A system and method for drilling a hole in a vehicle structure and installing a fastener in the hole. A drill plate having openings and associated machine-readable elements is positioned on the structure. A drill gun is positioned in a particular opening and reads hole information from the associated element, and a computer determines whether the drill gun is properly set-up to drill the hole. A fastener insertion gun is positioned in the particular opening and reads fastener information from the element, and the computer determines whether the hole has been drilled and, if so, whether the fastener insertion gun is properly set-up to insert the fastener. A fastener delivery subsystem stores, tracks, and delivers fasteners to the fastener insertion gun. A system computer monitors the drilling of every hole, the insertion of every fastener, and the overall operation of the fastener delivery subsystem.

A cap for a temporary fastener comprises a hollow, cup-shaped body and an inwardly tapered neck. The hollow body fits over a workpiece-engaging portion of the temporary fastener, and the neck extends from the hollow body. The tapered neck terminates in a hollow tip that is sized and configured to fit over aligned holes in the joined workpieces and to contact a minimal surface area of the outermost workpiece to reduce surface damage to the workpieces such that any damage will be removed when the holes are countersunk in the normal course of assembly.

A cap for a temporary fastener comprises a hollow, cup-shaped body and an inwardly tapered neck. The hollow body fits over a workpiece-engaging portion of the temporary fastener, and the neck extends from the hollow body. The tapered neck terminates in a hollow tip that is sized and configured to fit over aligned holes in the joined workpieces and to contact a minimal surface area of the outermost workpiece to reduce surface damage to the workpieces such that any damage will be removed when the holes are countersunk in the normal course of assembly.

A method and system of attaching rivets to secure sheets of paper together. The rivets have a head, a recess, a skirt and a tail. A tool is configured so that the tail fits through a hole in the tool. Before the tail is inserted into the hole in the tool, the tail is inserted through two holes in the paper(s) and then in the hole in the tool. Pressure is placed on the paper by pressing downward on the tool thereby causing the paper(s) to snap into the recess, thereby securing both pieces of paper together.

A method and system of attaching rivets to secure sheets of paper together. The rivets have a head, a recess, a skirt and a tail. A tool is configured so that the tail fits through a hole in the tool. Before the tail is inserted into the hole in the tool, the tail is inserted through two holes in the paper(s) and then in the hole in the tool. Pressure is placed on the paper by pressing downward on the tool thereby causing the paper(s) to snap into the recess, thereby securing both pieces of paper together.

There is provided an automated rivet apparatus for installing a semi-tubular fastener rivet. The apparatus includes a numerical control (NC) drilling and riveting machine and a controller. The NC drilling and riveting machine includes a lower head having a lower pressure bushing, a lower drill spindle, and a lower anvil to apply an upset force to a tail portion of the semi-tubular fastener rivet. The NC drilling and riveting machine further includes an upper head having an upper pressure bushing, an upper drill spindle, and an upper anvil that holds the semi-tubular fastener rivet to insert the semi-tubular fastener rivet in a rivet-receiving hole. The lower drill spindle countersinks the rivet-receiving hole from a lower side of a workpiece. The controller directs movement of a nose of the lower anvil to apply the upset force and form a predetermined flare contour in the tail portion within a lower countersink.

An automated clamp is disclosed including a clamp frame, motorised clamp jaws, and a robot end effector connector. One of the clamp jaws can receive a drilling tool and/or a fastening tool. One of the clamp jaws has a position sensor for detecting a position of the clamp. The clamp forms part of an automated clamping system. The clamping system is used to automatically clamp a rib web to a rib post or integrated rib foot of an aircraft wing box for automated drilling and/or fastening the rib web to a rib post or integrated rib foot.

A multiple anvil fixture possesses multiple anvils engaged to a base in a fixed relation to each other with the anvils oriented in a common direction. Each of the anvils includes a first structure and a second structure. The first structure and the second structure are slidably engaged. Each of the anvils has an extended position and a recoiled position and a biasing-element to bias the first structure and the second structure in the extended position. The multiple anvil structure can be used to rivet brackets onto containers. The anvil protrudes through the container in the extended position to help align holes in the feet of the brackets with openings in the container. The anvil then recoils beneath the container to serve for the fixation of rivets.

A multiple anvil fixture possesses multiple anvils engaged to a base in a fixed relation to each other with the anvils oriented in a common direction. Each of the anvils includes a first structure and a second structure. The first structure and the second structure are slidably engaged. Each of the anvils has an extended position and a recoiled position and a biasing-element to bias the first structure and the second structure in the extended position. The multiple anvil structure can be used to rivet brackets onto containers. The anvil protrudes through the container in the extended position to help align holes in the feet of the brackets with openings in the container. The anvil then recoils beneath the container to serve for the fixation of rivets.

A cap for a temporary fastener comprises a hollow, cup-shaped body and an inwardly tapered neck. The hollow body fits over a workpiece-engaging portion of the temporary fastener, and the neck extends from the hollow body. The tapered neck terminates in a hollow tip that is sized and configured to fit over aligned holes in the joined workpieces and to contact a minimal surface area of the outermost workpiece to reduce surface damage to the workpieces such that any damage will be removed when the holes are countersunk in the normal course of assembly.