Assembly of aggregate carriers & floor conveyor technology
Automotive solutions from WinMOD
Assembly of aggregate carrier (MAT)
Pre-assembly of axle carriers, chassis, steering and drive units
Conveyor technology and assembly stations
The conveyor technology for transporting the unit carriers essentially consists of roller conveyors, chain conveyors, turntables and lifting tables. These are therefore the same elements as in classic SKID systems. The WinMOD-SIMLINE system provides an extensive 3D conveyor technology library with all the necessary conveyor modules. These can be freely parameterised in size and shape so that you can create your system virtually with millimetre precision.
In contrast, the actual assembly and handling stations are highly customised, based on the vehicle model to be produced or special manufacturing expertise. To integrate these stations, you import their 3D CAD design data directly into the WinMOD-SIMLINE 3D editor. There you kinematise the station axes and integrate 3D sensors, such as light scanners, proximity switches or scanners, directly into the virtual 3D station model. With these real-time sensors, the MATs with all their mechanics are captured with contour accuracy.
For virtual commissioning (VIBN), you connect the 3D station model with virtual drive, pneumatic and hydraulic modules that simulate the control-relevant behaviour and PLC communication in real time. The modules are available to you in extensive WinMOD libraries.
Aggregate carrier
The aggregate carriers (MAT for short) are certainly the central elements of this technology. Just like the assembly stations, they are highly customised modules. They usually contain various mechanisms such as screwdrivers, clamping devices and longitudinal adjustment.
With WinMOD-SIMLINE, the MATs are therefore created directly from the original 3D design data. To do this, you can import and edit many different CAD formats in our 3D editor. How detailed the MAT-internal mechanics are to be simulated is entirely up to you. A simple MAT transport frame for transport and accumulation processes may be sufficient for testing larger conveyor and buffer sections. However, when it comes to the interaction of a MAT in an assembly station, every single mechanical component is important. The screwdriver axes, clamps and longitudinal adjustment are kinematised for this purpose.
With VIBN, you can run virtual MATs through the system and test your conveyor technology and station controls in real time. The mechanical coupling and sensor detection between the station and MAT is simulated realistically.
Floor conveyor technology
Conveyor systems for component supply and product removal.
Component and pallet conveyor technology
This term can be used to summarise virtually all floor conveyor technology that is not SKID-based. This refers to standard roller conveyors, belt conveyors and plate conveyors, some of which are used in very large conveyor systems for component supply or product removal. With the WinMOD-SIMLINE 3D libraries, you can easily create your layouts from straight lines, curves, lifting tables, travelling carriages and turntables. In addition, various 3D sensor types are available to you, which you can mount and align virtually on the conveyors just as in the real system.
The individual components and assembly pallets are integrated via CAD import. These are then transported, accumulated and stacked in real time in the 3D simulation. This provides you with all aspects for a realistic virtual commissioning (VIBN) of your automation system. You can test the PLC software as well as the loading and unloading of components or the return cycle of empty pallets.
Panel conveyor in final assembly
A special form of floor conveyor technology is used in final assembly. These plate conveyors are sunk into the hall floor so that their transport surface is flush with the hall floor. The cars to be transported are almost finished and stand on their own wheels. WinMOD-SIMLINE also provides 3D library elements for this special technology, which contain the special positioning circulation behaviour. In combination with virtual positioning drives, this results in a highly accurate real-time simulation of this technology.
Clamping blocks for fixing the wheels and reflectors are also available, as are the 3D sensors. The cars can also be integrated here via CAD import.
At VIBN, you finally put your system PLC into operation and test the precise transfers at the conveyor edges with many virtual cars.
