Flexible Automated Riveting of Fuselage Skin Panels

This paper describes the development of highly flexible auto-riveting system based around multiple Tricept robots and compact and innovative end-effectors. The end-effectors are capable of performing drilling, countersinking, sealing and riveting operations. The key to the success of the system is the high repeatability and stiffness of the Tricept robot allied with a very compact end-effector. The compact end-effector allows riveting to be performed in confined areas thus increasing the number of rivets that can be inserted automatically. The end-effectors also contain a significant amount of process monitoring sensors to enable automated in-process checks and quality measurement.