Speed Rivets: What They Are And When To Use Them

When thinking of fastening, most people automatically picture products such as titanium hex head cap screws and Nitronic 60 lock nuts. However, one method of fastening that you might not be familiar with is the use of rivets. Though they are thought of as being old fashioned, rivets are still a very important part of most industries in this day and age. This means that when you are interested in fastening, you should not discount them simply because they seem old fashioned.

One of the rivet subtypes that you should particularly pay attention to are the speed rivets. As the name might suggest, speed rivets are those that are designed for very rapid installation. They are very effective when you need quick fastening of materials of varying thicknesses. These include electronics, appliances, metal cabinets and even some vehicle components. Part of the reason why they are so rapid is the fact that you will need to use semi-automated methods in order to put the rivets in place.

 
How using speed rivets work
In order to fasten a joint using speed rivets, you will first need to have them preloaded on a device known as a mandrel. This is a sort of nail gun, but which has been modified to use rivets instead. Most mandrels can fix the rivets at a rate of up to 70 per minute. The entire riveting process is normally automated, including the clamping and pulling the rivet through the mandrel.
When doing speed riveting, a variety of rivets can be used depending on the characteristics you want them to have. The most important thing to remember is that you have to pick a rivet based on how you want to use it. For instance, if you are going to assemble marine equipment, the rivets definitely need to be made out of a material that can resist corrosion.
The benefits of using speed rivets
Why should you use speed rivets? There are several benefits associated with them including:

• No need for reloading: Since the gun is preloaded with a large number of rivets, you don’t need to load it every time you need to use it. This reduces the amount of time it takes to complete a particular project, particularly if it involves having to put in place a large number of rivets.
• It’s possible to get custom made equipment: The gun used in speed riveting is often very adaptable. You can have one modified to work under various conditions without having to spend a lot on it. This can also help in terms of maintaining quality and efficiency.
• Rivets are not difficult to come by: As long as you can identify a high quality fastener company, chances are that they will stock all sorts of rivets for different purposes. You can even order them custom made without incurring a huge cost.

In summary, if you are at a point where you have to decide on which fasteners to use for a specific application, always keep speed rivets at the back of your mind. They can reduce most of the complexity associated with many assembly processes.