In spite of all the advances in fastening methods, such as gluing and tightening, riveting is still one of the main method used by the aircraft assembly industry and also by other lightweight construction industries where the high strength sheet metal is not weldable.
There are several reasons for using the riveting method, among which the low cost of installation, the lower requirements for hole preparation, high reliability, light and strong joint due to the low weight, resistance to fatigue due to the high elasticity and durability.
Rivet size
A general rule is that the rivet should have a diameter of at least three times the thickness of the thickest sheet that is being joined. According to the military standard, so the bucked counter head diameter of the rivet joint must be larger than 1.4 times the diameter of the shank. The height must extend to 0.3 times the diameter of the shank.
With all mentioned parameters, you can calculate the desired length of the rivet. The allowance is normally about 1.5D.
The metal thickness is 0.050+0.050=0.10 inch (1.27+1.27=2.54 mm), and 1.5D is 0.234 inch (5.94 mm), so the total length would have to be 0.10 + 0.234=0.334 inch (1.27+5.94=7.21 mm) for the rivet. See image below:
For example, two pieces of 0.050 inch (1.27 mm) sheet are to be riveted together. The proper diameter rivet would be 3 x 0.050=0.150 inch (3 x 1.27=3.81 mm). A 5/32” rivet (0.156 inch, 3.96 mm) would be used.
In practical, for riveting such as overhaul and repair riveting, the general rule is to use the same size and head-style used in the adjacent structure. This will meet all the strength requirements for the joint.
Another topic related to the rivet is the hole preparation. After selecting the rivet size and placing the sheets, the holes must be marked for drilling. These hole-marks should be punched with a center punch just deep enough to start the drilling. If the punch is too hard, the mark will be too large and the metal will be distorted. The drill diameter depends on the type of rivet in the hole:
Notice in the table that the drill size is about three thousands of an inch larger than the rivet.
Before start drilling it is important to check the condition of the drill and if the tool is properly attached in the chuck. Click here to check the condition of the drill. After drilling, remove the burrs from the hole without chamfering the hole edge. Sometimes the sheets can move or gap, in these cases you must use skin pins or clamps considering they will prevent the two holes from interfering and keep the sheets close together when it is time for riveting.
You might be interested
Articles
How Avantguard Transforms Lost Time into Productive Hours
In fast-paced manufacturing environments, even minor human errors can lead to hours of rework, downtime, and production delays. Avantguard is Atlas Copco’s ultimate error-proofing software solution dedicated to saving plants time, reducing labor-intensive fixes, and improving overall efficiency. Let Avantguard become your digital safety net and take the first step toward smarter manufacturing.
Articles
Optimize and adapt: Avantguard empowers smart manufacturing
In today's manufacturing landscape, a facility's success hinges on its capacity to adapt to evolving conditions and diverse product lines. Avantguard serves as a key solution, allowing you to gather data, identify errors, and optimize the assembly process. Read on to learn how Avantguard can transform your plant into a more agile operation, enhancing profits, quality, and productivity.
Articles
Avantguard: Enhancing throughput and quality
In production, every second counts. When a surge in errors and mistakes on the line affects your quality and throughput, you need a solution that can catch errors in real time to ensure first-time quality and assist in guided rework and repairs. By providing real-time operator guidance, intelligent workflow management, and rework tracking, Avantguard minimizes errors, reduces downtime, and safeguards product integrity. Are you ready to reduce the occurrence of errors and defects on the line? Discover Avantguard today and enhance your assembly!
Articles
What to consider when choosing preventive maintenance
Discover key criteria for choosing the right preventive maintenance service provider and maintenance products for your tightening tools.
