Development of Fatigue-Rated 7/16 Inch Diameter Flush-Head Rivets for Aluminum Wing Structure

A hydraulic squeeze riveting process has been developed which yields high fatigue quality for large diameter rivets in aluminum wing structure. The process for installation of 7/16 inch diameter 2017-H15 aluminum alloy flush head rivets was developed using a series of statistically designed experiments. Factors such as rivet geometry, die shape, and upset force were varied to yield optimal rivet interference. The relationship between interference and fatigue life was quantified. The development process described provides a case study for those working to optimize complex multivariate manufacturing processes.