Assembly quality analysis method research of automotive body outer cover panels

Abstract

This paper proposes an assembly variation modelling method of automotive body sheet metal parts for the assembly quality analysis of outer cover panels. In this method an influencing relationship between the measurement point variation and assembly locating unit variation is constructed through the space motion analysis. The gap and flush between two outer cover panels are two direction distances of their involved two measurement points near the gap. When the assembly variation of one gap or flush is analysed, only the locating variation of locating units that influences the gap or flush will be considered. One case application of a fender and a front door demonstrates the assembly quality analysis process of outer cover panels. Three steps are given when an assembly analysis of a gap or flush is dealt with. The given case analysis results that compares with commercial soft computation results show the feasibility of this method. By these computation results the assembly quality of outer cover panels can be predicted, and the optimisation of locating units also can be achieved.