Riveting system solves material change problem
By Staff -- Purchasing, 11/19/1998 2:00:00 AM
Sometimes a design change forces other changes to be made. That's exactly what happened when Insect-O-Cutor, a manufacturer of electrical systems that kill flying bugs, wanted to provide increased corrosion and water resistance for its products, a switch was made from cold-rolled to aluminized steel. However, the existing spot-welding method used in production could not be used with aluminized steel.
After checking out several options, Insect-O-Cutor decided on a "POP" blind riveting system from Emhart Fastening Teknologies. "When we changed materials, we realized a new assembly system was needed," says Jack Giordano, plant manager for Insect-O-Cutor. About 50 blind rivets per unit replaced the spot welds previously used to join sections of the product's frame. Workers set the rivets by pulling the mandrel to the predetermined break point, which creates radial expansion that produces a tight, weather-resistant seal. Clamping force from both sides of the work pulls the pieces together.
Using the POP rivets resulted in a couple of benefits:
* Unlike welding, the strength of the connection made with the rivets does not depend on operator skill. Correct setting pressure is predetermined by the breaking point designed into the rivet's mandrel.
* Eliminating labor-intensive welding also eliminates several additional processes, including grinding, washing, and painting the welds.
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