Apparatus and Method for Determining a Characteristic of an Installed Weld Fastener

A tool for determining an approximate centerline of an installed weld fastener, said tool being usable in conjunction with a dimensional measurement device, the tool comprising:

• a first tool portion having a first cylindrical portion and an externally-threaded shaft formed integrally with said first cylindrical portion, said externally-threaded shaft and said first cylindrical portion having in common a first centerline, wherein said externally-threaded shaft is engageable with mating internal threads of the installed weld fastener when the installed weld fastener is configured as a weld nut;
• a second tool portion having a second centerline, said second tool portion including a second cylindrical portion with an internally-threaded center channel that is engageable with external threads of the installed weld fastener when the installed weld fastener is configured as a weld stud;
• and
• a controller in communication with the dimensional measurement device, said controller being adapted to determine the approximate centerline of the installed weld fastener using a set of raw dimensional data provided from the dimensional measurement device;
• wherein the dimensional measurement device is operable for collecting said set of raw dimensional data by measuring at least one of a diameter and a centerline of one of said first and second cylindrical portions.

A method of determining a characteristic of an installed weld fastener using a dimensional measurement device, the method comprising:

• connecting a threaded portion of a tool to the installed weld fastener, said tool having a cylindrical portion formed integrally with said threaded portion;
• measuring a pair of diameters of said cylindrical portion using the dimensional measurement device to thereby determine a set of raw dimensional data;
• calculating the characteristic of the installed weld fastener using said set of raw dimensional data;
• and
• executing a control action when the characteristic of the installed weld fastener is outside of a calibrated range.