed drawing of that particular tool, where it's gonna show you, detail components and how you're designed the particular component.

2.Non-Unitized Tools

Tools that can stand alone and can be detailed completely on a layouy sheet.

Non unitized tools are basically tools like Stands and tool changers is also an example of an non unitized tools where you don't need key sheet, you can actually used to layout sheet and complete the entire documentation of the particular component. So this is as known non unitized tools.

What do you understand by structuring a design tree? How does it reduce errors during the design process?

Structuring a design tree

A process where all the assemblies and parts are named in a specific standard.Different customers have different set of standards and the structure of design tree.

• Every company,every customer has different standards of their own structure design tree.

• So they will be giving a template on how the structuring and detailing of the design is done. And you have to follow that particular designing or structuring of the tree.

• In the design tree itself if we mentioned that particular name, wherever that part is we can easily know that this part belongs to this zone or This station or this assembly on particular unit. So this helps us to avoid errors during the design study,manufacturing assembly and inspections.

• Structuring a design tree is actually to avoid all the errors, which might come during manufacturing assembly, or either in house inspections as well.

• If the part, or assembly are not named properly, or design tree is not structured properly, it will create confusion to understand the design and may create major possibilities of making an error.

• Every part, every component should be named according to their precedures.

• If we did a mistake or renamed the entire standard parts from the customer as a design part.Now the customer is going to manufacture the entire part again from the scratch, but he already have that product in his itinerary.but extra cost,extra time and not feasible.this is also known as an error which is actually going to increase the cost of the entire assembly as well.

• Naming a fixture or a unit or a part gives the information as to which project zone or assembly do they belong.

• If we name the part properly or name the fixture properly it'll actually tell which unit or which assembly or which zone or in which station it actually belongs.

• It can help us to identify the quantity of items of same types or different types that are being used in an assembly.

What are Units? Mention 5 types of units.

UNITS

In units they are two types one is unitized tools and non unitized tools.

UNITIZED TOOLS

Unitize tools are basically tools which are a part of multiple units or multiple tools inside of it

These are the tools which has to be represented by two formats key sheet and layout sheets.

unitized tools are basically two types,

1.Simple units and

2.Complex units.

NON UNITIZED TOOLS

non unitized tools are basically one unit itself, which is basically don't have any process functionality to it is just to keep component on it as a stable, like grippers turntable stands, etc.

1.Simple Units

Simple unit will have a very simple design to it, then the approach of the designing and manufacturing is also will be very simplistic like rest unit.

Rest Unit

Rest unit is basically a unit where the component is tested, there is no upper clamp to it, there's no force applied to it. There is no cylinder attached to it, it's just, usually it will have a riser a blade and few rest maylers.

Fixed Pin Unit

fixed pin unit are basically units which has a pin which is already fixed it cannot be moved.

Retract Pin Unit

Retract pin unit are the opposite to the fixture which can be moved up and down, so it can be retracted till a certain distance.

Rough Locator Unit

Rough locators are usually used in loading and unloading of that particular panel.

Sensor Unit

Sensor units are used in actually sensing whether the panel or a particular component is there or not.for example If we are assembling component of nine parts or 10 parts or eight parts, they'll have that many sensors,so that every component will have different its own sensor attached to it.

Base Unit

Basic unit where all the units has to be mounted.

2.Complex Units

Complex unit, like slide unit as an example of a complex units that design in itself a little complex in design.

Slide Unit

The slide units are basically where the sliding mechanism is involved.

Dump Unit

Dump unit is basically like a conveyor where you keep all these panels juiced up right as for storage kind.

Describe Fixed Pin units & their purpose?

Fixed Pin Unit is a unit designed to locate the car panel using pins and below are the different parts of a fixed pin in general.

• In the Fixed unit consists of pin,pin retainer,shims,blockblade or adaptor plate and riser.

• The totally different standards so same, a pin, pin retainer blade, or a block, so here they have replaced the block with just a single blade. And this is also

• Usually in the industry they tend to use the shims which are of smaller size.that's where they're manufactured like this always preferred as much as less material as possible. That's why we design it as small with these kind of shapes.

