What is a rivet and what is it used for?

A rivet is a fastener used to permanently join two or more parts, which may be made of different materials.

It consists of a cylindrical body with a generally rounded head and a stem with a protrusion at one end.

In this article we will help you to discover the parts that make up a rivet, how they work and the wide range of rivets available at Damesa.

Rivet parts

The rivet usually consists of 2 parts:

• The body of the rivet: This is a cylinder that has a retaining head and corresponds to the part that is inserted between the parts to be joined.
• The mandrel: This is the shank that is housed inside the rivet body. It is the part that is inserted into the riveting machine and is excluded from the joint.

Operation of rivets

The whole range of rivets works in the same way as described below:

1. The fastening is carried out when, after lodging the rivet body inside the holes of the elements to be fastened, the shank is inserted into the riveting machine designed for this purpose.
2. The riveting machine mechanism is then hammered against the shank until the fastener is fully engaged once the shank has broken.

The rivets have the advantage that they do not loosen due to dynamic disturbances or temperature variations.

It is a type of fastening that can be used in almost all industrial sectors because it is very easy, quick and economical to install.

Cofil rivets from Damesa

At Damesa we have a wide range of Cofil rivet models which are manufactured with high quality materials, guaranteeing their adaptation to the standards and needs of the main industrial sectors.

They can withstand excellent tensile and shear strength and are built according to the size used in terms of the diameter of application.

1. Various materials
   • Steel
   • Aluminium
   • Stainless steel
2. Various colours
   • White
   • Black
   • Blue
3. Wide range of diameters
4. Wide range of thicknesses

Those in charge of choosing the different materials and combinations (who could be, for example, designers or manufacturers) will be able to more than meet your needs.

To be taken into account:

• In order to make a correct choice of the size of rivet to be used, it is necessary to know beforehand the exact dimension of the application hole and the thickness of the rivet to be riveted.
• It is advisable to select the rivet model that best suits the characteristics of the parts to be joined.

Main models of Cofil rivets

In order for you to find the rivet that best suits the pieces you want to join, we will go into detail below about the most outstanding or used models according to the purpose or materials to be joined:

Standard rivet: The most commonly used rivet model is the standardised combination with an aluminium body and a steel shank.

Steel rivet: For the fastening of steel elements or applications requiring high mechanical strength, we recommend the use of a steel rivet. In cases where high corrosion resistance is required, we specifically recommend the use of a stainless steel rivet.

Rivet with countersunk head: If you are looking for a completely flat surface once the riveting is finished, we have a type of rivet with a 120º countersunk head.

Watertight rivet: For assemblies where it is necessary to avoid leaks of liquids or vapours, we recommend the use of a watertight rivet. We would like to stress that it is essential to be very precise when installing this type of rivet and to respect the dimensions of the mounting hole as far as possible to avoid leaks.

Multigrip rivet: The multigrip rivet model is mainly used to join materials with very different characteristics or where we have to make assemblies with different thicknesses, as well as with different drilling diameters. The main characteristic of this rivet is that it has an adaptable expansion, allowing only one size to be used where, with other types of standard rivets, two or three sizes would be necessary. The multigrip rivet also has a semi-locking function.

Flower Rivet: The Flower Rivet is the ideal choice if you intend to rivet rigid elements to soft ones, as it provides a larger and less aggressive bearing surface by opening the body into four petals and thus executing the fastening.

Trefoil Rivet: The Trefoil Rivet, on the other hand, is intended and designed for the fastening of rigid to soft and soft to soft materials. At the moment of installation, three claws are formed which allow the load to be distributed over a large surface area without deforming or damaging the materials.

All rivets guarantee the correct compliance with RoHS and REACH regulations.