How Air Hammer Rivet Guns are Used in the Aircraft Industry?
Fasteners are paramount for the construction of aircraft to ensure that assemblies are secured together with high strength. A standard aircraft will often utilize a grand number of fasteners with models such as the Boeing 787 containing around 2.4 million fasteners for a single model, those of which account for around half of their total parts. Out of these 2.4 million fasteners, almost 80% come in the form of rivets, those of which are permanent mechanical fasteners that can support tension and shear loads. In order to install rivets, an individual will often rely on an air hammer rivet gun to drive each rivet into a joint.
Air hammer rivet guns should not be confused with an air hammer as the two tools have different mechanisms. Air hammers, also known as pneumatic or power hammers, are tools that are often employed for removing stone, metal, or other hard materials from an object. They may be used to either dig holes or penetrate a hard surface, meaning that they act similarly to a more powerful chisel or hammer. Despite touting a great amount of power, their lack of accuracy as compared to rivet guns makes them less desirable for aircraft applications in which installation requirements are more stringent.
Air hammers are fairly similar to rivet guns as they utilize the forces of compressed air to create the power needed for installations. With the use of a cyclic valve, cylinder, and piston alongside compressor air provided through a hose, the tool’s head will be driven in order to bore or chisel into a surface. As the tip of the tool is replaceable, the air hammer may be used to either create holes with a chisel tip or may shape materials with a hammer tip. Due to the use of compressed air, air hammers can achieve a high amount of power with each cycle which can be beneficial for many applications. As they have no means to govern compressed air, however, they are unable to reach the needed precision for rivet installation.
While the rivet gun is able to supply the precision needed for rivet installation, it is also the tool of choice due to its ability to achieve the finesse required to squeeze and buck the rivet. As there are multiple rivet types that may be implemented on an aircraft for different assemblies, it is important that the tool used for installation is able to accommodate varying needs. Unlike air hammers, the rivet gun has a regulator which allows it to adjust the power of the tool. As such, a more precise installation can be established with ease, and power may be changed to cater towards the needs of specific rivet types.
Riveting tools can come in a variety of types, though most are hand-held tools. When choosing between tools, it can be useful to find models that have ergonomic grips, vibration dampening systems, and other features that can make the installation process easier as well as ensure the comfort of the user. No matter your needs, the experts at Parts Circuit are here to help you procure everything you are searching for with competitive prices and unmatched customer service.
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