Rivet Hole Alignment Tool

For accurate alignment and subsequent reworking of aircraft rivet holes. The RIVET HOLE ALIGNMENT TOOL is a hand-held tool for the alignment of drills/reamers on structures requiring high dimensional tolerance and/or precise positioning of drilled features, for example, aircraft structures. The tool has particular advantage in major structural area... s such as main and secondary plane spars, beams, NLG, MLG, empennage strengthening attach plates (doublers) etc. where more strength is required from close tolerance fitting bolts and Hi-Lok, Hi Lite and Hi Tigues Fasteners. The fully adjustable tool is aligned precisely with the rework hole in terms of position and orientation, locked in place, and then used to guide commercially available hand-held drills or reamers such that holes can be reliably drilled or reworked in very small increments and to precise tolerances. The tool can be attached to any near flat surface on the reworked article at any orientation, including perpendicular and upside down, without the need for additional clamping mechanisms. It is powered by common workshop air supplies and is compatible with standard fittings. Consumables for the tool are inexpensive and simple to manufacture. The RIVET HOLE ALIGNMENT TOOL has the advantage of reducing the demands on the technician whilst eliminating errors related to drill or reamer alignment and centering. The tool can be used in both a manufacturing and rework/restoring scenario and helps to provide a consistent hole finish time after time. It is particularly helpful when used in combination with hole cold expansion techniques where there are precise requirements for removal of initial hole damage and the provision of tight hole tolerances for the provision of interference fit fasteners. It is also useful for scenarios where holes are enlarged and at the same time dragged to a new centre in order to remove hole damage including cracking or to fit into tight structural situations.Read More