JIG FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BUS FRAMES

TECHNICAL FIELD

The VADSAR 3D Body jig was created and manufactured to enhance and simplify the building process of production and design. With this invention it forms and constructs a new production line that has a manufacturing mode that features professional scale diversity varieties that will meet customer demands as well benefits the employer of creating larger volumes, which leads to profitable sales, and better workmanship. With this jig we see technology at its best with the hydraulic system being used, the hinge and swivel method as illustrated in the drawings.

BACKGROUND

For the past two and half years Mr. Vadivelu Govender has been doing research and development on designing and creating a technology that will simplify the manufacturing process of building a bus and coach. Our South African markets have developed into a highly dedicated industry to manufacture and produce the supply and demand chain of our transportation needs inclusive of short; medium and long distance transportation, which whereby the VADSAR 3D BODY JIG comes into place.

The major ideology and what makes the jig a unique invention is that it is built and designed on a Roll-Over S.A.B.S. specification. By doing this instantly the jig complies with South African Bureau of Standards which is most important. The design was initially built into a twenty nine (29) seater Mini Bus, it was further improvised with modern modifications and the latest technology being incorporated into the manufacture of this jig. Another factor of this jig is its capability to allow any gender (be it a male or female) to be able to built the steel frame structure under supervision and drawing figurations, this marks a new era in the male dominant building industry into empowering women that are passionate about the sector of the market to fulfill their dream or create employment. The VADSAR 3D Body jig also can be used to build truck bodies. The body Jig invention serves the purpose of catering for the dire need of implementing a strategy that utilizes its phenomenal capacity to structure and build a complete steel structure of a bus unit, which will defer accordingly to different bus specification taking up to ± 12 hours, as to the old conventional system taking up to 60 hours to build the same structure being operated by six HYDRAULIC LIFTS to as stated in claim 2, the centre of roof mechanism enhances the frame structure to be removed in motion or manually by bolt and nut method.

DESCRIPTION OF VADSAR 3D BODY JIG

The jig was designed and engineered to simplify the manufacturing of bus and coach; create floor space savings; introduces consistent welding; controlled workmanship; safety buzzers installed for immediate safety protection; hydraulic mechanism system; allowing any gender to work in the manufacturing industry; increase sales volume, increase profit margins.

With regards to saving floor space, the total working space area the jig takes up for building a complete bus superstructure required is not more than ± 12,5m x 3,5m. Instantly this method becomes a space saving method and floor plan for the manufacture of building bus and coach. The floor plan allows the manufacturer to produce more volumes for sales which results in good profit margins. The significant reduction in the physical area required for the building of the steel frame is integrated into the jig whereby access is allowed more comfortably to remove the frame structure as stated in claim 3, The DESIGN TECHONOLOGY system was specifically designed and created to open and close the jig, without disturbing the body. Welding is a major problem in all industries, and everyday engineers; scientists are all working new theory and ideas to eliminate bad welding. Therefore it is a huge bonus that with the jig you only get consistent welding for the reason that the jig would require ± 2 welders, whereby the supervisor or foreman controls the workmanship, as all employee's would work together on different areas of the of jig but on a space frame ± 12,5m x 3,5m which is very controllable by one foreman or supervisor. As per A COMPILATION OF THE NATIONAL ROAD TtRAFFIC ACT, 1996 (Act 93 of 1996) (As amended) and regulations, Powers and duties of inspectorate of manufactures, builders and importers Reg 44, Powers and duties of inspectorate of manufactures, builders and importers, "(d) "may advise any manufacturer, builder or importer in writing on the improvement of any motor vehicle design or any design of motor vehicle modification being manufactured, modified or imported;"

Safety measures in the jig as illustrated in drawing 12 - 15 and stated in claim 1 the invention of the six (6) Hydraulic Mechanism Method as illustrated in drawing 16 - 22 which is used to open

and close with built in safety features, is there for protection of staff and employer. The jig has buzzer systems installed and warning lights for day and night visually.

The building sector industry has always been male dominated up until 1994, whereby our government became united and the attainment of our freedom was generated, woman empowerment percentage starting climbing brighter and bigger scales, but the transport manufacturing industry was not so popular with the women sector. But one of the theories behind design and production of the VADSAR 3D Body jig service was to empower and allow women with the passion for manufacture to inject their knowledge and capabilities into building, be it a bus steel frame superstructure or a truck body. Increased sales volume always results in improved profit margin, which whereby one of the unique feature of the jig is its phenomenal capacity to build ± two (2) steel frame superstructure per day.

Mr.Vadievelu Govender, the inventor of the jig is the source of this jig's technical innovation from platform construction to basic bus and coach development. His research and development on configurating how best the jig will serve the modem markets has been displayed in the drawings showing the purpose of the hinge system as illustrated in drawing 23 and the Hinge Pump as illustrated in drawing 24.

