Comau has designed and deployed a 100% automated body-in-white (BIW) manufacturing system for JMC Ford to produce high-end pickup trucks at its Xiaolan plant in China’s Jiangxi province. The system can reportedly process an annual capacity of 125,000 units.
Comau’s BIW welding system was installed to improve welding accuracy and stability to ensure the final product’s structural integrity and safety. By incorporating the welding and tightening guns in an integrated BIW production system, Comau was able to minimize the need for frequent tool changes. The system also includes the use of other automation technologies, such as advanced vision inspection technology, for better quality control.
The flexible and removable fixture loading table developed by Comau for this project can be reconfigured for different assembly tasks and parts to reduce line changeover times and tooling investments while optimizing workflow and improving product quality. This new manufacturing system also features Comau’s OpenGate assembly system, which ensures geometrical accuracy with an average switching cycle time of 50 seconds.
“Our goal was to create a more efficient, reliable and flexible production line for the rapidly expanding pickup truck market, and we have achieved impressive outcomes,” said Ma Jian, JMC Ford’s head of manufacturing engineering.
