Rivets are a common fastener widely used to secure 2 or more materials together and although they're most commonly used for metals, other materials such as wood, fabric and clay can be riveted.
They were first recorded in ancient Egypt when they were used to fix handles to clay, and since their invention there have been a string of ongoing developments which have cemented rivets as one of the most reliable fasteners.
Here are a number of reasons why rivets are so trusted throughout a wide range of industries:
- High strength
A key advantage of rivets are their strength, which is because objects are joined on both the interior and exterior - yet other joining methods such as welding can only fix the exterior. As a result of their strength, riveted joints are particularly useful in applications that are subject to excessive vibrations or impact.
The materials used to make rivets such as steel also lend a hand in increasing their durability, helping to protect them from corrosion, moisture and other environmental factors.
- Cost-effective
Your business can save money by implementing rivets into your processes because of the following reasons:
- Electricity – Welding is a popular alternative to riveting however this requires a substantially higher amount of electricity.
- Transportation – Due to the size of rivets they’re logistically easier to transport in large amounts, which saves on money when ordering a bulk amount.
Rivets are also generally low in cost per unit which makes them a favourable substitute for certain screws and bolts.
- Easy installation
When riveting a joint less equipment is used in comparison to other methods, and some rivets don’t even require a hole to fix. Self piercing rivets are a relatively new development which offer a single-step process that creates a strong joint without the need for a hole. These rivets are ideal for projects in which dissimilar metals need to be joined.
For applications where only one side of the material is accessible, blind rivets are particularly handy as they can be installed from one side. Due to the variation of rivets available, they're ideal for commercial projects from construction to manufacturing to join metal parts and sheets for a strong and robust finish.
- Simple maintenance
To save time and money on maintenance, it’s easy to inspect a riveted joint for any deterioration with a visual check and no expensive equipment is required. When alternatives are considered, welded joints require a significantly higher amount of inspection and not to mention, are quite difficult to replace.
That said, due to the long-lasting qualities of rivets they are able to maintain their structure and when installed correctly will very rarely need to be replaced.
Supplying high-quality rivets since 1939
With the mentioned benefits of rivets, they’re definitely a credible choice for various applications where a durable joint is required. At Clevedon Fasteners, we supply a variety of rivets to commercial and automotive markets worldwide.
Our stock of rivets includes: