Automated Rivet Hole Measurement – for Robotic Fastening Systems

NOVACAM RIVETINSPECT system measures aircraft and automotive rivet holes within seconds using non-contact optical technology.

Measure rivet hole IDs and countersinks with micron precision
Fully automate analysis of GD&T parameters, roughness and defects
Integrate measurement probes onto robot heads, gantrys or other precision stages
Deploy right on the assembly floor.

Measure rivet hole ID in seconds

Quick, easy integration and automated fast defect detection

Measure hard to reach spaces
Measure surfaces that are difficult to access, such as the inside of rivet holes. Even blind holes or tapered holes.
Automated Analysis
Fully automate analysis of GD&T parameters, roughness and defects.
- Geometry: Inside diameter, cylindricity, roundness, profile, conicity, taper, concentricity, countersink angle, axial straightness, radius of ID grooves, perpendicularity
- Roughness of axial or circumferential ID profiles
- Defects: Cracks, inter-laminar gaps or offsets, burrs, tearing of composite materials, tool marks

Easy to integrate with robotic riveting
Integrate measurement probes onto robot heads, gantrys or other precision stages.
Ready to use right in process
Deploy within automated or semi-automated riveting systems right on the aircraft assembly plant floor. Versatile and rugged, not affected by ambient lighting, air perturbation, or cutting of the beam.

GD&T measurements on a rivet hole include parameter such as concentricity, runout, diameter, circularity, included angle of countersink, etc.

Defects such as burrs and inter-laminar gaps in rivet holes may be inspected and measured interactively or detected automatically.

Examples of rivet hole and countersink angle measurements

Acquired 3D surface of river head after installation.

Scanned countersink exhibiting a surface defect (scale in mm). Here the 3D scan data is shown in STL format.

The RIVETINSPECT system has been designed with ease of use in mind.

The RIVETINSPECT system measures with 2 non-contact fiber-based probes:

A small-diameter rotational scanning probe easily reaches inside rivet holes to measure their IDs. Depending on the included angle of the countersink, the countersink can often also be measured with the same probe.
A galvo-scanning probe efficiently scans all countersinks and the rivet-head area post-installation.

As robot end-effectors, the non-contact scanning probes perform non-contact 3D measurements right in the fastening process on the assembly floor.