Powertrain EOL: Floor Track Extends Robot Reach, 73 s
A new-energy powertrain assembly is large and carries many inspection points, reaching the final station on a slat line after assembly. Manual inspection meant walking around the unit to confirm nameplate and barcode consistency, filter appearance and pipe presence. Speed and consistency could not keep up with the cycle. This cell builds the equipment around the assembly structure and an inspection item list, gives each robot two 20 MP cameras and uses a pneumatic or servo floor track to extend the working range, with a 73 second cycle.
The assembly changes with the model, so the station cannot be welded shut
New-energy powertrain structure and points evolve with the vehicle model. Build a station around one model and the next generation has to start over. The equipment here is list-driven: inspection points, robot allocation, camera count and track travel all follow the list, and the hardware layout leaves adjustable margin. This is not provision for the distant future; different configuration versions of the same model already have different points.
When reach runs out, move the robot rather than buy another
A robot on a fixed base has a hard reach boundary. When inspection points exceed one robot's working envelope, there are two routes: add robots, or let the robot move. This cell takes the second, using a pneumatic or servo floor track to carry the robot within the station, so one machine covers more points.
A servo track has higher positioning accuracy and suits dense points that need precise alignment. A pneumatic track is simpler and cheaper, suiting wider spacing. The choice follows the point layout, not a preference for precision.
The item list is the design input
The customization sequence is worth recording: confirm the assembly structure and inspection list, map every item to a capture point, set robot count and track travel from that, configure cameras and lighting, then commission the decision rules item by item and freeze the program.
The order cannot be reversed. Buy robots first and look for points later, and the result is robots with nothing to do and points with nobody photographing them. List completeness sets the ceiling on final inspection quality, and it must cover nameplate and barcode, appearance, connectors and assembly state.
Dual cameras: one judges, one testifies
Each robot carries two 20 MP cameras, one for archiving and one for inspection. The archived image records the full site state, and can be retrieved if a quality dispute arises, so the inspection conclusion is traceable and defensible. For outgoing quality, what was photographed and what the algorithm decided are equally important.
How the track and robot share 73 seconds
After the powertrain is located at the final station, the robot moves along the track to each point and captures, and AI judges each list item. Passing units are conveyed out and anomalies alarm, with data traceable. The cycle is 73 seconds, subject to site acceptance results. Track and robot positioning must be tightly paired: where the track stops and how the robot poses for each shot are fixed in the program, or the imaging conditions for the same area change every cycle.
Lighting follows the material, not the station
Surface materials on a new-energy assembly vary and reflect differently, so one lighting setup may be right at area A and overexposed or underexposed at area B. The cell combines very large high-brightness lights with bar lights: large areas are lifted by the high-brightness source, local detail is lit directionally by the bar. Lighting configuration is fixed alongside points during customization, not patched in during commissioning.
Purchasing questions for custom equipment
Why not build a universal machine?
Assembly structures differ widely. A universal machine must be configured for the most complex points, costing more and leaving most unused. List-based customization matches investment to actual items.
Does the floor track slow the cycle?
Movement takes time, so track travel and point order are planned together. For points that make travel too long, consider another camera position rather than stretching the track.
Must the equipment be rebuilt for a new model?
No. Reconfigure programs and points against the new list; the adjustable margin in the hardware exists for exactly that.