• Retractable pin is a unit design and it is located in the car panel using pins,which has same function as the fixed pin unit, but the entire pin package part will be mounted on the retractable pneumatic cylinders.

• So this is the pneumatic cylinder which is responsible for retracting the pin. So it has also same parts up in Shims or spacers. Again with the both sides pneumatics single rod retractable cylinder and the riser.

• Usually in the industry they tend to use the shims which are of smaller size.that's where they're manufactured like this always preferred as much as less material as possible. That's why we design it as small with these kind of shapes.

What are the different parts of a fixed unit?

Shims

A shim is a thin and often tapered or wedged piece of material, used to fill small gaps or spaces between objects. Shims are typically used in order to support, adjust for better fit, or provide a level surface. Shims may also be used as spacers to fill gaps between parts subject to wear.

Risers

Riser is a structure generally used to mount the toggle clamp and rest, clamp mylars and location pin.

• It is not necessary to have one riser where all the parts of clamp or rest or location units are mounted.

• Generally risers are either made of plate fabrication or plate and tube welding together or from single gas cut plate.

Blocks

Blocks (red for representation) are versatile blocks that can be machined to any desired fixture component. Because they come as a blank block, the possibilities are endless. Adding new tap holes or grinding down to your specifications are quick and simple.

Sensor unit

Sensor unit is a unit designed to sense the car panel by using electrical sensors, the signal from the sensor will fed to a PLC which is our programmable logic controller and sort of the next process will be executed by this signal.

What is the purpose of making a Rest unit & describe its parts?

Rest Unit

Rest Unit is a unit designed to rest /Support the car panel using NC blocks/Mylar/Rest and below are the different parts of a rest unit in general.

• simple unit which has a raiser and a normal blade,a spacer, which is the shims and the rest mylar.

• You can just manufacture the restaurants there and you can use the same blade as the same razor.

NC Block

NC blocks (red for representation) are versatile blocks that can be machined to any desired fixture component. Because they come as a blank block, the possibilities are endless. Adding new tap holes or grinding down to your specifications are quick and simple.

Shim

A shim is a thin and often tapered or wedged piece of material, used to fill small gaps or spaces between objects. Shims are typically used in order to support, adjust for better fit, or provide a level surface. Shims may also be used as spacers to fill gaps between parts subject to wear.

Risers

Riser is a structure generally used to mount the toggle clamp and rest, clamp mylars and location pin.

• It is not necessary to have one riser where all the parts of clamp or rest or location units are mounted.

• Generally risers are either made of plate fabrication or plate and tube welding together or from single gas cut plate.

What are the basic fundamentals to design a Sensor unit?

Sensor unit

Sensor unit is a unit designed to sense the car panel by using electrical sensors, the signal from the sensor will fed to a PLC which is our programmable logic controller and sort of the next process will be executed by this signal.

• So our sensors are basically used to sense the particular car panel. Now, the signal which gets from this sensor will be fed to the PLC, the PLC will decide whether the signal from the component or the assembly actually has the particular car panel or not.

• If it does not have it will not execute the next process, and it will stop the entire process that itself until the panel is loaded.

Fundamentals of Sensor Unit Design

Every single Loose panel, which are being welded in a tool should be sensed.

So every single panel that we are going to assemble in that particular panel.

For example

If we are using nine different panels to assemble in one panel. Every single one of those panels should have one sensor attached to it.

• Each panel should be sensed by one or two sensors depending on the size of the panel prefered to be in diagonally opposite ends of the panel.

• If a component is really small,We don't have to use two or three sensors for that you can just use one sensor, which will detect that particular panel.

• If the panel is really big. we will use two sensors towards the opposite directions of each to sense their particular panel.

• So every sensor should be mounted in three directional adjustable ways in general.

• Sensors Detect in Three Different Movements in that first one is upward and downward movement of the sensor.The second one is from left and right movement, and direction so all three directions.

