A method of riveting sheet includes the following steps: providing a metal sheet, a rivet member and a tool of riveting sheet, an engaging structure is formed at an external edge of the rivet member, the tool includes a first riveting head and a second riveting head, and a rib is formed on a surface of the first riveting head; defining a rivet hole on the metal sheet; disposing the rivet member in the rivet hole and arranging the engaging structure corresponding to an internal edge of the rivet hole; clamping the rivet member by the first riveting head and the second riveting head and pressing both surfaces of the metal sheet, the rib is therefore embedded into the metal sheet to deform the metal sheet and the internal edge of the rivet hole is shrunk to embed into the engaging structure.

The riveting machine for riveting two parts has a motorized-drive system (2) with an output shaft, a set (3) of mutually articulated link rods, with a first link rod (31) mounted to rotate with the output shaft and a second link rod (32) articulated to the first link rod (31), a ram (4) articulated to the second link rod (32) at one of its ends and equipped at its opposite end with an upper rivet die (5), a guide device (6) having a through-orifice in which the ram (4) is engaged, and a lower rivet die (9), able to collaborate with the upper rivet die (5) to upset the rivet, when the rivet is placed inside an orifice pierced through the parts, between the upper and lower rivet dies. The rotation of the output shaft drives the movement of the ram (4) to allow, through the link rods (31, 32) moving from a folded position to a deployed position, lowering the upper rivet die (5) to bring the rivet into the orifice.

The riveting machine for riveting two parts has a motorized-drive system (2) with an output shaft, a set (3) of mutually articulated link rods, with a first link rod (31) mounted to rotate with the output shaft and a second link rod (32) articulated to the first link rod (31), a ram (4) articulated to the second link rod (32) at one of its ends and equipped at its opposite end with an upper rivet die (5), a guide device (6) having a through-orifice in which the ram (4) is engaged, and a lower rivet die (9), able to collaborate with the upper rivet die (5) to upset the rivet, when the rivet is placed inside an orifice pierced through the parts, between the upper and lower rivet dies. The rotation of the output shaft drives the movement of the ram (4) to allow, through the link rods (31, 32) moving from a folded position to a deployed position, lowering the upper rivet die (5) to bring the rivet into the orifice.

Nut plate grippers, end effectors that include nut plate grippers, robots that include end effectors, installation systems that include robots, and related methods are disclosed herein. The nut plate grippers are configured to grip a nut plate and include an attachment region, a first resilient projecting region, and a second resilient projecting region. The first resilient projecting region extends from the attachment region and defines a first nut plate-contacting end. The second resilient projecting region extends from the attachment region and defines a second nut plate-contacting end. The first resilient projecting region and the second resilient projecting region are configured to resiliently deflect toward one another to facilitate insertion of the first nut plate-contacting end and the second nut plate-contacting end between a pair of opposed plate flanges of a base plate of the nut plate. The methods include methods of gripping a nut plate utilizing the nut plate grippers.

A positioning device including a plate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, a guiding pin mounted to the plate and extending perpendicularly from the first side of the plate, and an expandable pin mounted to the plate. An expandable portion of the expandable pin extends perpendicularly from the first side of the plate. The positioning device further includes at least two reflectors, and an identifier. The at least two reflectors and the identifier are not located on a common straight line. Furthermore, a method for mounting two structural parts to one another using such positioning device is provided.

A positioning device including a plate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, a guiding pin mounted to the plate and extending perpendicularly from the first side of the plate, and an expandable pin mounted to the plate. An expandable portion of the expandable pin extends perpendicularly from the first side of the plate. The positioning device further includes at least two reflectors, and an identifier. The at least two reflectors and the identifier are not located on a common straight line. Furthermore, a method for mounting two structural parts to one another using such positioning device is provided.

What is described is a portable multifunctional tool having a handle portion and a tool accommodating portion having a tool function element arranged thereon configured to actuate a quick release chain fastener having two chain link plates and two chain link plate connection members. The tool function element has a first force exertion unit configured to exert a force on the first chain link plate connection member of the quick release chain fastener, and a second force exertion unit configured to exert a force on the second chain link plate connection member of the quick release chain fastener. The first force exertion unit and the second force exertion unit are translationally movable in relation to each other so as to actuate the quick release chain fastener by means of said translational movement. Moreover, the tool function element has a linear guide having a stationary first linear guide element and a second linear guide element movably arranged within the former, only one of the two force exertion units being arranged on the second linear guide element.

A manufacturing method employing a robotic assembly system includes first and second fastener system components that are positioned by a robotic assembly on opposite sides of at least two structural pieces that are to be fastened together. The first system component includes a particular tool of a plurality of different types of tools, where the particular tool installs a particular fastener of a plurality of different types of fasteners. Each tool includes a block or base of magnetic material with a passageway opening for the fastener associated with the tool passing through the base. The robotic assembly positions the tool against one side of the structural pieces to be fastened, and positions an electromagnet assembly on the opposite side of the structural pieces. Activating the electromagnet assembly clamps the structural pieces together. With the fastener positioned in a hole through the structural pieces, the tool is activated to install the fastener between the structural pieces.

A manufacturing method employing a robotic assembly system includes first and second fastener system components that are positioned by a robotic assembly on opposite sides of at least two structural pieces that are to be fastened together. The first system component includes a particular tool of a plurality of different types of tools, where the particular tool installs a particular fastener of a plurality of different types of fasteners. Each tool includes a block or base of magnetic material with a passageway opening for the fastener associated with the tool passing through the base. The robotic assembly positions the tool against one side of the structural pieces to be fastened, and positions an electromagnet assembly on the opposite side of the structural pieces. Activating the electromagnet assembly clamps the structural pieces together. With the fastener positioned in a hole through the structural pieces, the tool is activated to install the fastener between the structural pieces.

A long member assembling device has hand parts configured to grip a long member, arm parts and trunk parts configured to adjust a position of each of the hand parts, a hand part configured to grip the long member, the hand part numbering less than the hand parts, an arm part and a trunk part configured to move the hand part and adjust a position of the hand part gripping the long member, the arm part and the trunk part having higher positioning accuracy than the hand parts, and a control unit configured to, on the basis of an original shape of the long member stored in a memory, drive the arm parts and the trunk parts to adjust the positions of the hand parts and the hand part such that the shape of the long member gripped by the hand parts matches the original shape.