When installing rivets, what is critical to ensure their strength?

Maintaining proper alignment and spacing during rivet installation is crucial for ensuring their strength and structural integrity. When rivets are aligned accurately and spaced appropriately, the load distribution across the riveted joint is optimized. This uniformity prevents stress concentrations that can occur if rivets are misaligned or spaced too closely together or too far apart.

Proper alignment ensures that the rivet is seated correctly, allowing the mandrel or shank of the rivet to fill the hole completely and create a solid bond with the surrounding material. Adequate spacing between rivets helps prevent weakening of the base material and reduces the risk of overlapping failure or fatigue in the joints over time.

Other factors that might seem relevant, such as rivet size or bonding time, don't directly address the importance of alignment and spacing in creating a reliable joint. Thus, the focus on alignment and spacing is key to achieving strong and durable riveted connections in aircraft structures.