Rivet machines serve as a modern alternative to manual riveting, making the process far easier, more consistent, and less expensive to perform. It’s no surprise that countless industries have long-since abandoned manual riveting in favor of riveting machines. But since there are now so many different types of rivet machines available, choosing the right equipment for your exact needs can be a bit of a challenge. In today’s post, we’ll discuss the different types of riveting machines and how to evaluate them based on your business’s specific requirements.
When choosing a riveting machine, you’ll first need to decide whether you want a manual feed or an automatic feed machine. As you might have guessed, manual feed riveting machines require some human guidance — typically via a hand lever or foot pedal, which are used in conjunction with a mechanism that delivers the initial setting force. Automatic feed machines do not require an operator, instead relying on a feed track and a hopper to perform the action in a self-regulating fashion. If you are familiar with pneumatic systems, you’ll recognize that automatic riveting machines often utilize similar technologies (like pneumatic cylinders) to operate.
Once you determine how much human interaction will be required to perform these functions, you can take a closer look at the groups and specific types of machines available. There are essentially two broad groups of riveting machines — orbital (also known as radial) and impact.
The main feature of an orbital riveting machine is its spinning forming tool that, when gradually lowered, forms the rivet into its desired shape. Orbital machines offer a bit more control over the final product and are ideal for projects that contain fragile components. Although cycle times are bit longer when you use this machine, the results are generally more long-lasting.
Impact riveting machines operate by driving the rivet in a downward motion via force so that the materials can be joined together. This downward motion pushes the materials together and forces the end of the rivet onto a forming tool (called the rollset). The rollset causes the rivet to flare outwards and therefore joins the two materials together. These machines work very quickly (much more so than orbital machines), making it appealing for businesses with large outputs that want to lower their costs. While impact riveting is typically a semi-automatic process, it can be integrated with automated advancements. They may contain pneumatic components or may operate without them, depending on the type of machine.
Riveting machines of all kinds are used in a variety of applications, ranging from leather goods and mobile phones to components for aircraft and trains. Ultimately, your choice of rivet machine will often come down to the amount of automation required, the desired speed, and the materials in question. What’s perfectly suited for fragile materials and small rivets will probably not be ideal for extremely strong metals that require extra force.
Post time: Jun-24-2022