Are Rivets Permanent?
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Top Rivet and Rivet Nut Manufacturer in China
Table of Contents
Are rivets permanent? Yes.Typically, rivets are considered permanent fasteners. However, in some special scenarios, rivets can loosen or even fail to connect! Let’s explore why!
Table of Contents
What is A Rivet?
A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener used to hold two or more pieces of material, usually metal, together. Rivets are used to securely join materials by punching holes in the material and inserting rivets, which are then deformed using a specific tool to create a fastening head that cannot be pulled out of the holes.
There are many types of rivets, but they are mainly categorized as follows:
- Solid Rivet
- Hollow Rivet
- Semi-Tubular Rivet
- Blind Rivet or POP Rivet
Types of Rivets
Solid Rivets
Solid Rivet is widely used in applications where a strong and durable connection is required. Solid Rivets are made from a solid metal rod with a pre-formed head at one end and a second head formed by deformation during installation to make a permanent connection.
The greatest advantage of solid rivets is their high strength, durability and reliability. They can maintain stable performance in a variety of harsh environments. However, solid rivets also have the disadvantage that its installation process is more complicated and requires specific riveting tools.
Hollow Rivets
Compared to solid rivets, hollow rivets have a hollow center in the rivet body. Hollow rivets are lightweight and easy to deform, making them suitable for lighter loads and applications where an aesthetic appearance is desired.
Hollow rivets require less force to deform, so the installation process is simpler and suitable for high volume installations. However, it has lower strength for lighter load applications and is not suitable for use in high stress or harsh environments.
Semi-Tubular Rivet
Unlike solid and hollow rivets, Semi-Tubular Rivet’s rivet body has a hollow tail section. This design allows the Semi-Tubular Rivet to require less deformation force during installation, thereby simplifying the installation process while providing sufficient strength to meet many application requirements.
Semi-hollow rivets cost less than solid rivets, but they have limited strength, and although much higher than hollow rivets, they are only suitable for brittle or soft materials.
Blind Rivet or Pop Rivet
Blind Rivet is a specially designed rivet for making strong connections in applications where the backside cannot be accessed.Pop rivets are in between solid and hollow rivets in terms of strength, which can withstand more powerful strengths! They are commonly used for permanent fastening of metals, plastics and other materials.
The best thing about Pop rivets is that they are very easy and fast to install. Blind rivets can be used in a variety of joining scenarios where the backside is not accessible. Whether lightweight materials or heavy machinery, pop rivet can be used. blind rivet is now an indispensable fastening solution in industry and machine building.
Are Rivets Permanent or Semi Permanent?
Why are rivets now preferred for joining in many industrial sectors? Because rivets are designed to provide long-term, stable and high-strength mechanical connections. Typically, rivets are considered a permanent connection.
Why Are Rivets Considered a Permanent Connection?
So why are rivets considered a permanent connection? It is mainly because of the following reasons.
- Non-Removability: Once a rivet is in place, removing the rivet usually requires destructive methods such as drilling or cutting out the rivet. This process destroys the rivet itself, making it impossible to reuse.
- High Strength Connection: Rivets provide a very strong connection that is capable of withstanding high shear and pull-out forces, ensuring the stability of the connected components over the long term.
- Long-lasting durability: riveted connections are designed for long-term applications and are able to maintain their mechanical properties in harsh environments, resisting corrosion and fatigue.
Rivets As Semi-Permanent Connections
Although rivets are usually considered to be permanent connections, in some special cases they can be considered semi-permanent by special methods. These methods usually involve the destructive removal of the rivet:
- Drilling Out The Rivet: A drill bit is used to drill off the head of the rivet and then remove the body from the connecting material. This method is often used for repair and replacement of parts, but can damage the rivet.
- Cutting The Rivet: A cutting tool is used to cut the head or body of the rivet and then remove the rivet. This method can also damage the rivet.
Is a Pop Rivet Permanent?
Yes. Pop rivet provides a permanent connection. pop rivet, once installed, provides a long term, stable and reliable mechanical connection. pop rivet was originally designed to be used in applications where it could not be easily removed.
