When E-Drill separates the head of a fastener, the remaining stem doesn’t immediately fall out. Instead, it stays captured in the underlying structure until the panel, skin, or assembly that the fastener was securing is taken off. This is by design and mirrors the process technicians are already familiar with when using conventional drilling methods.
In practice, the stem will either come free when the structural components are separated or be accessed and removed through an available panel or access hole. The benefit of E-Drill is that the removal is done cleanly and without damaging the surrounding material, minimizing rework and eliminating the risk of oversizing fastener holes. This approach ensures that fastener stems are controlled and contained, reducing the chance of loose debris or FOD in sensitive environments.
For more on E-Drill’s fastener removal process, visit the E-Drill page →.