High Quality Rivets for CNC Machined Parts(bronze tensile strength Willie)

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Rivets are a crucial fastening component in many CNC machined parts and products. Choosing the right rivets is essential for ensuring strength, durability, and quality in the final product. This article will examine the properties and manufacturing of high quality rivets well-suited for CNC machining applications.
What are Rivets?
A rivet is a mechanical fastener that consists of two main parts - a smooth cylindrical shaft and a head. Rivets are inserted through holes in two or more materials and the shaft is mechanically deformed to create a bulge, securing the rivet in place. This creates a strong permanent joint. Rivets come in a wide variety of styles, sizes and materials for different applications.
Benefits of Rivets
Rivets offer unique benefits over other fastener types:
- Permanent - Once installed, rivets cannot come loose over time. This makes them ideal for CNC machined parts that require permanent and vibration-resistant fastening.
- Strength - Well-designed rivets can approach the shear strength of high-strength bolts. Rivet strength comes from the mechanical deformation during installation.
- Quick installation - Rivet setting is fast, requiring no nuts, bolts or secondary operations. Automated riveting systems can rapidly insert thousands of rivets.
- Weight savings - Rivets are lighter than many alternate fasteners, an advantage in aircraft and transportation applications.
- Appearance - The smooth exterior of rivets provides a clean, uniform appearance. The rivet head shape and surface finish can match the part's aesthetic requirements.
Key Properties of Quality Rivets
High performance rivets suitable for CNC machined components should possess these essential qualities:
- Shear and tensile strength - The rivet must withstand shearing and tension loads without failing. Strength varies based on rivet style, material and processing.
- Ductility - Ductile rivets can undergo substantial cold working during installation. More malleable metals like aluminum make excellent rivets.
- Dimensional consistency - Diameter, length, head shape and other dimensions should conform to tight tolerances. This ensures consistent fit and performance.
- Damage resistance - Rivets must resist damage during handling, feeding and insertion into parts. Driving stresses must not cause cracking or defects.
- Corrosion resistance - Rivets should be compatible with the application environment without excessive corrosion. Common rivet materials offer varied corrosion protection.
- High fatigue strength - Fatigue resistance prevents cracking under cyclic stresses over the part's service life. Processing refines the grain structure to prevent fatigue failure.
- Appearance - The rivet surface should be clean and uniform. Head shape, surface finish and color should achieve desired part aesthetics.
Common Rivet Materials
The rivet material is selected based on strength, corrosion resistance, fatigue life, temperature resistance and cost requirements:
- Aluminum - 6000 series aluminum is very common for aircraft and aerospace rivets due to its light weight and strength. Corrosion resistance is good.
- Steel - Low carbon and medium carbon steels offer high strength at low cost but will corrode. Stainless steels add corrosion resistance for harsh environments.
- Titanium - With excellent strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance, titanium is popular for high-performance applications despite its higher cost.
- Copper - Due to its ductility and fatigue strength, copper is an excellent choice for rivets in plastics and other soft materials.
- Monel - This nickel-copper alloy combines strength, corrosion protection and high temperature capability for demanding applications.
- Composite - Advanced plastic/ceramic composite materials provide specialty properties such as electrical insulation or non-magnetic behavior.
Manufacturing Quality Rivets
Carefully controlled manufacturing and heat treatment processes are vital for achieving rivets with consistent high quality:
- Heading - The rivet head is formed by upsetting the end of the shaft. Heading applies pressure to flare out and work-harden the rivet head.
- Shaping - Shape, height, diameter and other head features are stamped or forged to specification. Automated heading machines precisely control head characteristics.
- Heat treatment - Heat treating after heading enhances strength, ductility and fatigue resistance through microstructural changes to the alloy crystal structure.
- Surface finishing - Processes like blasting, polishing, coating and plating provide the required surface finish characteristics and corrosion protection.
- Quality control - Extensive testing and inspection verifies rivet dimensions, head configurations, shear strength, fatigue performance and metallurgical structure to ensure strict adherence to industry and customer standards.
By employing advanced machines, tools and processes, manufacturers can produce rivets with the material properties and dimensional precision needed for quality-critical CNC machined components and assemblies. Carefully sourcing rivets from a reliable, experienced supplier will ensure that your finished products have the integrity to perform and endure in the field. With proper rivet selection and application, you can optimize fastening performance in your CNC machined parts. CNC Milling CNC Machining