An automatic riveting device is provided with a rivet suction attachment unit for attaching the head of a rivet by suction, a tightening unit for tightening a stringer and clip by the rivet, and a control unit. The control unit controls the rivet suction attachment unit so that the rivet suction attachment unit to which the head of the rivet is attached is moved toward an upper side support body and the shaft part of the rivet is inserted into a through hole formed in riveting position P, and controls the tightening nit so that after the rivet suction attachment unit inserts the rivet into the through hole and retreats from the riveting position P, an upper anvil and a lower anvil are brought into proximity and the stringer and clip are tightened by the rivet.

A tool including a pair of rails is attachable to the inside surface of the skin panel. A housing is pivotally and slidably connected between the pair of rails. The housing is pivotable about a first axis and is slidable along grooves in the pair of rails. The housing has a first end and a second end opposite each other. The tool includes a rod having a third end and a fourth end, the third end attached to and extending from the first end of the housing. The tool also includes a pressure foot attached to the fourth end of the housing. The pressure foot includes a curved ankle integrally formed with a flat flange, the curved ankle curving into the flat flange. The pressure foot is configured to apply pressure along a portion of the inside surface of the skin panel when the housing is in a vertical position.

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 end effectors include a nut plate gripper, a rivet holder, and a yoke that defines a nut plate gripper side and a rivet holder side. The nut plate gripper is operatively attached to the nut plate gripper side of the yoke. The rivet holder is operatively attached to the rivet holder side of the yoke such that the nut plate gripper and the rivet holder define a structure-receiving region therebetween. The nut plate gripper is configured to grip the nut plate. The rivet holder is configured to selectively retain a plurality of rivet heads of a plurality of corresponding rivets. The robots include the end effector. The installation systems include the robot. The methods include methods of utilizing nut plate installation systems.

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 end effectors include a nut plate gripper, a rivet holder, and a yoke that defines a nut plate gripper side and a rivet holder side. The nut plate gripper is operatively attached to the nut plate gripper side of the yoke. The rivet holder is operatively attached to the rivet holder side of the yoke such that the nut plate gripper and the rivet holder define a structure-receiving region therebetween. The nut plate gripper is configured to grip the nut plate. The rivet holder is configured to selectively retain a plurality of rivet heads of a plurality of corresponding rivets. The robots include the end effector. The installation systems include the robot. The methods include methods of utilizing nut plate installation systems.

An aircraft panel production method has: a step in which a holding jig holds a body panel, which has a plurality of plate-like members having a curved cross-sectional shape, such that the cross section of the body panel has an upwardly bulging curved shape; a step in which the plate-like members of the body panel held by the holding jig are overlapped with each other and the overlapping portions are joined by a rivet; a step in which the holding jig, which is holding the body panel of which the plate-like members have been joined to each other, is moved; and a step in which a frame that follows the curved shape of the body panel is joined, by a rivet, to the plate-like members of the body panel which is held by the holding jig which has been moved.

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.

A clamping method includes a step (S3) for applying, by a first support portion disposed on one surface side of a plurality of superposed members and a second support portion disposed on the other surface side of the plurality of members, a predetermined first pressure to the plurality of members, and sandwiching the plurality of members; a step (S4) for forming a through hole with respect to the plurality of members by a cutting tool with the first pressure; a step (S5) for applying a predetermined second pressure to the plurality of members after the through hole is formed, and sandwiching the plurality of members by the first and second support portions, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure; and a step (S6) for fixing a fastening part inserted into the through hole to the plurality of members by a riveting device with the second pressure applied.

A clamping method includes a step (S3) for applying, by a first support portion disposed on one surface side of a plurality of superposed members and a second support portion disposed on the other surface side of the plurality of members, a predetermined first pressure to the plurality of members, and sandwiching the plurality of members; a step (S4) for forming a through hole with respect to the plurality of members by a cutting tool with the first pressure; a step (S5) for applying a predetermined second pressure to the plurality of members after the through hole is formed, and sandwiching the plurality of members by the first and second support portions, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure; and a step (S6) for fixing a fastening part inserted into the through hole to the plurality of members by a riveting device with the second pressure applied.

In order to hold a long member without using a fixing jig and without deforming the long member in holding the long member, a long member assembling device is provided with: multiple hand parts for gripping a long member; and arm parts and trunk parts for moving the hand parts to adjust the positions of the hand parts gripping the long member. The hand parts have a configuration such that, when the positions thereof are adjusted by the arm parts and the trunk parts, the hand parts are capable of moving in the longitudinal direction of the long member while gripping the long member.

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.