Rivets – Most common Types of Fasteners Available:
They are arguably one of the most common types of fasteners available today along with nuts, bolts, and other such similar household and industrial items. Fasteners are what enable machines, equipment, and other products to be put together. As it is essentially just another permanent mechanical fastener, it is also one of the most commonly used. It can be found in handfuls in household equipment and by the hundreds of thousands on plane, such as.
How Rivet is Different from Other Fastener Types?
What differentiates a rivet from other types of fasteners? They consist of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end, with the end opposite the head usually called the buck-tail. The basics of a rivet is that when it is installed in a drilled hole, the tail is bucked or deformed, meaning it expands about 1.5 times the original shaft diameter and securing the that place. This end that has been deformed is referred to as the shop head, while the original head is referred to as the factory head. These are especially effective fasteners when it comes to supporting shear loads, although it can also support tension loads. However, bolts and screws are more applicable to any application with tension loads, as each fastener is designed to be effective in certain applications.
Commonly Available Types:
With this being said, it is understandable that even among the family of rivets, there is quite different types, each designed to meet different cost, accessibility, and strength requirements.
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Solid/round head rivets
- One of the oldest and most reliable fasteners
- Used in applications that stress reliability and safety
- Consist of a shaft and head that are deformed by a hammer/rivet gun
- Most commonly used in assembling modern aircraft
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Semi-tubular rivets
- Similar to solid rivets except for a partial hole at the tip
- Purpose of the hole is cut amount of force needed for application
- Requires less force to apply a semi-tubular rivet than a solid rivet
- Fastest way to rivet in mass production
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Blind rivets
- Tubular rivets that are supplied with a mandrel in the center
- Specially designed tool must be used to draw the mandel into the rivet
- Can be installed in a joint from only one side of a part
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Oscar rivets
- Similar to blind rivets with the exception of three splits along the hollow shaft
- Splits cause shaft to flare out, providing wide surface that reduces the chance of rivet pull-out
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Drive rivets
- Type of blind rivet that has a short mandrel protruding from the head
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Flush rivets
- Utilizes a countersink hole so it can effectively be used on external metal surfaces that must good appearance
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Friction-lock rivets
- Resembles an expanding bolt
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Self-pierce rivets
- Rivets that do not need a drilled or punched hole
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Bifurcated (split) rivets
Bifurcated rivets, also known as split rivets, are rivets with a bifurcated shank, which simply means they divide into two parts. Their main difference from other rivets is their divided end, which splits apart once it is inserted into material, thereby creating a secure connection. The two options when purchasing split rivets, countersunk heads or oval heads, creates a smooth surface or leaves a domed surface on the material, respectively.