French AHG Produces Aerospace Rivets

In the countryside a few kilometres from Toulouse (south west France) the Ateliers de Haute-Garonne (AHG) workshops produce seven million rivets every day out of cylindrical rods of aluminium or titanium - essential to the aircraft assembly of the world's major aircraft manufacturers.

Aerospace rivets come in different forms, typically weighing less than one gram, and, when inserted into the holes of the metal sheet, have the particularity of deforming, thus ensuring an optimal fixation. Contrary to what one might think, rivets can be coloured. The blue, violet, orange, or green colour distinguish the chemical composition of the material used. At normal speed, each machine is capable of producing 400 rivets per minute. Once the heat and surface treatments are finished, the parts are ready for shipment to customers. Last year, the family business achieved a turnover of 42 million euros.