Quality Axle Assembly Through Automation

Many assembly methods have never been mechanized or automated until recently. Automated operations in the differential and carrier assembly line recently installed at the Ford Motor Co. Sterling Plant are: automatic gaging for proper bearing preload; automatic check of pinion torque; automatic run-out and freeness of pinion and universal joint assembly; combination station to feed out the differential pinion shaft, press it into the case, feed and drive in the roll pin; automatic bolt inspection; automated bolt feed into case and run down to proper torque; and automatic removal of doweled bearing cap.