Disclosed is an automatic carrier system having one or more self-propelled robotic carriers for carrying products-in-assembly between assembly stations of an automated assembly line. The running speed and stopping position of individual carriers is controlled by command indicators. The carriers are capable of stopping within a small distance of a desired position relative to an assembly station. Each carrier supports a pallet upon which is slidably disposed a subpallet. Each assembly station has a robotic arm upon which is located a positioning member and an assembling tool. Accurate positioning of product-in-assembly is effected by lowering the positioning member, which comprises two cylinders with tapered openings, over a pair of positioning projections mounted on the slidable subpallets. As the positioning projections slide within the tapered opening of the positioning member cylinders, the sloped surface of the tapered opening causes the positioning projections to move toward the center of the cylinders. When the positioning member reaches its lowermost point, the positioning projections are centered in the cylinders, thus causing the subpallet and workpiece to be in the desired position relative to the assembling machine.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/325,581, filed Mar. 17, 1989, now abandoned.
In an assembly line system, a self-propelled carrier 51 carrying thereon assembly workpieces is brought to a halt at an assembly station 11. When the assembly of the assembly workpieces is completed at the assembly station 11, the carrier 51 is driven out therefrom. More specifically, three pairs of assembly stations 11 are disposed in serial alignment and each assembly worker A-c is placed between his/her assembly station pair. Arranged on one side of the row of these three assembly station pairs is a guide line 2d. Station guide lines 12 respectively branch off from the guide line 2d so as to establish connections between the guide line 2d and the individual assembly stations 11. A carrier orientation reversing station 15 is connected to the guide line 2d located upstream of the upstreammost assembly station 11 so that carriers 51 enter ones of the assembly station pairs, in the reverse-orientation state. Such arrangements allow the assembly workers A-C to perform assembly work on assembly workpieces for FAS products according to their respective assembly rates in an assembly line 1.
In the manufacture of chemical products, foods, pharmaceuticals and the like, a movable tank (201) mounted on a conveying vehicle (100) movable along conveyance courses (1, 1') between a plurality of stations (11-16) for unit processes such as mixing and reaction is transferred between relative stations by a transferring device provided on the conveying vehicle, to thereby successively perform necessary processes, thus meeting the needs of a multi-product/small-lot production. An automatic connection device is provided for supplying electric power and fluid to the movable tank. Furthermore, when necessary, a traverser device (2) for transferring the movable tank is provided between one conveyance course (1) and another conveyance course (1'). Further, a washing device is provided for washing the movable tank after the completion of the processes.
