In the body shop, robots weld hundreds of parts into the body-in-white. Between cells, the conveyor must move bodies quickly and place them precisely, without taking floor space from robots and fixtures.
Where Overhead Conveyors Fit
- Transfers between main framing and respot lines
- Lines for closures such as doors, hoods and tailgates
- Body stores between body shop and paint shop
- Inspection and repair loops
Technologies Used
| Technology | Typical use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Electric monorail | Transfers between cells, closures lines | Fast moves, precise stops |
| Lifters and drop sections | Hand-over to floor skids or fixtures | Vertical transfer at defined points |
| Power and free | Body stores and buffers | Accumulation and sequencing |
| Floor skid conveyors | Within cells | Fixture-based positioning |
Design Points
- Positioning accuracy at hand-over points for robots and fixtures
- Cycle time of transfers within the cell takt
- Protection from weld spatter for rails and cables
- Carrier design that grips the body at defined points
- Buffers sized for robot downtime and model changes
Linking to the Paint Shop
Body stores decouple the body shop from the paint shop, so a stop in one does not stop the other, and they let the plant sequence bodies by model or colour. See our power and free systems for store design and our automotive industry page.
