Coated Swaged Fastener Collar for Visual Swaging Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional swaged lockbolt fasteners face challenges in distinguishing between unswaged and swaged collars, particularly in large-scale fabrications with numerous fasteners, due to small sacrificial tell-tale formations and inaccessible locations, posing safety risks and quality concerns.
Innovation Solution
A swaged lockbolt fastener with a coated collar featuring a visually distinct indicator material that changes color upon correct swaging, allowing easy identification of properly swaged fasteners by color change, even from a distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If small sacrificial tell-tale formations are used to indicate swaging, then the swaging status can be indicated, but it becomes difficult to see and check visually
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a color-changing indicator material that transitions from an first color (e.g., red) in the unswaged state to a second color (e.g., silver/gray) when swaged. This color change provides clear visual distinction between swaged and unswaged collars, solving the detection difficulty while maintaining reliable status indication.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator material undergoes a physical parameter change (color) in response to the swaging process. This parameter change makes the swaging status easily detectable by the human eye, transforming an invisible mechanical process into a visible indicator.
2Reliability
If pressure sensitive material is applied to indicate swaging force, then the force amount can be indicated, but the material remains on the surface making visual checking difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator material is designed to be removed or consumed during the swaging process. When swaging occurs, the indicator material is stripped away to expose the substrate, providing a clear visual indication. This extraction approach eliminates the remaining material that would otherwise obscure the view.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator material provides color indication that changes or disappears during swaging, allowing visual detection of the swaging status without leaving obstructive residue on the collar surface.
3Productivity
If numerous fasteners are used in large-scale fabrications, then the assembly complexity increases, but it becomes difficult to check each fastener individually
Solution Approach 1:
The color-changing indicator material allows for rapid visual inspection of multiple fasteners from a distance. Operators can quickly scan through numerous collars and immediately identify which ones have been properly swaged based on color differences, dramatically improving inspection efficiency in large-scale fabrications.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator material automatically provides visual feedback about the swaging status without requiring additional inspection tools or complex procedures. Each collar self-indicates its status through color, enabling operators to inspect many fasteners quickly and easily.
4Adaptability or versatility
If fasteners are located in inaccessible positions, then the assembly design is flexible, but close checking becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The bright color change provides long-range visual detection capability, allowing operators to inspect fasteners in hard-to-reach locations from a distance. The contrasting colors ensure that even remotely located collars can be visually verified without requiring close physical access.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy and remote visual verification of correctly swaged fasteners, reducing the need for close examination and ensuring safer, more reliable assembly processes.
Implementation Method 1
US2008/0297343 A1 discloses methods of indicating amounts of applied force to various components including swage fittings by the application of pressure sensitive material which changes colour according to the amount of force applied.
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
A swaged fastener (10) includes a coated collar (12) for location in use on a pin (14). In an unswaged condition, the coated collar (12) comprises a substrate material (16) having a substrate colour and an indicator material (20) having an indicator colour. The indicator material (20) is located on the substrate material (16). The indicator colour is visually different to the substrate colour. The coated collar (12) includes a swaging surface (18) to which, in use, a swaging force is applied to move the collar (12) from the unswaged condition to a swaged condition. The indicator material (20) comprises at least part of the swaging surface (18) and is arranged so that, in a correctly swaged condition, the indicator material (20) comprising the swaging surface (18) is substantially removed to expose the substrate colour and thereby provide a visual indication that the swaging process has been correctly carried out.