Rivet Setting System with Real-Time Height Feedback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rivet setting methods face challenges in consistently achieving optimal tolerance and preventing damage to airframes due to the difficulty in accurately controlling the rivet driving process, particularly in noisy environments and with high-frequency rivet gun operations, leading to issues like under-driving or over-driving rivets, which can result in reduced strength, costly rework, and damage to the workpiece.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a micro-adjustable switching mechanism and feedback control to measure the rivet head height in real-time, coupled with LED indicators to communicate the driving stage to operators, ensuring precise control and preventing unnecessary rivet gun operation, thereby maintaining optimal rivet setting and preventing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional manual rivet setting methods are used, then operators can control the rivet driving process, but it is difficult to consistently achieve optimal tolerance and prevent damage due to inability to accurately measure rivet head height in real-time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system using sensors to measure rivet head height in real-time during the rivet driving process. The measured height is fed back to the control system, which automatically adjusts the rivet gun operation to maintain the rivet head height within the desired tolerance range, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical measurement and control method with an automated sensor-based measurement system and electronic control system. Sensors optically or mechanically measure the rivet head height, and an electronic control system processes this data to control the rivet gun, substituting human judgment and manual measurement with precise automated systems.
2Device complexity
If operators rely on tactile feedback and experience to control rivet driving, then the process can be performed without complex equipment, but under-driving or over-driving occurs leading to reduced strength and costly rework
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors rivet head height during the driving process and provides real-time feedback to automatically adjust the rivet gun operation. This feedback mechanism ensures consistent rivet setting within tolerance ranges, eliminating the variability associated with manual tactile feedback while maintaining reasonable system complexity through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment based on sensor feedback, automatically controlling the rivet gun to maintain optimal rivet head height without requiring continuous human intervention. The control system monitors and adjusts the process parameters itself, ensuring reliable and consistent results while reducing the complexity of human-operated manual control.
3Productivity
If high-frequency rivet gun operations are used to increase productivity, then more rivets can be installed faster, but damage to airframes increases due to difficulty in controlling the driving process
Solution Approach 1:
The real-time feedback control system continuously monitors rivet head height during high-frequency rivet driving operations and automatically adjusts the rivet gun to prevent over-driving that could damage the airframe. This enables maintained high productivity while eliminating the harmful effects associated with manual control at high speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is configured to automatically stop or reduce rivet gun force before damage can occur to the airframe. By detecting when the rivet head reaches the optimal height, the system takes preliminary action to prevent the harmful effects of over-driving, allowing high-speed operation without increasing damage risk.
4Manufacturing precision
If automated feedback control with real-time measurement is implemented, then rivet setting precision and consistency improve, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex manual measurement and judgment processes with automated sensor-based measurement and electronic control. While this introduces electronic components, it eliminates the need for highly trained operators and complex procedural controls, achieving manufacturing precision through automated systems with manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically performs measurement, analysis, and adjustment without requiring complex human intervention. The system self-regulates the rivet driving process based on sensor feedback, reducing the operational complexity while maintaining high manufacturing precision through automated control algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for rivet setting comprising a micro-adjustable bucking bar coupled to a control system that measures the rivet head during the rivet setting process and stops the rivet gun when the rivet head achieves a desired head height above the work surface. In preferred embodiments, the control system also communicates the stage of the rivet driving cycle to the operators to expedite the rivet driving process.