AIRCRAFT

FASTENER
 Fastener ?

 It is the device used to hold the two material

 It has two main parts head and shank (stem )
 On average, for example, 2.4 million (2,400,000) fasteners are used
to for assemble a Boeing 787 aircraft
 22% are structural bolts (mostly titanium) and the rest is rivets
Types of fastener

 Bolts
 Nuts
 Rivets
 Screws & Studs
BOLTS
 Bolts are used in aircraft construction in areas where high strength is
needed
 Aircraft bolts are made from:
 Steel alloy
 stainless or corrosion resistant steel
 Aluminum alloys
 Titanium
 Some places screws are substituted where no need of high strength
 The three principal parts of a bolt are the head, grip, and threads
 Each bolt has marking at its head.
 The most common bolt head styles used in aircraft structures are
 An eyebolt, often used in flight control systems.
 A countersunk-head, close-tolerance bolt.
 An internal-wrenching bolt. Both the countersunk-head bolt and the internal-wrenching
bolt have hexagonal recesses (six-sided holes) in their heads. They are tightened and
loosened by use of appropriately sized Allen wrenches.
 A clevis bolt with its characteristic round head.
 A Torque-set wrenching recess that has four driving wings, each one offset from the one
opposite it. There is no taper in the walls of the recess. This permits higher torque to be
applied with less of a tendency for the driver to slip or cam out of the slots.
 An external-wrenching head that has a washer face under the head to provide an
increased bearing surface. The 12-point head gives a greater wrench-gripping surface.
 A hi-torque style driving slot. This single slot is narrower at the center than at the outer
portions. This design, and the center dimple, provides the slot with a bow tie
appearance. The recess is also undercut in a taper from the center to the outer ends,
producing an inverted keystone shape. These bolts must be installed with a special hi-
torque driver adapter. They must also be driven with some type of torque-limiting or
torque-measuring device. Each diameter of bolt requires the proper size of driver for that
particular bolt. The bolts are available in standard and reduced 100-degree flush heads.
The reduced head requires a driver one size smaller than the standard head.
 Bolt thread
 Another structural feature of bolts is thread .
 These usually come in one of two types: coarse and fine.
 For any given size of bolt there are a different number of coarse and fine
threads per inch.
 Example , consider the 1/4-inch bolts.
 Some are called 1/4-28 -28 fine threads per inch.
 Some are called 1/4-20 bolts-20 threads per inch
 The aircraft bolt threaded should be from the below given series
 NC-American national course
 UNC-American standard unified-course
 NF-American national fine
 UNF-American standard unified fine
 Eg: 1/4-28 NF
BOLT IDENTIFICATION

 Before replacement we have to identify the bolt for maintenance.

 To identify the bolt the part number of a needed bolt should be obtained
by referring to the illustrated parts breakdown (IPB) for the aircraft
concerned.
 AN Part Number
 MS Part Number
 NAS Part Number
 AN Part Number
 AN4-20A this bolt is 4/16 of an inch
=1/4 Inch
 AN30- 0 for 10,10/16 inch dia
 “-”Indicate carbon steel “c”
corrosion resistance
 “D” 2017 Al and “DD” for 2024
aluminum alloy
 H shows that the bolt has been
drilled for safety(followed by – or
number )
 “A”the bolt is not drilled for cotter
pin safety
MS Part Number
 NAS Part Number

“4” 4/16 inch of dia

“25” 25/16 th inch of grip length
Maintenance practices

 Bolts are manufactured in many shapes and varieties.

 The method to classification of bolt is difficult but it can be identified by its
shape of head ,material and usage.
 Before going to do maintenance or replacement of Bolts ,we must consider
the following terms
 Class –fit
 Grade – strength and material
 Length –fixing
 Class

 Class 1 = Loose
 Class 2 = Free
 Class 3 = Medium
 Class 4 = Close
 Mostly class 2, 3 is for precision assembly, and 4 is used
for things like lathe lead screws and measuring
instruments.
 In Aircraft class 3 medium fit is used and for screw class 2
is used due to its ease of maintenance
Grade

 Checking of grade is very essential.

