Vehicle manufacturing automation uses Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) to identify vehicles via RFID or labels and schedule manufacturing routes. AVI integrates with conveyors via programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and interacts with ERP/WMS systems as a core MES module. AVI functions include work order download, vehicle identification, travel record, sequence management, and quality gates to route vehicles through production and repair. AVI can use RFID tags or labels for identification and communicates between readers and an AVI server via different network configurations.

1. Vehicle Manufacturing
Automation System
Introduction
Part 3 - AVI
Tallrain / Oct 2016

2. 1 – What’s
…AVI?

3.  AVI = Automatic Vehicle Identification, means to identify
vehicle via RFID or Label.
 AVI also schedules vehicle manufacturing route according to
standard process automatically, with functions of Work Order
Download, Quality Route, Take In, Take Out, etc.
 AVI integrates with conveyor via PLC.
 AVI works as MES core module, to interact with ERP/WMS
systems.

4. 2 – AVI
Business

5. Work Order Download
Front Structure
9C-010
Front Floor
Rear Floor
0F-050
UB Geo
8X-10
UB Inspection
8Y-160
UB Cut In/Out
8R-170
C
Framing
6X-10
7M10LH
7L10LH
7F10LH 7F10RH 7M10RH
7L10RH
Framing Geo
6Y-210
C
VIN Scribing
6Y-360
BIW Cut In/Out
C
Buyoff
Repair
Body Out
Q
Door assembly
C
Q
AVI
Station
Batch Build
Station
Cut In/
Cut Out
Quality
Query
Legend
Q
Work Order Download:
MES downloads
Orders into Body
Shop.
 AVI downloads
Orders into PLC of
Front Structure and
Rear Floor stations.
 PLC instructs Robots
to operate
accordingly.

6. Vehicle Identification
R Q R
RFID
Reader
RFID
Reader
Vehicle Identification:
040 is a Quality Check
station, while 030/050
are AVI stations.
 When vehicle comes
into 040, MES lists out
available vehicles -
which have passed 030,
and not yet passed 050.

7. Vehicle Type Verification
Vehicle Type Verification:
When vehicle comes into color
separation area of Paint Shop,
AVI PLC identifies vehicle via
RFID Tag, and then interact
with MES to verify the color
code.

8. Travel Record
Travel Record:
When vehicle passes
through key stations,
system tracks and records it.
 Some stations can be
configured as broadcast
trigger stations, e.g. when
vehicle travels through PBS
IN, system notifies to
deliver materials into Line
TRIM1 & TRIM2.
C
C
Q
AVI
Station
Cut In/
Cut Out
Quality
Query
Legend
PBS In
Trim1 Entry
Trim2 Exit
Trim3 Entry
Trim4 Exit
Trim4 Entry Trim3 Exit Trim2 Entry Trim1 Exit
Trim4
Cut In/Out
IP1
IP2
P
P
P
P
PP
P
FEM
P
P
Seat
P Printer

9. Sequence Management
Sequence Management:
 AVI updates Line Sequence
according to Travel Record of
Line Head & Lind End
stations.
 E.g. original sequence is
V001…V020, and when V001
passes Line End, the
sequence will be updated as
V002…V020. When V021
passes Line Head, then
sequence will be updated as
V002…V021.
C C
R
TBMP1 LINE
R
TBMP2 LINET27
T18 T19
C
Q
Q
P
VM
V020V001 V021V002
V001
V002
V003
V004
V005
V006
V007
V008
V009
V010
V011
V012
V013
V014
V015
V016
V017
V018
V019
V020
V021

10. Take In/Take Out
UB Inspection
8Y-160
UB Cut Out
8R-170 C
Framing Cut In
6X-10
Q
C
UB Geo
8X-10
Offline
Rework
Take In/Take Out:
 8Y-160 is a Quality Check
station, allows good vehicles
come to 6X-10.
 Bad vehicles will be Take Out
from 8R-170, and after being
fixed, Take In from 6X-10.
 Take In/Take Out operations
make sure only good vehicles
are moving in the main
production line with correct
sequence.

11. Quality Gate
Quality Gate:
 When vehicle comes
through Body Shop Buyoff
Gate, AVI returns its
Quality Status to Conveyor
PLC.
 Conveyor PLC determines
vehicle direction according
to its Quality Status: Put
good vehicle into Elevator
and then send to WBS; Put
bad vehicle into Repair
Area instead.
Buyoff
Repair
Body Out
Q
WBS

12. Vehicle Route
Paint Out Buy Off Exit
Buy Off Q
PanelChange
IntensiveCare
HeavyRepair2
HeavyRepair1
SpotRepair6
SpotRepair5
SpotRepair4
SpotRepair3
SpotRepair2
SpotRepair1
Vehicle Route:
 When vehicle comes through Paint
Shop Buyoff station, operator
checks its Quality Status, and select
a route for each bad vehicle.
 When vehicle comes into Buyoff
Exit station, AVI returns its Quality
Route into Conveyor PLC, then PLC
determines vehicle’s direction
based on its Route: send good
vehicle into Paint Out, send bad
vehicle into specific repair area.

13. 3 – AVI
Architecture

14.  There’re 2 methods of identification:
RFID Tag and Label.
 RFID Tag is easier to integrate into
automation system, and can withstand
high temperature and corrosion, one
single Tag can be used through
Welding/Painting/Assembly. It’s stable
and convenient, but it will be hard to
identify a vehicle when Tag is
physically damaged.
 Label is a bit more difficult to integrate,
but it has 2 benefits: it’s much cheaper,
and label text is visible during manual
operations.
Identification Method
AVI PLC
RFID
Reader
Switch
Barcode
Scanner

15.  3 communication methods:
1. Reader/Scanner connect into
OEM PLC  OPC  AVI Server.
2. Reader/Scanner connect into
AVI PLC  OPC  AVI Server.
3. Reader/Scanner connect into
OEM PLC  AVI PLC  OPC 
AVI Server. A Coupler will be
used to connect OEM PLC and
AVI PLC.
Communication Method
IT Network
Control
Network
OEM PLC
RFID
Reader
Switch
Barcode
Scanner
CP343-
1
PN/PN
COUPLER
AVI PLC
Switch
OPC Server
AVI Server
CP343-
1

16. Thank you!
1