Importance

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Abstract

A system (20) and method for hemming a vehicle body closure (32) includes a corner joining station (24) where formed sheet metal outer and inner members (36, 38) are initially joined to each other at their corners, a hemming station (26) where roll prehemming and roll final hemming of the peripheries of the outer and inner members is performed by roll robot hemming apparatus (68), and a delivery station (28) to which the hemmed closure (32) is delivered. At the hemming station (26), a plurality of fixtures (82) of different constructions selectively receive the particular closure member being processed during each cycle so as to have manufacturing flexibility. The fixtures (82) are located between a floor mounted conveyor (74) of robot transfer apparatus (30) and a floor mounted conveyor (84) of roll hemming robot apparatus (68) so that there is no interference between the transfer and hemming manipulations.

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First Claim