Patent ID: 8011558

Claim:
A method for welding multiple welding assemblies comprising: providing welding cells equidistantly spaced in a circular arrangement, light curtains positioned at a perimeter of the welding cells, a turntable having a rotating portion and a stationary portion, and at least one welding robot operatively attached to the rotating portion; programming a first welding process into a control system; loading a first welding assembly into a fixture in a first welding cell; rotating the rotating portion of the turntable such that the at least one welding robot is aligned with the first welding cell; performing a primary welding operation on the first welding assembly; removing the first welding assembly from the first welding cell; placing the first welding assembly in a buffer area; loading a second welding assembly into the fixture in the first welding cell; performing simultaneously; the primary welding operation on the second welding assembly; and placing the first welding assembly in a fixture in a second welding cell; rotating the rotating portion of the turntable such that the at least one welding robot is aligned with the second welding cell; performing simultaneously a secondary welding operation on the first welding assembly; removing the second welding assembly from the first welding cell; placing the second welding assembly in the buffer area; and loading a third welding assembly in the fixture in the first welding cell, wherein the rotating portion of the turntable rotates about an axis of rotation and includes a top portion, a first activation/deactivation ring having a center offset from the axis of rotation and positioned between the top portion and the stationary portion, and a second activation/deactivation ring having a center offset from the axis of rotation and positioned between the first activation/deactivation ring and the stationary portion, wherein the top portion, the first activation/deactivation ring, and the second activation/deactivation ring are mechanically connected together such that the top portion, the first activation/deactivation ring, and the second activation/deactivation ring rotate together about the axis of rotation relative to the stationary portion, and wherein the center of the first activation/deactivation ring is offset from the axis of rotation in a different direction than the center of the second activation/deactivation ring.