The Boeing Company
Enhanced tooling for interference-fit fasteners

Abstract:

Systems and methods are provided for installing fasteners. One exemplary embodiment is a method that includes inserting a fastener into a hole, and gripping ends of the fastener via dies. At least one of the dies includes a permanent coating having a static friction coefficient of less than 0.2 at a surface contacting the fastener. The method further includes plastically deforming the fastener via force from the dies, thereby expanding the fastener into interference with the hole along a length of the fastener such that an amount of interference between the fastener and the hole along the length of the fastener is greater than one and a half thousandths of an inch and less than twenty thousandths of an inch.