Quality Rivets for CNC Machines(types of lathe tools Baldwin)

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Rivets are an essential fastening component for many manufacturing and engineering applications. Choosing high quality rivets ensures strength, durability, and reliability in your final product. For CNC machining applications, the characteristics and manufacturing process of the rivets are especially important. This guide will examine what makes rivets high quality for CNC use and how they are produced.
What Makes a Quality Rivet?
Material - Aircraft grade aluminum is the most common material for CNC rivets. Aluminum offers high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance while remaining cost effective. Other materials like stainless steel, copper, and titanium may be used for specialized applications. The material must be compatible with the parts being joined.
Dimensional Accuracy - Quality rivets will consistently meet design specifications for head height, shank diameter, chamfer geometry, etc. Variations can affect the fit and assembly. CNC automated processes ensure rivets stay within tight tolerances.
Consistency - Trusted brands repeatedly produce uniform rivets from batch to batch. Mass production methods control variability that occurs in hand work or manual machining. Rivets of the same design and size should be interchangeable.
Head styles - Various rivet head shapes like round, countersunk, and flat are available. Quality rivets will cleanly form the head without irregularities. The head profile should match design drawings.
Mechanical properties - Key properties like shear and tensile strength determine how much load the rivet can handle before failure. Quality rivets meet minimum strength values required for the application.
Surface Finish - The rivet surface should be free of scale, burrs, pits, scratches and other defects which could cause problems during assembly or later corrosion.
Testing/Certification - Reputable manufacturers validate rivet quality by performing tests for tensile strength, shear strength, and salt spray corrosion resistance. Lot traceability and compliance certifications are provided.
How are Quality Rivets Manufactured?
Raw Material - The process starts with aluminum rod, bar or wire stock chosen to meet the required chemistry, mechanical properties and quality standards. Traceability is maintained via heat number and lot number.
CNC Machining - Computer numerical control (CNC) machining centers are programmed to automate rivet production with precision and consistency. Tooling may include forming dies, threading dies, chamfering tools, and head forming tools.
Heading - The rivet shank is headed into various shapes like round, countersunk, modified, etc. Heading machines use force and specially designed dies to flare the rivet tip into the properly configured head.
Finishing - Additional finishing steps may include heat treatment to enhance strength, vibratory finishing to improve surface finish, passivation for corrosion protection, and coating if required.
Inspection - At multiple stages, rivets are inspected to verify correct dimensions, head style, surface defects, and mechanical properties. Statistical process control tracks production quality.
Packaging - For protection during handling and shipment, rivets are packaged in boxes, bulk bags, or custom kits. Proper identification details material, size, quantity, lot number, etc.
By leveraging automated and repeatable CNC processes, manufacturers can produce rivets with the quality and consistency demanded by engineers, assemblers, and OEMs. Choosing a proven brand of CNC rivets provides assurance that your finished product will meet design expectations and perform reliably. Keeping quality top of mind when sourcing this small but vital component can avoid larger headaches down the road. CNC Milling CNC Machining