KS PULSE: the pallet-based transport system from KUKA

Low susceptibility and high transport velocity and flexibility are advantages of KS PULSE

27 January 2017

With KS PULSE, a low probability of failure is achieved since hardly any moving parts are required. This means that production costs remain low.

Flexibility is the be-all and end-all in automobile production. This is why appropriate solutions are required: conveyor systems which allow for quicker processes in body-in-white production are thus increasingly the focus of vehicle manufacturers. KS PULSE (Propulsion Using Linear Synchronous Energy), the pallet-based transport system from KUKA Systems, quickly and safely moves the various body components through the individual workstations of an automated assembly line – thus reducing non-productive times and downtimes. KS PULSE is the optimal solution for high-volume production systems. The KUKA experts implement it in the context of complete solutions.

Automated transport systems - an integral part

It is no longer possible to imagine manufacturing shops without them: automated transport systems are today an integral part of production. Particularly for automotive manufacturers, moving large vehicle bodies from A to B is essential. This requires a conveyor system which is robust and yet fast and flexible. This is why the automation specialist KUKA Systems has developed a pallet-based transport system for automated assembly lines in body-in-white production: KS PULSE. The main element of the transport system is a carrier. Using various transport platforms, called skids, this carrier transports the individual body components through the assembly line. The carriers are moved through the process stations of the system by means of linear synchronous motors.

Freely interchangeable pallets ensure high flexibility. This makes it easy to manufacture multiple vehicle models.

Flexible transport

The system features low susceptibility to faults thanks to a very small number of moving parts. The high transport velocity and flexibility are further advantages of KS PULSE: the skids are interchangeable in terms of cycle time, enabling multiple models to be produced on one line. Beyond this, additional components such as turntables or buffer stations can be integrated into the PULSE system, ensuring that the system can be adapted as required for individual production scenarios. Carrier control (i.e. moving to the individual stations as well as collision protection) is carried out via software. No further sensors are required for precise positioning to plus/minus 0.1 millimeters.

The advantages at a glance:

High productivity: KS PULSE offers impressively high speed and hence short non-productive times.
High flexibility: the pallets can be exchanged at any time for production of multiple vehicle models
Low production costs: PULSE requires hardly any moving parts. This leads to low probability of failure. In addition the few components can easily be replaced, so maintenance costs are very low.