In the world of aviation and aircraft safety, some things never change. Aircraft components and hardware are submitted to serious processing standards in order to ensure that aviation is safer and fuel efficient. Poor safety management in any aspect of air transportation can not only damage the aircraft itself, but result in the loss of valuable human life. While the wings, tail, body, landing gear, and engine are integral to the safety and function of the aircraft, for this blog we will be exploring the vital role that aircraft fasteners play in the area of aviation.
In the aviation sector, fasteners determine a lot of safety issues within the body of the plane. For instance, in order to protect passengers from dangerous situations, they must fasten their belt buckles during takeoff and landing. Since the aircraft fasteners are bound by this role, the design and materials used are carefully made.
Casting and Forging of Fasteners
Since aircraft fasteners are responsible for keeping passengers safe and secure, the rivets, screws, and all other hardware are made to withstand a variety of potential physical challenges. With this in mind, the casting process and forging procedures are very important for the design of these items. Some of the aircraft hardware that is cast includes: seat belt buckles , chair screws, rivets for the case body, and other solid metal items. Metal casting is a production process in which a liquified alloy material is poured into a mold of the desired shape. In this case, the shape would take the form of a fastener. Once the liquid is poured in, it is left to solidify under a controlled state. There is an incredible amount of precision in the creation of the molds. The cavity size, diameter, and temperature at which the liquid-like material is poured and left to solidify is closely recorded by onsite operators. This is so there is no mechanical error at work in the creation of the fasteners. Operators are expertly-trained in order to ensure that the casting is made properly. The solidified fastener is ejected from its mold and sent to the next processing step: forging.
Forging can be divided into two methods: cold forging and warm forging. While both are carried out by forging presses, the cold forging process is conducted under room temperature conditions, and the warm forging process is conducted under extremely high temperatures. The latter, however, is cost-effective, which explains its surge in popularity as a manufacturing method. Additionally, for the warm forging process, the temperature ranges from above room temperature to below the recrystallization procedure. This guarantees that aircraft fasteners work properly under varying extremes.
Different Types of Fasteners
While the creation of fasteners is important, it is critical to know what type of fastener you need. Different projects and machinery require varying fasteners. Additionally, ensuring that you are using them properly prevents excess vibration and pressure on your apparatus. The most common types of fasteners include: bolts, nuts, screws, washers, and rivets.
To start, bolts are a type of fastener that helps hold two separate parts together. Working with bolts, nuts contain an internal thread that allows a bolt to hold components together. While screws have a similar structure to bolts, they do not require anything to keep them in place. Washers are small disc-like fasteners that work with both nuts and bolts. Lastly, rivets are permanent fasteners that secure several different components and come in several forms. One form of rivet that is commonly used as a fastener is a solid rivet. The solid rivet has been used for decades and consists of a shaft and head that are molded with a hammer or rivet gun. The rivet is composed of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end and a tail on the other. And, this type of rivet is specifically used to help secure certain components of an aircraft fastener.
Choosing the proper fastener for your application is an integral factor for productivity purposes. More than that, it is a critical component that ensures the safety of all parties involved in the creation and functional process. Beyond considering whether a fastener fits your desired application, the design of your fastener is determinant of the amount of torque, resistance, and weight it can take.
With so many fasteners to choose from, selecting the right one for your application can be challenging. At ASAP Buying, we are the premier supplier of Aviation, NSN, and electronic parts, saving you time and resources. ASAP Buying is owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, the leading distributor of electronic components of all types, ranging from integrated circuits to semiconductors, and everything in between. ASAP Semiconductor is an FAA AC 00-56B accredited and ISO 9001:2015 certified enterprise. For a quick and competitive quote, email sales@asapbuying.com, we are available 24/7x365.
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