 Grade which gives you strength of the fastener
 Bolts and Nuts should be in same grade.
 Grade 2 – 74,000psi
 Grade 5 – 120,000psi
 Grade 8 – 150,000psi
 Grade 8.8
 Grade 10.9
 Grade 2
 Zinc plated low carbon steel.
 Best for general hardware use where high strength is not
required.
 Grade 5

 Made from medium carbon steel, tempered and zinc

plated.
 Best for automotive use and other areas where higher
strength is desired.
 Grade 8
 Made from medium carbon alloy steel, tempered, and
zinc plated.
 Best suited for applications where high strength and
hardness is required.
Grade8.8(M)

 Made from medium carbon steel and zinc plated. Best

for general hardware use where high strength is not
required.
 Standard metric thread pitches.
 Grade 10.9(M)

 Made from alloy steel quenched, tempered, and zinc

plated.
 Best for automotive use and other areas where high
strength is needed.
 Size

 The grip length should be equal to the material thickness

that is being held by the bolt or slightly longer.
 Bolt length must be sufficient to ensure no more than
one thread will be inside the bolt hole.
 A washer may be used if the bolt is slightly longer
 If the bolt is too short, it may not extend out of the bolt hole far
enough for the nut to be securely fastened.
 It will not secured properly. It may came-out from the material
 If it is too long, it may extend so far that it interferes with the
movement of nearby parts.
 Unnecessarily long bolts can affect weight and balance and
reduce the aircraft payload capacity.
 Grip length should be approximately the same as the thickness of
the material to be fastened.
 If the grip is too short, the threads of the bolt will extend into the bolt
hole and may act like a reamer when the material is vibrating.
 To prevent reaming, no more than two threads should
extend into the bolt hole.
 Also, users should be certain that any threads that enter
the bolt hole extend only into the thicker member that is
being fastened.
 If the grip is too long, the nut will run out of threads
before it can be tightened.
 In this event, a bolt with a shorter grip should be used, or
if the bolt grip extends only a short distance through the
hole, a washer may be used.
 A second bolt dimension that must be considered is
diameter.
 The third and fourth bolt dimensions to consider when
choosing a bolt replacement are head thickness and
width.
 If the head is too thin or too narrow, it may not be strong
enough to bear the load imposed on it.
 If the head is too thick or too wide, it may extend so far
that it interferes with the movement of adjacent parts.
Bolt installation and practices

 It is important to not "over tighten" or "under tighten" a bolt or the nut

attached to a bolt.
 “Under tightening” results in excessive wear of the hardware as well as the
parts being held.
 Over tightening may cause too much stress on the bolt or nut.
 The best way to avoid this is to use a torque wrench.
 Bolt Installation
 Be sure bolt and nut threads are clean and dry.
 In determining proper bolt length - no more than one thread should
be hidden inside the bolt hole.
 Whenever possible, bolts should be installed pointing aft and to the
center of an airplane.
 Use a torque wrench whenever possible and determine torque
values based on the size of bolt.
 Use smooth, even pulls when tightening.
 Tighten the nut first - whenever possible.
 A typical installation includes a bolt, one washer and a nut.
 If the bolt is too long, a maximum of three washers may be used.
Bolt Installation Summary
 If more than three threads are protruding from the nut, the bolt may
be too long and could be bottoming out on the shank.
 Use undrilled bolts with fiber lock nuts.
 If you use a drilled bolt and fiber nut combination, be sure no burrs
exist on the drilled hole that will cut the fiber.
 If the bolt does not fit snugly consider the use of a close tolerance
bolt.
 Don't make a practice of cutting off a bolt that is too long to fit a
hole. That can often weaken the bolt and allow corrosion in the
area that is cut.
Torque Angle Gauge
 Aerospace Nuts & Washers

 Aircraft nuts usually have no identification on them

 The nuts are made of cadmium-plated carbon steel, stainless
steel, brass, or aluminum alloy.
 The bolts and nuts should be same material.
 Due to the vibration of aircraft, nuts must have some form of a
locking device to keep them in place.
 Most aircraft nuts are
 castle nuts
 self-locking nuts

