One of the largest advancements in the use of the Flextrack
technology is the addition of automated fastener installation on
the Multifunction Flextrack made by Electroimpact. The new
Flextrack installs SSTF (Single Sided Temporary Fasteners) into the
holes it drills without removing clamp-up force from the workpiece.
This is the first Flextrack to drill and install fasteners and its
functionality goes beyond even these functions. The fasteners, SSTF
bolts, are increasingly replacing more cumbersome and manual tools
for temporary fastening of aerospace components during assembly.
They provide doweling, clamp-up, and feature a compact head to
facilitate machine installation.
The new Multifunction Flextrack carries the bolts on the machine
head as opposed to being fed through a feed tube. A Bolt Cartridge
System carries up to 80 bolts onboard the Flextrack and the
Cartridges can be quick changed for use with several different
diameters. In its debut configuration, it is setup to carry 4
different bolt diameters, 1/4\mi through 7/16\mi in multiple grip
lengths. The Flextrack Bolt Injector can receive a bolt from one of
four banks in a fastener feed cartridge and presents it to the Bolt
Inserter where length and diameter are checked. The Bolt Injector
is mainly made up of a Cart that has multiple stop positions and
transfers the bolt from the fastener bank to where the Inserter can
pick it up. The Bolt Inserter resides on a shuttle table and the
machine shuttles to the hole after drilling without losing
clamp-up. The Inserter is driven to and from the panel with an air
cylinder and installs the bolts with an electric nutrunner. To
actuate the temporary fasteners, the nutrunner applies a torque to
the inner hex drive while holding the outer head static. The bolts
are actuated to specific torque values for different amounts of
clamp-up force.