Once a Pop rivet has been properly installed, the only way to remove it is by destructive methods such as drilling or cutting. This destroys the pop rivet itself and renders it unusable.
Pop rivet provides high shear and pulling forces and can be used for a long time on your project! It maintains its mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and fatigue resistance in a variety of environmental conditions.
Do Rivets Loosen Over Time?
The rivet acts as a permanent connection and does not usually loosen over time under normal conditions of use. This is because rivets provide a strong and stable connection through a mechanical locking structure formed by plastic deformation.
However, like all fasteners, the performance of rivets can be affected by the environment and conditions of use. The following are some of the factors that may affect the stability of a rivet connection:
Vibration and Shock
In actual pop rivet use, there may be applications of constant vibration and shock. This has the potential to cause the rivet connection to loosen, especially in high stress applications.Not so
So what should be done to avoid this? You can use rivets that are designed to resist vibration, such as structural blind rivets. Or you can increase the number of fasteners.
Environmental Corrosion
If your project is in a corrosive environment, then it is also possible to cause the rivets to loosen their connection. Corrosion can weaken both the rivet and the material being joined, resulting in a loose or failed connection.
This is when you need to use corrosion-resistant materials (such as stainless steel or galvanized rivets) and also perform regular maintenance checks.
Thermal Cycling
Repeated changes in temperature can cause materials to expand and contract, which may also cause the rivet connection to loosen.
You simply need to select rivet materials that are compatible with ambient temperature changes and ensure proper preload during installation.
Improper Installation
Incorrect installation methods (such as applying insufficient deformation force or excessive deformation) can result in a weak connection.
Install rivets using the correct tools and methods to ensure adequate and uniform deformation of each rivet.
How Durable Are Rivets?
The durability and performance of Pop rivet can change due to a number of factors. This includes materials, environmental conditions and application scenarios.
The durability of Pop rivet includes the following:
- Strength and corrosion resistance of the material
- Draw length and shear strength
- Environmental durability
Strength and Corrosion Resistance of the Material
- Aluminum rivets: light weight, good corrosion resistance, but lower strength. Suitable for light load and non-structural connections.
- Steel rivets: high strength, suitable for heavy loads and structural connections, but prone to rust, need to rust treatment.
- Stainless steel rivets: high strength and excellent corrosion resistance, suitable for high strength and corrosive environments such as marine and chemical applications.
- Copper rivets: good corrosion resistance and conductivity, suitable for electrical connections and decorative applications.
Draw Length and Shear Strength
The performance of rivets of different materials and sizes in terms of pull-out strength and shear strength is as follows:
| Rivet Material | Rivet Diameter | Tensile Strength（N） | Shear Strength（N） |
| Aluminum | 3.2 mm | 600 | 900 |
| Steel | 3.2 mm | 1500 | 2500 |
| Stainless Steel | 3.2 mm | 1800 | 3000 |
| Copper | 3.2 mm | 1000 | 1500 |
Environmental Durability
- Aluminum rivets: can last up to 20 years or more in moderately corrosive environments (e.g., indoor and urban environments).
- Steel rivets: may corrode rapidly in wet environments without rust protection, but can last 10-20 years in moderately corrosive environments after galvanization.
- Stainless steel rivets: can last more than 30 years in marine and chemical environments, showing extremely high corrosion resistance.
- Copper rivets: have a service life of up to 50 years in normal environments, but may require regular maintenance in certain corrosive environments.
Conclusion
By reading this article, you will know. A rivet is considered a permanent connection under normal usage. However, if human damage and removal is carried out, then the stability of the rivet can be compromised.
Of course, the environment in which the rivet is used is also an important influencing factor. In high temperature, high salinity chemical exposure environment will affect the durability of rivets, need to use corrosion-resistant materials to extend the service life of rivets. Continuous high loads and dynamic stress of the use of the situation, should use high strength structural blind rivets to solve this problem.
Order High Quality Blind Rivet from Rivmate
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