Fastening two pieces of sheet metal together requires proper alignment. If you’re going to use rivet-based fasteners, for instance, you’ll need to align the rivet holes. Proper alignment will ensure that the holes are created in the same area on each piece of sheet metal. Rather than trying to “eyeball” the alignment, however, you should consider using strap duplicators.
Overview of Strap Duplicators
Strap duplicators are simple handheld tools that are used to align rivet holes. They are typically used when riveting sheet metal. Rivets are permanent fasteners. If you’re going to use rivets to secure multiple pieces of sheet metal together, a strap duplicator can help you align the rivet holes.
Strap duplicators are also known as hole finders. Riveting multiple pieces of sheet metal together requires the use of holes. Each rivet will have its own hole. To ensure they are properly aligned, look no further than a strap duplicator. Strap duplicators will allow you to align and locate rivet holes easily.
Many aerospace manufacturing companies use strap duplicators. Airplane components require precision. The rivet holes on sheet metal pieces, for instance, must be properly aligned. If they aren’t aligned, the sheet metal pieces may not fit — or they may suffer from poor structural integrity or other related problems. Strap duplicators prevent this from happening by aligning and locating the rivet holes.
How Strap Duplicators Work
There are different types of strap duplicators. One of the most common types is bushing. As shown in the adjacent photo, bushing-type strap duplicators feature a tong-like design. They have two long arms. At the end of the arms is a punch pin.
You can use a bushing-type strap duplicator by placing the punch pin between the two pieces of sheet metal. After moving the punch pin in place, you can then locate the rivet hole from underneath. Bushing-type strap duplicators feature a simple design that makes it easy to align rivet holes.
There are other types of strap duplicators, such as inverted and punch. Each type uses a different design, but they are all designed for the same purpose. You can use strap duplicators to align and locate rivet holes. They will “duplicate” rivet holes on multiple pieces of sheet metal.
In Conclusion
Strap duplicators are tools that are designed to align and locate rivet holes. When using rivet-based fasteners to secure multiple pieces of sheet metal together, you may want to use them.
