The need to reduce vehicle weight has spawned myriad new technologies for assembling aluminum, high-strength steel and other materials. These new technologies include self-piercing rivets, flow-drilling screws and friction-stir spot welding.
While all these joining technologies are effective, they share a major disadvantage: They all require automotive OEMs to replace their existing resistance spot welding equipment. Now, engineers at Arconic Fastening Systems and Rings have developed a new sheet-metal joining technology—resistance spot riveting (RSR)—that combines traditional riveting with resistance spot welding. The new technology quickly and reliably joins a wide range of dissimilar materials, including steel, high-strength aluminum, high-strength steel, ultra-high-strength steel, magnesium and composites. And, better still, RSR works with existing spot welding equipment, enabling OEMs to weld or rivet joints without revamping their body lines.