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 Self-locking nuts provide tight connections that will not loosen under vibrations.
 Self-locking nuts approved for use on aircraft meet critical strength, corrosion-resistance,
and temperature specifications.
 The two major types of self-locking nuts are prevailing torque and free spinning.
 The two general types of prevailing torque nuts are the all-metal nuts and the non-
metallic insert nuts.
 New self-locking nuts must be used each time components are installed in critical areas
throughout the entire aircraft, including all flight, engine, and fuel control linkage and
attachments.
 The flexlock nut is an example of the all metal type.
 The elastic stop nut is an example of the nonmetallic insert type.
 All-metal self-locking nuts are constructed with the threads in the load-carrying portion of
the nut out of phase with the threads in the locking portion, or with a saw cut top portion
with a pinched-in thread.
 The locking action of these types depends upon the resilience of the metal when the
locking section and load-carrying section are forced into alignment when engaged by
the bolt or screw threads
 CASTLE NUTS — These nuts are used with drilled shank bolts, hex-head bolts,
clevis bolts, eyebolts, and drilled-head studs. These nuts are designed to be
secured with cotter pins or safety wire.
 CASTELLATED NUTS
 CHANNEL NUTS — These nuts are used in applications requiring anchored
nuts equally spaced around openings such as access and inspection doors
and removable leading edges. Straight or curved channel nut strips offer a
wide range of nut spacing and provide a multi nut unit that has all the
advantages of floating nuts. They are usually self-locking.
 PLATE NUTS — These nuts are used for blind mounting in inaccessible
locations and for easier maintenance. They are available in a wide range
of sizes and shapes. One-lug, two-lug, and right angle shapes are available
to accommodate the specific physical requirements of nut locations.
Floating nuts provide a controlled amount of nut movement to
compensate for subassembly misalignment. They can be either self-locking
or non self-locking.
 Aircraft Nuts

 Castle Nuts
 Castle nuts are used with drilled
shank bolts, clevis bolts and eye
bolts.
 The slots in the nut accommodate
a cotter pin for safe tying
purposes.
 AN310 and AN320 castle nuts are
the most commonly used (See
Figure).

37
Aircraft Nuts

• Castle nut secures the right main wheel to

this Cessna 152

• Note the cotter pin

installed to prevent
the nut from
loosening
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 Aircraft Nuts

 Self-locking nuts
 The most common method of locking is derived from a fiber
insert.
 The designation of these nuts is AN365 and AN364.
 The dash number following self-locking nut defines the thread
size.
 self-locking nuts should not be used where temperatures exceed
250 deg-F or on a bolt that is connecting a moving part.

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 Aircraft Nuts

 Plain nuts require a locking

device such as a check nut or
lock washer.
 They are not widely used in
most aircraft.
 AN315 is the designation used
for a plain hex nut.

• Various lock washers

40
Aerospace Nuts

Other Aerospace nuts

 Wing nuts (AN350) are commonly used on battery connections or hose
clamps where proper tightness can be obtained by hand.
 Anchor nuts are widely used in areas where it is difficult to access a nut.
 Tinnerman nuts, instrument mounting nuts, pal nuts, cap nuts, etc. are all
examples of other types that are used
 SHEAR NUTS — These nuts are designed for use with devices such as
drilled clevis bolts and threaded taper pins that are normally subjected to
shearing stress only. They are usually self-locking.

41
 KLINCHER LOCKNUTS — Klincher locknuts are used to
ensure a permanent and vibration-proof, bolted
connection that holds solidly and resists thread wear.
It will withstand extremely high or low temperatures
and exposure to lubricants, weather, and
compounds without impairing the effectiveness of
the locking element. The nut is installed with the end
that looks like a double washer toward the metal
being fastened. Notice in Figure that the end that
looks like a double hexagon is away from the metal
being fastened.
SHEET SPRING NUTS — These nuts are used
with standard and sheet metal self-tapping
screws to support line clamps, conduit
clamps, electrical equipment, and access
doors. The most common types are the float,
the two-lug anchor, and the one-lug anchor.
The nuts have an arched spring lock that
prevents the screw from working loose. They
should be used only where originally used in
the fabrication of the aircraft.
Aerospace Nuts

• Typical
application of a
wing-nut on the
engine cowling
of a Piper
Tomahawk

• Wing-nuts
allow for quick,
tool-free
removal and
installation
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Basics of Aircraft Nut Installation

 When using a castle nut, align with the cotter pin hole
 A fiber nut may be reused if you are unable to tighten by hand.
 At least one thread should be projecting past the fiber on a fiber nut
installation.
 No self-locking nuts on moving part installations.

