Rivets are specific, headed, usually non-threaded fasteners that are beaten or pressed into place to secure two or more items together.  Rivets are cylindrical mechanical fasteners capped with a flanged or forged head on one end. Rivets have different shaped heads, including domed, flat, or countersunk.

To secure two or more pieces of material together, a rivet is placed into a hole cut just a bit larger in diameter than the rivet itself. During blind riveting or pop riveting, the force transferred from the hammer actually deforms the other end of a hollow rivet, creating a field head which secures the material together.

By hand, this is usually done by hammering the rivet into the material with a striking plate underneath.

Machine riveting can be done by heating the rivet until it is red hot and then forging the field head onto it or by using compression from a pneumatic or hydraulic hammer, or a smaller, hand-held rivet tool called a rivet gun.

Configurations

A tubular rivet has a cylindrical or tapered hole at the end, which is shaped or curled back by another tool during the setting process to form a clinch head against the material.

A rivet nut or nutsert, is a threaded rivet which is used to provide secure, permanent hold in high-load applications.

Materials

Rivets can be made of many different materials including:

• Steel
• Copper
• Plastic
• Other metal alloys

Material choice depends on:

• Material being secured together
• Possible weight restrictions
• Potential for corrosion

When the weight of the materials or the possibility of corrosion is an issue, a manufacturer may use a copper, aluminum, or plastic rivet.

Plastic button rivets may be removed and used again, and are useful in applications where materials need to be non-conductive.

Standards

BS 2SP 68 TO 2SP 71 - Specification for 100 degree countersunk precision head aluminium alloy rivets

A-A-52123 - Bars, bucking, rivet

AD 47-21-13 - Elevator push-pull tube rivets\sky enterprises inc\RC-3

ASME B18.1.1 - Small solid rivets 7/16 inch nominal diameter and smaller

Image credits:

Heilind Electronics, Inc. | Pivot Point, Inc.