Aircraft Fastener Types - Self-Locking: Since aircraft are subject to strong vibrations, there is a risk of fasteners loosening. To tackle this, most aircraft nuts and bolts have a self-locking mechanism. Commercial grade fasteners are typically non-self-locking on the other hand.
Lockbolts are easy to install and provide good fastening strength. Therefore, they are a more lightweight alternative to other common aerospace fasteners. Also, they are used in the assembly of structural components in landing gears, wing splice fittings, etc.
Aircraft Fastener Types
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The Common Types Of Aircraft Fasteners
These types of bolts are shaped like horseshoes. The bent section does not have threads. However, there are threads on the straight ends all the way. U-bolts are great for holding tubes and pipes in position without making holes.
You may argue that glue can perform this function effectively. If the glue is not an example of fasteners, then what is a fastener? This will prompt us to expand on the initial definition. Hardware fasteners are those that help to hold objects together mechanically.
Screws are often compared to bolts due to their similar appearance, although the two differ in the fact that screws can fasten materials by themselves. Screws are capable of self-tapping, meaning that they are able to establish threading in the material they are being installed in as they are tightened.
By digging and boring into a part, materials are pulled in to prevent the pull-out of the screw. Common types of screws include wood screws, deck screws, self-drilling screws, machine screws, and hex lag screws. The advantage of fine over coarse threads is that they offer better thread engagement.
Fastener Codes And Orientation
They also ensure a more secure connection for accommodating greater tension in the connection. Regardless of your option, either can be very beneficial. All you need to do is choose the thread that offers the best load-handling capabilities.
Aerospace fasteners are an essential part of any aircraft. They hold the various parts of the aircraft together and allow it to function properly. There are many different types of fasteners used in aircraft construction, and each has its own specific purpose.
We hope this was an informative read and that it cleared your questions for aircraft fasteners. Criteria for inspection, removal, and substitution of aircraft fasteners must be closely followed in order to carry the load through an aircraft structure.
The criteria may be found in the previously mentioned references. If removal of a fastener is required for additional access or because of improper installation, care must be observed to prevent damage to the surrounding structure and the fastener hole itself.
Hi-Lok Pins
Some fastener substitutions are allowed by the airframe manufacturer if the replacement fastener meets or exceeds the original strength, diameter, and corrosion protection characteristics. Fasteners are common components to countless industries and applications, allowing for two or more parts to be combined in a permanent or non-permanent fashion.
Within the realm of aviation, fasteners are paramount to aircraft construction, so much so that they can account for nearly half of the parts of a single model. There are many types of fasteners that one may take advantage of, each featuring different designs and capabilities that warrant different uses.
To help you understand the importance of aircraft fasteners, we will provide a brief overview of the most common types and their use. Fastener coding can be designated by the fastener manufacturer such as a CR3233 CherryMAX rivet, by an industry standard such as an AN4 bolt, or by the airframe manufacturer as in a BACR15CE5D3 rivet from Boeing.
Coding descriptions can be found in various fastener books, on the repair drawing, or on the production blueprint. Also fastener codes may be used to simplify repair and production drawings. These fastener codes may be found in the upper-left part of the drawing quadrant.
What Is A Fastener?
Fasteners can be placed into many groupings which may be used as structural fasteners that take aircraft loads, to nonstructural fasteners that connect nonload bearing parts. There are restricted access applications or blind fasteners such as Huck Lock Bolts, Composi-Locks Fasteners, and CherryMAX fasteners.
RapidDirect's rapid prototyping services do not only offer design suggestions. Our services also come with fasteners assembly and sales. We offer a full range of high-quality fasteners. Regardless of your application, you can trust us to get you a fastener that will meet your standards.
Fastener information may be found in various sources which may include the specific aircraft maintenance manual chapter 20, the specific aircraft structural repair manual, or aircraft production and repair drawings. Advisory Circular 43.13-1B and the Aircraft General Handbook which can be found online at the FAA web site http://www.faa.gov also contain fastener information.
Traditionally when countersinking, it is acceptable to have the fastener a little above flush rather than below flush after installation. The only exception would be near an area having specific aerodynamic smoothness requirements such as near the reduced vertical separation minimums (RVSM) critical part areas.
Bolt Types
Countersinking below flush can create a knife-edge condition between the layers of materials and can eventually cause a crack emanation or shearing of the fastener head. Some aircraft fasteners types work in the same way as the general purpose fasteners we use in our daily lives.
We will touch upon them before moving on to special fasteners specific to the aerospace industry. Bolts are one of the most popular forms of fasteners, commonly featuring a shank with external threading and a head on one side.
For their installation, bolts are passed through the preformed holes of unthreaded components before a mating nut is tightened to the other size. As bolts cannot secure an assembly through their threading alone, they rely on the pairing of a nut to compress parts together.
