Rivets:
A Rivet is a type of fastener consisting of a headed pin or shank of metal used for fastening two or more pieces of material by passing the shank through a hole in each piece and then upsetting or pressing down the plain end so as to make a secondary head. There are multiple types of rivets, the main one being; Blind Rivets, Drive Rivets, Semi-Tubular Rivets and Solid Rivets. Each one has specific mechanical properties that lend themselves to specific applications.
Common Types of Rivets
- Blind or Pull-Stem Rivets are rivets consisting of a hollow body with a preformed head at one end and a “pull-stem” mandrel inserted inside. The rivet is inserted and upset from one side of the work with a manual or powered rivet gun, without the necessity of accessing the back or secondary side; thus the name “Blind Rivet”. The tool pulls the mandrel into the rivet body (while holding the rivet head tightly against the workpiece) causing it to expand and form a head on the back or secondary side while pulling the workpieces together. The mandrel then breaks away at a predetermined force, thus completing the fastening. They are available in assorted materials, sizes, head styles and strengths.
- Threaded Rivets are also known as blind rivet nuts or threaded inserts. Manufacturers can anchor this variant of standard blind rivets from one side of the installed part. There are standard and heavy-duty threaded rivets. Standard options satisfy almost every blind application for permanent installation. However, heavy-duty rivets feature heavy-duty sidewalls and heads. Thus, they are helpful for high-performance and more demanding applications.
- Drive Rivets are types of blind rivets having short incapsulated mandrels protruding from their heads. Once you insert a drive-pin rivet into a hole, its mandrel can work using a hammer or other devise to strike the head of the mandrel. This flares out the rivet’s secondary end that expands inside the hole. Drive-pin rivets are more popular for architectural and other aesthetically-intended applications because they do not require the drilling of holes. However, you must note that they have lesser clamping force than many other types of rivets.
- Semi-Tubular Rivets are semi-hollow rivets (also known as tubular rivets) and are similar to solid rivets, but they have a partial hole on the back or secondary side. The purpose of this hole is to reduce the amount of force needed to upset (form the secondary head) the rivet.
- Solid Rivets have a completely solid shank, as the name implies, consisting simply of a shaft with a head that are deformed with a hammer or rivet a rivet compression or crimping tool. They are available in many material and sizes and are generally considered the strongest of all rivets.
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