Sensor manufacturers is IFM,Pepperl-Fuchs and Omron, etc.

Types of Sensors Used In General

Proximity sensor

proximity sensor is used in cell phones as well to detect a particular component. So, proximity sensors are range from 5 to 6 mm to 8 to 10 mm.

laser sensors

Laser sensors are used for bigger sensing the distance.if the component cannot be near the panel. It has to be farther away from the panel, then you will be using laser sensor.

Photo Electric Sensor

Photo electric sensors this is basically a proximity sensor and this can be utilized as a laser centered sensor and this is an example of a photoelectric sensor.

What is a Rough locator unit & what are the basic fundamentals to consider while designing it?

Rough locator

Rough locator is a part which is designed to guide the operator to locate the car panel on the pin accordingly rough locator can be of standard parts or make part.

The locators are used in loading and unloading the pan. These are very handy while orienting the part properly, so it will actually guide the entire the operator to load the panel in a particular orientation.

Fundamentals Of Rough Locator Design

• Rough Locator should be placed at the edge of the component or car panel,which has to be guided.

• So these are four carriers has to be placed at the edge.These are the edges of the entire panel, where the rough locators are the locating pins. So by these locating pins, you can either restrict the movement of the entire panel as well so placed in the same angle of the car panel edge with a minimum distance of 2 to 5 mm from the edge of the car panel .

• Rough Loacators should not touch the car panel,so that it should not damage the panel by loading and unloading.

• Rough locator should be designed in such a way that the panel will come from top to bottom and then it will be guided in the same direction.

• Rough Locators cannot be in just one angle it should be at the angle where the panel edge is supposed to be.

• Rough locator should start guiding the panel before 10 to 15 mm to the start of the pin engagement is one of the important parameters to consider.

• Rough locators should start guiding the panel downwards, before even the pin unit, engage in the panel.

• Rough Locators should be designed with entry angle for car part entry.

• Rough locators should be designed with two slots to mount for easy adjustments.

• The slots should be in the direction of car part guiding.

What is a Base unit and describe it's parts?

Base unit

The base unit is a unit designed to mount all the other units like time unit,pin unit , etc. of the tools and also other parts necessary of the tool of pneumatic valve box,trunking cable path will also be mounted on the base unit.

• All the units are basically like clamp unit,pin unit,rest unit And the Rough locators, everything will be mounted on the base unit.

Valve box

A valve box is basically a box which supplies air to all the other pneumatic cylinders. it's it's a device which includes a lot of other solenoid valves, so it will have one inlet and one outlet and from that one inlet, all the other solenoid valves will be attached to it. And each solenoid valves will have the input, and then again supplied to the separate cylinder, then again the output will be collected, while this solenoid valves, and again given back to the valve box.

Measuring hole covers

Measuring Hole covers is on the base unit which is for measuring purpose.

Eye Bolt

It is to drag the entire unit and relocated.

Pedestal

By this pedestal is for standing the entire unit.

Weld Bars and floor plates

Weld bars are to mount it to the floor.

What is a Dump Unit and what are its functions?

Dump unit

A dump unit is a unit where you actually assemble a component which if you have certain constraints.

Functions Of Dump Unit

if you have particular constraint and you cannot assemble in a normal way to use this use it in different ways again it has same dumb cylinder and and it has open position and closed position.and it has Clamp Cylinder Unit too.

That is why this are very complex and design.

if you have any geometrical constraints, you can use this dampener to constrain your components.

What is a Slide unit? Mention where Slide units are commonly used.

Sliding units

Sliding units are basically used in places where you have a lot of constraints or space constraints, when you cannot use different types of units to design the entire assembly. So, here you will use this sliding Only.

Sliding cylinder

Sliding cylinder has One open position and One closed position, which has to guide rails direction to the entire panel is going to move.

position locking unit

Position locking unit which will lock the position at that particular point doesn't allow the entire plate to move.

Sensor Unit

Sensors need to sense whether this entire component has reached here or not.

Stopper blocks

Stopper blocks as I said initially to control the entire panel moving and it's a moving part.