45
Basics of Aircraft Nut Installation

 Do not use AN364 or AN365 fiber nuts in areas of high temperature - above
250' F.
 Shear nuts are to be used only in shear loads (not tension).
 Plain nuts require a locking device such as a lock washer or a check nut.
 When using a lock washer, place a plain washer between the surface of
the airplane part and the lock washer.

46
Basics of Aircraft Nut Installation

 Shear nuts and standard nuts have different torque values.

 Use wing nuts only where hand tightness is adequate.

47
Aerospace Nuts

• Castle nut with cotter pin on

the nose landing gear of a
Piper Tomahawk
48
Aerospace Washers

 The main purposes of a washer in aircraft installation are

 to provide a shim when needed,
 act as a smooth load bearing surface
 to adjust the position of castle nuts in relation to the drilled hole in a bolt.
 AN960 washers are the most common.
 Made in regular thickness and one half the thickness of regular.

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Washers

 Four Common Types

 Flat
 Split
 Toothed
 Insulating
Common Washers
 Cotter Pins
 Use cotter pins to secure bolts, screws, nuts, and pins.
 Material –stainless steel,carbon-corrosion resistant
 Use stainless steel cotter pins in locations where nonmagnetic material is
required.
 To install a cotter pin , use castellated nuts with bolts that have been drilled
for cotter pins. Use stainless steel cotter pins. The cotter pin should fit neatly
into the hole, with very little side play.
 Do not bend the prong over the bolt end
beyond the bolt diameter. (Cut it off if
necessary.)
 Do not bend the prong down against the
surface of the washer. (Again, cut it off if
necessary.)
 Do not extend the prongs outward from the
sides of the nut if you use the optional
wraparound method.
 Bend all prongs over a reasonable radius. Sharp
angled bends invite breakage. Tap the prongs
lightly with a mallet to bend them.
Clamps

 Clamps used on aircraft engines prevent lines from chafing on parts or

against other lines. They can also connect two lines or pieces of material.
 When installing clamps, be sure to use the proper size and material.
1. rubber or Teflon® cushion for low-range temperatures
2. asbestos cushion for high temperatures.
RIVET
Aerospace Rivets

 Primarily used to fasten aerospace skins to the sub-structure

 Concerned mainly with shear and tension loads.
 Two types of rivets:

Solid Rivet
Blind Rivet

59
Aerospace Rivets

• Rivets on the skin of a

Boeing 737

60
 Aerospace Solid Rivets

61
Aerospace Solid Rivets

• Universal solid rivets on the skin of a

Boeing 737

•Note that they are not

flush with the skin
62
Aerospace Solid Rivets

• Countersunk solid rivets on the engine pylon

of a Boeing 737

• Note that these rivets are

flush with the surface

63
Aerospace Solid Rivets

64
Aerospace Solid Rivets - Identification

 Rivets manufactured in accordance with the AN/MS standards are

identified by a four part code:
1. AN or MS specification and head type
2. one or two letters that indicate the material
3. shank diameter in 1/32nd inch increments
4. a dash followed by a number that indicates rivet length in 1/16th
inch increments.

65
Aerospace Solid Rivets - Identification

• Aircraft rivets are made

of many materials, and
come in a wide variety of
shapes and sizes

• How do you select the

right size?

• How do you select the

right material?

•We must know what the

part number tells us…
66
Aerospace Solid Rivets - Identification

 Example: rivet identification

 standard universal head solid rivet
 Material: 2117-T4 aluminium
 1/8 inch diameter
 5/16 inch in length
 Rivet ID = either AN470AD4-5 or MS20470AD4-5

67
TERMINOLOGY

68
 Aerospace Solid Rivets - Identification
 Same rivet, different material:1100 aluminium
AN470A4-5 or MS20470A4-5.
 AN470 or MS20470 denote the specification for universal head types
 AD is the material code for 2117-T4
(A=1100, B=5056, C=copper, D=2017, DD=2024, F=stainless and
M=Monel)
 4 = 4/32 or 1/8 inch diameter
 -5 = 5/16 inch length

69
 Aerospace Solid Rivet Installation

 Rivet installation summary

Drill appropriately sized holes
Deburr holes
Secure pieces together with Clecos
Install rivet, buck with rivet gun or use a rivet squeezer

70
 Aerospace Solid Rivet Installation

 Solid rivets can be installed

using a rivet squeezer instead
of a pneumatic rivet gun
 The squeezer is hand operated
 The squeezer uses various
inserts depending on the type
and size of rivet being installed

71
 Aerospace Blind Rivets
 Used when you cannot physically access one side of the work
 Blind rivets are hollow, and thus weaker than solid rivets
 To retain strength of the joint:
stronger material, larger diameter rivets, or more are necessary and of
course
 20–50% heavier than a solid rivet because of steel stem

72
Aerospace Blind Rivets

73
Aerospace Rivets – Fuselage Repair

• Exterior of a riveted patch fuselage skin patch

 Note that solid fasteners

are used except in the
middle of the patch

 Why would you use

blind fasteners in this
application?