Bolts may come in numerous types, the most commonly used variations including hex-head bolts, eye bolts, carriage bolts, and u-bolts. Rivets are commonly relied on for securing the structural components of an aircraft, and they often come in the form of a fastener with a smooth, cylindrical shaft and a head on one end.
Rivet Types
To connect parts together, the tail-end of the shaft is passed through preformed holes. With a specialized tool, the tail-end is upset, establishing a second head on the other side of the assembly. As a result, parts are permanently locked together until the rivet is broken.
For aircraft applications where only one side of an assembly is accessible, a specialized rivet known as a pop or blind rivet may be used. They are very strong but quite brittle. On the other hand, stainless steel can have specific properties for special use.
They are perfect in high moisture areas, e.g., water plants. They are also good for use in areas where there may be chemical exposure. Bronze, brass, and aluminum are also used occasionally. They are highly corrosion resistant.
For areas with access to both sides, standard rivets, structural bolts, and Hi-Lok fastening system fasteners are used. Materials for these fasteners include aluminum, steel, and titanium and are coated to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion. Styles of fastener heads vary from countersunk to protruding head based on the aerodynamic requirements of the aircraft.
Type Of Exposure For The Fastener
In some cases, one part comes with a threaded hole that replaces the nut. This will minimize the components used. Bolds are among the most used types of fasteners. There are several types of bolts for various applications.
Here are some of the most popular ones: Hi-Lok pins are two-part fasteners composed of a threaded pin and collar. Its special feature is its ability to maintain a constant preload, which is achieved as part of the pin detaches at a certain preload value.
The term 'fastener' is an encompassing term that describes a broad range of tools. These tools include screws, bolts, nuts, etc., and they share a common aim. The aim is to enable the mechanical adherence of objects.
In simple terms, fasteners help to hold objects in place or together mechanically. Screws are commonly self-threading. That is, they can make thread into the component during installation. This eliminates the need for the previous tapping.
Aircraft Screws
There are many available designs for these mechanical fasteners. Each one of them has its specific usefulness. They include: Lockbolts, or huck bolts as they are sometimes called, are a unique hybrid between bolts and rivets.
They come as two-part assemblies, one of which is quite similar to a normal bolt. On the other end, special collars are used that either swage into the grooves of the lockbolt's pin shank or are tightened onto its threads to form the joint.
Some aircraft doublers applications can be creative, such as requiring a thin titanium doubler installed on the inside of the aircraft skin. In this specific example, the head of the rivet is on the inside of the fuselage and the outside skin is countersunk 82 degrees with the rivets bucked into the countersunk then shaved to flush for smoothness.
Bolts are the most common fasteners used to hold unthreaded parts together. A bolt comes with external (male) threads on one of its ends. On the other end, it comes with a hexagonal head. A bold work together with a nut to fasten the required parts together.
Consider The Materials Of Construction
Fasteners must be able to achieve the transfer of load from one part to another. An example of this is the load transferred from an engine to a pylon, the pylon load to the wing, and the wing to the fuselage.
Fastener numbers and diameter are calculated to transfer this load. Other criteria are also needed to select the best fastener for the installation. This could include weight, inspection ability, tooling requirements, aerodynamic smoothness, access, corrosion protection, and of course cost.
Fasteners play very important roles in making several objects. Suppose you do regular DIY projects. In that case, there's every possibility that you used fasteners to get your job done. They help hold parts in place while preventing excess vibration and pressure.
There are many different types of fasteners. The different types also come with a reasonably high level of variability. Also, they need to be specially engineered for the intense and versatile environments they operate in and are quite different from the regular fasteners we generally know of.
High Strength
We will discuss all of these points in detail now. Rivets are the most popular types of permanent fasteners. They help to secure a wide range of materials and provide support against shearing force. A rivet is lightweight.
It also comes with a head at each of its ends to support axial loads. Rivet guns are used to install rivets into components. For rivet installation, there is no need for threads. They are easy to inspect, making them preferred in the aerospace industry.
The common types of rivets are: This bolt has its head shaped like a hexagon. The purpose of the bolts' six sides is to give a good granularity of angles that you can approach the bolt.
This is usually important when you need to fasten the bolt to a spot that's difficult to reach. These bolts are used extensively in machining because they easily assemble and disassemble. You must also consider the temperature you will expose the fastener to before selection.
How To Choose The Right Fastener For Your Applications
Extreme temperature changes can lead to the expansion and contraction of fastened joints. This can lead to a loose connection. Hence, the need for a fastener that can meet the temperature requirements. The level of vibration is another important consideration.
A prevailing torque locknut may be the right option in areas of high vibrations. This will prevent the fasteners from loose vibration. The tolerance range of the hole is dependent upon many factors such as the type of fastener, its material, joint material, working conditions, surface coating, etc.
Typically, clearance fits are used for rivets while bolted joints have a tighter, transition fit. With a team of experts and rich machining experience, our manufacturing standard can meet our customers' needs for aerospace fasteners and various precision machined parts.
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