BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
    The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like workpieces throughout the several views, and wherein:  FIG. 1 is an overhead view of a workstation according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view of the workstation according to the present invention with a first material handling robot at a loading position, a second material handling robot at a processing position, and material processing robots located adj acent the processing position in between the first and second processing paths followed by the first and second material handling robots; And FIG. 3 is a simplified perspective view of the workstation according to the present invention with the first material handling robot moved into the processing position, the second material handling robot moved to the unloading position, and the material processing robot located adjacent the processing position in between the first and second processing paths.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
    Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, the present invention includes a flexible body workstation 10 for assembling workpieces 12. The workstation 10 can include at least one material handling robot 14a, 14b movable along a process¬ing path 16a, 16b for supporting a workpiece 12 to be moved along the processing path 16a, 16b. The workstation can include at least one station defined by at least one processing position adjacent the processing path 16a, 16b for receiving workpieces 12 to be processed when delivered and posi¬tioned by the at least one material handling robot 14a, 14b. A stationary monument 18 can be provided if desired, for large workpieces to be processed.
    By way of example and not limitation, at least one material handling robot can include a first material handling robot 14a movable along a first processing path 16a for supporting a first workpiece 12a to be moved along the first processing path 16a, and a second material handling robot 14b movable along a second processing path 16b for sup¬porting a second workpiece 12b to be moved along the second processing path 16b. At least one stationary monu¬ment 18 can be provided, if desired for large workpieces, and can include a first stationary monument defining the processing position located between the first and second processing paths 16a, 16b. The at least one material han¬dling robot 16a, 16b can be supported for movement along at least one overhead rail location and/or at least one floor supported rail location.
    At least one material processing robot 20a, 20b, 20e, 20d can be located adjacent the processing position for processing workpieces 12a, 12b to be processed after being delivered by the at least one material handling robot 14a, 14b traveling along the corresponding processing paths 16a, 16b. Each material handling robot 14a, 14b can include an interchangeable end effecter 22 connectable to the material handling robot 14a, 14b for holding and supporting different configurations of workpieces 12a, 12b. The interchangeable end effecter 22 can be provided for holding, supporting, locating and/or geometry fixturing the corresponding work¬piece 12a, 12b to be processed with the corresponding material handling robot 14a, 14b at the processing position 18. The interchangeable end effecter 22 can be floor mount¬able by the corresponding material handling robot 14a, 14b at the processing position. The interchangeable end effecter can define a geometry fixture tool 24 for accurately posi¬tioning the workpiece 12a, 12b to be processed with respect to the end effecter 22 thereby allowing the corresponding material handling robot 14a, 14b to accurately position the workpiece 12a, 12b and end effecter 22 in combination at the processing position in a predetermined location so that the material processing robots 20a, 20b, 20e, 20d can perform the processing operations with precise accurate positioning with respect to the workpiece. By way of example and not limitation, the material processing robots 20a, 20b, 20e, 20d can include welding robots for processing workpieces 12a, 12b of different configurations or body styles of automobiles to be assembled along the assembly line. The material processing robot 20a, 20b, 20e, 20d, can be supported from at least one overhead position and/or supported from at least one floor position. 柔性体装配工件工作站英文文献和中文翻译(3):http://www.youerw.com/fanyi/lunwen_15631.html