Blind Rivets

A rivet consists of a head at one end and a cylindrical body at the other end, called its shaft. The tapered end of the shaft is called the rivet’s tail. The tail looks like a metal pin. Rivets are used to join large structural pieces and small electronic assemblies. The shafts are hollow with another internal piece called a mandrel. The mandrel allows the riveter to deform the tail of the rivet without striking it directly. First, a hole is drilled or punched in the materials to be connected. The rivet is inserted between both holes. The tail is then upset or bucked (deformed) by mechanical force using a hammer or rivet gun. The tail then expands to around 1.5 times the original diameter of the shaft, holding the rivet in place between both materials. The deformation smashes the tail, making it flatter, resulting in a dumbbell-shaped rivet. The original head of the rivet is called the ‘factory head,’ and the deformed end is called the ‘buck-tail.' A rivet can support tension on each end of the structure. The permanently formed heads at both ends prevent the rivet from detaching from the drilled hole. The rivet shaft prevents any radial movements. Rivets are designed for permanent joints similar to welding or structural adhesives. But, contrary to welded connections, rivets resist vibrations and secure joints better.