Fastener manufacturing
View Patent ↗A fastener has a metallic member and a nonmetallic cap member. The metallic member has a head and a shaft. The shaft has a first end at the head, a distal second end, and an externally threaded portion. The metallic member further has a projection extending from the head opposite the shaft. The cap member is mated to the head opposite the shaft and retained by the projection.
1. A method for manufacturing a fastener comprising:
mating a non-metallic cap member to a projection from a head of a metallic member, the projecting being unitarily formed as a single piece with a remaining portion of the head of the metallic member and a shaft of the metallic member, the shaft opposite the projection; and
deforming the projection to a deformed configuration retaining the cap member.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the deforming comprises melting.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
manufacturing the metallic member, including:
cutting an external thread on a shaft; and
forming a compartment in an end of the shaft opposite the projection.
4. A method for assembling an engine exhaust panel assembly comprising:
manufacturing, according to claim 1 , a fastener;
inserting the shaft of a fastener through an aperture in a ceramic matrix composite panel and an aperture in a support structure;
engaging the shaft to an internally threaded nut;
engaging the nut with a tool;
engaging a feature of the shaft with said tool or another tool; and
relatively rotating the nut and fastener to tighten the nut to the fastener.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein:
the tool is a wrench; and
said another tool is a hex-key.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
manufacturing the metallic member by forming a precursor having, the precursor comprising:
the head;
the shaft; and
a precursor of the projection, the precursor of the projection forms a second shaft of relatively smaller diameter than said shaft and greater length than the projection ultimately has.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein:
the deforming is via screw machining.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the deforming spans a diameter of the projection to backlock the cap member to the head.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the deforming forms the projection sub-flush to an outboard surface of the cap member.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the non-metallic cap member comprises a CMC.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
cutting the non-metallic cap member from a CMC sheet.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the non-metallic cap member has a cap compartment formed by an outboard bevel and an inboard bevel.