Center Section QA/QC

[N82VM]

While assembling my center section I was surprised to find a burr on an anodized part F-804G-1.From what I can tell of the rest of these parts they seem to all have a very good job of minimal material removed deburring prior to being anodized. Prior to that I found several tipped rivets (enough to be questioned) on the center section assembly that is completed by Vans. My wing had a rivet on the spar that was wayyyy over driven in width and height. Build support said drill it out and replace with AN3 bolt since I have no way to squeeze a -6 rivet

Now I’m wondering what burrs lie under what is pre-assembled on the spar and center section.

I deburred and primed and moved on but just wondering what’s up with QA/QC on such major parts.

 

[2theskyy]

While assembling my center section I was surprised to find a burr on an anodized part F-804G-1.From what I can tell of the rest of these parts they seem to all have a very good job of minimal material removed deburring prior to being anodized. Prior to that I found several tipped rivets (enough to be questioned) on the center section assembly that is completed by Vans. My wing had a rivet on the spar that was wayyyy over driven in width and height. Build support said drill it out and replace with AN3 bolt since I have no way to squeeze a -6 rivet

Now I’m wondering what burrs lie under what is pre-assembled on the spar and center section.

I deburred and primed and moved on but just wondering what’s up with QA/QC on such major parts.

3 letters:
LCP

 

[idubrov]

My wing had a rivet on the spar that was wayyyy over driven in width and height.

What was the thickness of the shop end? Do you have a photo?

I guess, I'll grab a caliper and start checking my spars In my center section, two rivets were just missing (they told me to put AN3 bolts there).

 

[N82VM]

Don’t have the numbers but here’s a picture. Middle rivet, tipped and not round.

Yeah I’ve done a few gross rivets myself. I think they should be able to do better than me.

 

[N82VM]

Click on the attachment photo, you can see it much better. Tipped top to bottom. I don’t have a side view but you can see it’s an oval. I guess I’m surprised it left Vans that way.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

Click on the attachment photo, you can see it much better. Tipped top to bottom. I don’t have a side view but you can see it’s an oval. I guess I’m surprised it left Vans that way.

Van's has provided guidance in the past that a misformed rivet retains the vast majority of its strength, and unless it is grossly out of spec, it is often better to leave the rivet than to drill it out and replace it. This is especially true for thicker materials or thicker stack-ups because any angular error in drilling out the rivet will be compounded by thicker material.

We shoot for perfection, but sometimes have to accept that imperfect is the best we're gonna get and that's good enough.

 

[skelrad]

Click on the attachment photo, you can see it much better. Tipped top to bottom. I don’t have a side view but you can see it’s an oval. I guess I’m surprised it left Vans that way.

Is it actually out of spec and over/under driven or just not a perfect result? It's hard to tell from the top, but it honestly doesn't look that bad. I would think Van's workers follow the same advice that they give us builders - unless it's actually bad, usually better just to leave it. There's a big difference between something being slightly off and actually problematic.

For the burr, just deburr and move on (literally 2 seconds of time). I know it's the internet so people tend to fan the flames and say how the sky is falling, but one burr does not mean you have to worry about the entirety of what has been done.

I get it, we pay good money and want the best work possible. But to be real, if we really wanted absolute perfection and the effort that goes into it that level of work, we'd be spending FAR more on these kits.