Self-pierce riveting is better than welding for many applications.
If you need fast, efficient assembly, low in-place costs, and fasteners that provide high performance, self-pierce riveting should be considered. Self-pierce riveting is also an excellent solution when welding the assembly is problematic or when aesthetics are important. The rivet head can be raised or flush, while the tail side will have a protrusion of 1 to 3 millimeters, depending on the rivet size.
Two conditions are required: access to both sides of the application, and a minimum surface area to fasten, depending on rivet size.
Joint design considerations for self-pierce riveting include: * Preferably, brittle material should not be used for the bottom sheet. * If possible, the bottom sheet should be ductile with an elongation factor above 12 percent. * Fastening through thin or soft materials and into a thick or hard material is preferred. However, as a rule of thumb, if the joint must be riveted through a thick material and into a thin material, this can be done if the bottom sheet is approximately one-third of the total stack thickness.
Today, self-pierce riveting is used by a range of manufacturers, from local metal fabricators using simple manual systems to international heavy equipment manufacturers with fully automated robotic cells. Yet, all of them realize the benefits of the process: Self-pierce riveting lowers in-place costs and provides a strong, resistant joint.