High Quality Rivets Are Key For CNC Machining Success(cnc workholding fixtures Gregary)
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What Are Rivets and Why Are They Important?
A rivet is a mechanical fastener that consists of two main parts - a smooth cylindrical shaft and a head. Rivets are inserted through holes in two or more sheets of material and the tail end is then upset, or bucked, to form a second head. This process cinches the rivet tightly and clamps the sheets together.
Rivets have been used since ancient times to assemble materials, but today they play an especially crucial role in CNC machining operations. CNC machines utilize rivets to join metal sheets and frames together to produce parts and products. Aircraft, bridges, turbines, and countless other critical structures depend on rivets to provide sturdy, reliable connections between components.
When riveting is done properly with high quality rivets, it creates durable, long-lasting bonds needed for these vital CNC machined products. However, low quality rivets that are brittle, incorrectly sized, or poorly shaped can jeopardize the integrity of CNC fabricated assemblies.
Choosing the Optimal Rivets for Your CNC Application
With rivet quality being so important for CNC work, you’ll want to take care in selecting the best rivets for your specific application. Here are key factors to consider:
Material: Aircraft-grade aluminum is a common choice, but stainless steel, copper, and monel are also used for strength and corrosion-resistance. Ensure the material offers the required properties for your purposes.
Size: The rivet shaft diameter and length must suit the thickness of the materials being joined and holes being spanned. Using undersized rivets can mean inadequate clamping power. Oversized rivets may split the surrounding material.
Head shape: Common shapes like round, brazier, and countersunk must align with the rivet setting tools you’ll use and the clearances needed in the CNC machined assembly.
Strength specifications: Confirm the rivet meets minimum shear and tensile strength values for the application. This data should be provided by the manufacturer.
Certifications: For critical aerospace, defence, and automotive applications, rivets may require certification to standards like AS, NAS, or MS.
Reputable sources: Purchase rivets from established manufacturers with quality control and inspection procedures to ensure rivets consistently meet specifications.
Following CNC Best Practices for Riveting
The highest quality rivets will underperform if not installed correctly on a CNC machine. Follow these best practices for optimized riveting:
Use the recommended drill size for the rivets’ shaft diameter to avoid sloppy or overly tight fits. Keep drill bits sharp.
Deburr holes thoroughly to prevent damaging rivet heads when inserted.
Ensure inserted rivets sit flush against the joined material before bucking.
Use the proper rivet gun with aligned bucking bars for your rivet type and size. Apply just the right pressure.
Conduct trial runs first on scrap materials to calibrate hole sizes, alignments, gun settings, and other variables.
Inspect set rivets to check for proper bucking and odd cracks, gaps, or distortions, then rework any problem areas.
Maintenance like cleaning and lubricating guns and replacing worn parts will improve results and extend equipment life.
Set a test frequency for checking set rivets’ grip and shear strength at random.
Documenting and sharing techniques, specifications, and parameters that produce great rivet bonds.
High Quality Rivets Enable High Quality CNC Results
In CNC machining, every component matters - and that includes the humble rivet. With riveting being so central to bonding manufactured parts, using top-tier rivets matched to your specific applications will help your CNC projects meet precision specifications. Partnering with reputable suppliers, following best practices, and conducting ongoing inspection and testing is key to achieving strong, reliable riveted bonds in your CNC work. Investing in those quality rivets on the front end will pay off with higher performing end products. CNC Milling