A vehicle framing system for framing an automotive vehicle body from a
plurality of separate body components wherein the body components each
include a reference surface. The system includes an assembly station
having spaced-apart frame members positioned so that, when a vehicle
carrier supporting the vehicle body components is positioned at the
assembly station, the frame members extend along opposite sides of the
vehicle carrier. At least two docking stations are secured to each frame
member at predetermined locations. A robot mounts its associated tool arm
with a docking station. At least one set of reference block and framing
clamp is secured to each tool arm and these framing clamps maintain the
reference surfaces of the vehicle body components against the reference
blocks to hold the vehicle components at a predetermined position
relative to each other. After each robot positions each associated tool
arm with the docking station, the robot disengages from the tool arm and
then welds the body components together by a welding gun carried by the
robots.