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Automotive Air Compressors

Automotive technology has grown by leaps and bounds over the past 100 years,
but one thing remains unchanged: Dozens of parts get passed along assemblies
for the construction of each vehicle.
Auto assembly is a job that requires teams of technicians who put together various components,
both large and small. Throughout each stage of assembly, automotive air compressors dedicated
to powering these processes deliver air to power to the most essential tools and operations
along the production line.
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AIR COMPRESSORS
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Construction
Automobiles have traditionally been constructed of steel, though many component parts are
now made of petroleum products like plastic,
which have shaved significant amounts of weight off motor vehicles in recent decades.
In any case, using pneumatic tools allows for the quick and easy assembly of car parts made
from a variety of materials.

Vehicle assembly

The manufacturing of automobiles is carried out in several stages, the last of which occurs at the assembly plant, where parts from thousands of sources are combined to make the chassis and body of
each individual car, truck and van. In most cases, vehicles are built from the bottom up, starting with the shell, which is set on a conveyer belt and braced to stay in place as it’s run down the production line.

Shell construction

The shell undergoes a series of additions while traveling along the assembly line past various hands and machine elements, which install everything from the gas tank, front/rear suspension and axles to the brakes, wheel drums and steering components. Throughout the majority of these steps, automotive air compressors play a vital role in putting each part into place with utmost precision and security.

Engine construction

Then comes the stage where the engine and transmission are brought together. For this task, robotic arms are used to put heavy pieces into place. Once the two components have been installed, technicians bolt down the radiator. During these stages, there’s a division of labor between the robotic arms, which do all the heavy lifting, and the human assemblers, who use air–powered wrenches to fasten each component screw. Over the decades, the tools used for these tasks have been made safer and more effective thanks to ergonomic studies regarding the flow of assembly.

Small parts

When it comes to the construction of the vehicle’s body, the largest number of smaller-piece attachments are made on the floor pan. Pneumatic tools are crucial throughout this stage, because they allow workers to accomplish in seconds what would otherwise take hours. With each shift along the assembly line, the clamp–shackled shell of the vehicle is put together, piece by piece.

Compressed air is also responsible for the role played by the robotic machinery, which lifts, transports, and positions the quarter panels, door pillars, side panels and roof pieces. Likewise, the shell of each vehicle is assembled more efficiently with the help of a robot because machine arms can bolt and weld numerous items with levels of speed and precision that far exceed human capabilities. Robots have the strength to set roof panels that weigh 200 pounds into the right position for welding. Throughout this process, robots are able to withstand the various hazardous elements of production, including smoke, gases and sparks.

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Painting

The body and chassis of a vehicle are constructed on different assembly lines from one another.
The majority of the panel-welding is done by robotic arms, while bolting is handled by technicians.
While the welding is in progress, the shell is braced in a jig. Once the body is rotated out of the
secluded welding section, additional parts are added, such as the doors, hood, fenders and bumpers.
Afterwards, the shell is connected to another conveyor to undergo the painting part of the process,
during which the shell is inspected, cleaned, undercoated, top-coated and baked

Painting

Once the body is finished with the cleaning, it goes to another stop along the conveyer to dry. Up next is the first actual painting stage, where the body receives an undercoat of primer across every inch of
the outer shell. This forms a substrate layer that allows for a more solid adherence of the outer coat of paint. Before the topcoat is applied, however, the body is sent back to dry once again.
Finally, the main coat of paint is applied across the outer car parts.

In most contemporary automotive plants, coats are applied by robotic arms, which are programmed to monitor exactly how much paint is needed across every inch of each vehicle. The shiny finishes
that are preferred by many of today’s car owners are the result of well-studied engineering into the capabilities of robotic technology. It’s a far cry from the methods that existed a century ago,
when cars were painted in the same way as houses, with brush in hand.

These innovations have been made possible by the power of automotive air compressors. They’re able to keep moisture levels low while providing consistent power levels to pneumatic tools throughout
the complex steps involved with assembling and painting each vehicle that passes along the conveyor belts.

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Interior
After the vehicle body has received both the primer and topcoat, it’s sent to another area to be baked at a temperature of 275° F. With the body now painted, the next steps involve the installation of interior components.

Preparation

The body proceeds down the conveyer to an area where interior assembly is performed. Here, technicians install the full range of interior pieces, including the seats, door panels, dashboard, clutch, pedals, lights, radios, mirrors, vents and speakers. Glass parts are also installed at this stage, including the windshield and door windows. The former is set into place via suction cups at the end of robotic arms, which move the glass panel out of its delivery container and into place at the front of the dashboard. For extra protection, urethane sealer is applied along the edges of the windshield before it’s set into place.

Installation

Transportation of the heavier interior components, such as the panels and seats, is also performed by robotic arms. This frees the technicians from some of the more grueling aspects of labor and allows
them to instead focus on bolting everything tightly and securely into place. Once the interior is finished and each window is set into frame, the vehicle is passed to another area where it undergoes a water
test. The purpose here is to ensure that the doors and windows are tight, snug and foolproof.

Finally, the stage arrives where the body and chassis are joined together. The former is lifted and set down onto the latter via robotic arms, but technicians perform the final acts of assembly.
These involve bolting the two components together with pneumatic tools powered by automotive air compressors. The workforce is split between two levels, with some technicians doing their parts
at ground level and others operating beneath the vehicle from a work pit. After the bolting is complete, the vehicle is passed down the conveyer to another group of workers who install the battery,
apply the tires, pump the gas tank and fill the oil and coolant reservoirs