Robots for flexible torquing: Usually, when automakers need to tighten several bolts in an engine assembly, they use multiple fastening spindles mounted in a "hard-tooled" automatic system. Engineers at Ford found a better way. (Robotics).

Assembly, April, 2002 by Marrocco, Alexander; Zolotarev, Isaac

At Ford engine plants, multifastener joints such as cam covers, front covers and intake manifolds have traditionally been assembled using hard-tooled, multispindle power heads at dedicated run-down stations. The heads are mounted on pneumatic, hydraulic or electromechanical slides. The spindles (one per fastener) are fixed in place, and they simultaneously tighten all the fasteners to a specific torque.

On applications such as the cam cover for Ford's V-8 engine, this can require as many as 27 spindles at a cost of approximately $15,000 per spindle. The spindles are arranged to match the fastener pattern of the component being assembled. Because each run-down station is dedicated to a specific engine, additional stations are required on the assembly line to...

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