The jig adopts the challenge of the old conventional method which is still carried out though-out most parts of the worlds which drives the attitude of why this jig is unique in its capacity and invention to perform technology at its best in simplifying the art of building a bus and coach which is used in every community of the world.

One of the significant resources in piloting the jig ideologies focuses a lot on the advent of democracy in South African tourism which has become a major industry for which a dire need exists for the supply of bus and coach. With the exceptional growth of the bus industry the jig creates the aim to provide the South African market with safe, reliable and comfortable transportation which is fully based on the South African Bureau of Standards specification for a clearer vision, safer and comfortable principles with stronger values for the up-liftment of bus; coaches; truck bodies and taxi's.

SAVING STEMMING PLAN

With the conventional method of building the super structure versus the VADSAR 3D Body jig method, the savings are as follows:

❖ Only 7 people are required to build the superstructure versus at least 28 people.

❖ The timeframe required to build the superstructure is one day as opposed to at least 3 days based on the conventional system.

❖ Major savings on factory floor space.

❖ The capital equipment cost is economically challenged to bring the cost factor to lower calculations.

❖ Sayings on materials.

Savings on factory floor usage:

❖ Conventional area required 750sq

❖ Vadsar 3D Body jig 300sq

❖ Savings on area 450sq

❖ Rate per sq. meter 55sq

❖ Savings on floor space per month 24,750sq

❖ Annual savings 12sq

Total savings 297,000sα

(The above has been worked out together with Mr.Vadivelu Govender and his accountant of Accounting Services CK.no:2003/060988/23 Practice no.:91515)

ADVANTAGES OF THE NEW DESIGN CAPABILITY

> Implementation savings on working space

> Reduced labour cost

> Material savings

> Decreased capital equipment cost

> Savings on equipment depreciation

> Consistent welding

> Controlled workmanship

> Built and designed on S.A.B.S. Specification

The above savings plan will translate into increased production volumes resulting in higher profitability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Page. No Sheet. No Fig. No Drawing Description

19 1 1 Exploded Isometric cut-away View showing hydraulic

Stands

20 2 2 Exploded Isometric cut-away view with jig details

21 3 3 Front view closed with dummy chassis removed

22 4 4 Rear view closed with dummy chassis removed

23 5 5 Front view opened with dummy chassis removed

24 6 6 Rear view opened with dummy chassis removed

25 7 7 Right side view of jig section with hydraulic stands not

Shown 5 7 8 Roof section with hydraulic stands not shown 6 8 9 Hydraulic stands side view shown with roof 7 9 10 Plan view cut-away about X-X' in Fig.1 (Dummy

Chassis removed) 8 10 11 High details 8 10 12 Pipe details 9 11 13 Front cross member stayer 9 11 14 Waist rail stayer 0 12 15 Rear cross member stayer 1 13 16 Dummy chassis

ILLUSTRATIVE LABELLING AND NUMBERING OF DRAWING AS PER

VADSAR 3D BODY JIG DRAWING

Dummy Chassis 1

Waist rail stayer 2

Front r cross member stayer 3

Rear cross member stayer 4

Floor bracket 5

Floor rail 6

Front upper support bracket 7

Rear upper support bracket 8

Centre roof divider mechanism 9

Power control box 10

Electric motor and hydraulic plant 11

Proximity sensors 12

Warning lights 13

Open : Green indicator lamp 14

Close : Red indicator lamp 15

Hydraulic stand 16

ILLUSTRATIVE LABELLING AND NUMBERING OF DRAWING AS PER

VADSAR 3D BODY JIG DRAWING

Continued from page 17

Hydraulic stand 17

Hydraulic stand 18

Hydraulic stand 19

Hydraulic stand 20

Hydraulic stand 21

Hydraulic stand 22

Hinge / Pipe 23

Hydraulic pump 24

Upright poles 25

OPERATION OF THE VADSAR 3D BODY JIG

The operation of the jig as illustrated in the drawings squares the entire superstructure, once the frame has been manufactured the jig with its hydraulic system opens automatically allowing the superstructure to be removed. The jig is operated with six hydraulic stands that help weight of the centre roof divider to open and release the steel frame without disturbing the body. By using this designing and manufacturing procedure it simplifies the construction of a bus frame which can be done into one unit. The turn-around time for construction process takes ± 12 hours, as the conventional system takes up to ± 60 hours to build the same frame. The jig has a dummy chassis whose purpose is to safe guard the actual steel frame superstructure being built, for example instead of having a chassis in construction of the shell being built into the framework, the damaging factors are expensive meaning for instance wires and pipes get burnt whilst the welding procedure is in place. The dummy chassis protects the actual framework from being expensively damages and time constraint. The jig stands has built in safety buttons, proximity sensors, warning lights, electric motor and hydraulic plant and power control box. The green indicator lamp opens the jig whereas the red indicator lamp closes the jig. Not forgetting the savings on floor space, creating employment, simplifying the building procedure. This is an advantage of the jig that creates consistence in expensive workmanship whilst delivering excellent in building the robust superstructure and accurate alignment.