Whenever access is limited, blind rivets offer assemblers a unique way to see their way past fastening challenges. This article explains the advantages and limitations of blind rivets, and it reviews the various options for fasteners and installation equipment.
Blind rivets are permanently installed fasteners that sometimes exceed the performance criteria for comparable solid rivets. Unlike solid rivets, blind rivets can be inserted and fully installed in a joint from only one side of a part or structure, "blind" to the opposite side. The back, or blind side, is mechanically expanded to form a bulb or upset head. Because blind rivets are installed from only one side of the component, they are cost-efficient and versatile.