74
Aerospace Rivets – Fuselage Repair

• Interior of a riveted fuselage skin patch

 Because the stringer on the

interior of the fuselage
prevents the bucking a solid
rivet requires

 Blind rivets are the only

option when access is
restricted

75
Quality Assurance of Aerospace Fasteners

 Aerospace Fasteners Material Selection

 Aerospace Fasteners Testing

76
 Aerospace Fasteners Material
Selection

Background
 Some factors to be considered before material selection
are:
The max. and min. operating temperatures
The corrosiveness of the environment
Fatigue and impact loading
 Always try to use standard fasteners, such as AN, MS,
MIL, NAS, SAE
77
Aerospace Fasteners Material
Selection
 Alloy Steels
 Aluminum
 Titanium
 Stainless Steel
 Superalloys

78
 Aerospace Fasteners Material
Selection
 Aluminum is the predominant material used in the manufacture of
commercial aircraft.
 Table 3 lists the typical aluminum alloys used in commercial aircraft.

79
Basic Aerospace Fasteners Application

 The basic applications (or needs) for aerospace fasteners are:

 Shear
 Tension
 Fatigue
 Fuel tightness
 High temperature
 Corrosion control

80
Aerospace Fasteners Testing
 Analyzing a Joint
 Calculate all the load required for each type of joint failure:
Rivet Shear
Sheet Tensile
Bearing
Sheet Shear

 Failure will occur in the mode that corresponds with the lowest
load carrying capability.

81
Aerospace Fastener Standardization

 Most aerospace hardware is manufactured per government

standards
 The three most common aircraft fastener standards used are:
 AN = Air Force/Navy
 NAS = National Aerospace Standards
 MS = Military Standards

82
RIVET INSTALLATION
 Aerospace Solid Rivet Installation

• .032” 2024-T6 sheet aluminum to be

joined with rivets
•Rivet gun
•Bucking bar
•Drill
•Drill bit and chuck key
•Center punch
•Cleco
•Cleco pliers

84
Aerospace Solid Rivet Installation

• Drilling holes
with a #30 drill
bit

• Use 1/8”
rivets with a
#30 (.1285”)
drill bit

85
Aerospace Solid Rivet Installation

• Deburr the holes

by rotating (by
hand) a much
larger drill bit in the
holes

• This removes any

metal shavings
caused by drilling

86
Aerospace Solid Rivet Installation

• Position the
pieces together
and secure using
Clecos

•Clecos maintain
proper alignment
of the pieces while
rivets are being
installed

87
Aerospace Solid Rivet Installation

• Place the rivet

in the hole

• Make sure you

are using the
correct size,
material, and
type of rivet

88
 Aerospace Solid Rivet Installation

• Align the rivet gun

on the rivet head

• Hold the bucking

bar on the opposite
end of the rivet

• Pull the trigger on

the rivet gun to
hammer the rivet in
place

89
 INSPECTION OF RIVETED JOINTS
 Riveted joints must be inspected at all stages of production and operation. This
means that the manufacturing stages must be thoroughly inspected to ensure
that the finished work meets the required specifications.
 Whilst in service, rivets must be inspected regularly, to check for a number of
faults that might have occurred, such as corrosion, fretting and fatigue.
 After the rivets have been closed, they should be inspected to ensure that they
are tight and fully formed.
 Rivet heads must not be deformed or cracked and the surrounding area must
be free from distortion and undamaged by riveting tools.

90
91
 A staining colour of black or grey around a rivet head is an indication that
it has stretched.
 If any doubt exists it may be necessary to drill out the rivet and examine the
hole for indications of elongation or tearing.
 Any stretching will become apparent when the rivets are removed, as the
skin will move position.

92