Uses for Rivets in CNC Machining(champher Cherry)
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Aircraft and Aerospace Applications
The aircraft and aerospace industries rely heavily on rivets to assemble airplane fuselages, wings, and other components. Rivets are often used in conjunction with specialized fasteners and composite materials. CNC machines drill precision rivet holes and dimples into aluminum sheets that are later fastened together with rivets. This creates an incredibly strong, lightweight structure able to withstand immense pressure and vibration forces during flight. Rivets allow for flexibility in design while providing leakproof joints on fuel tanks, hydraulic lines, and pressurized cabins.
Machined Parts Assembly
CNC machining produces high precision parts like gears, pulleys, and fixtures that need subsequent assembly. Rivets offer a quick and accessible fastening method for assembling machined components. CNC routers can incorporate rivet holes into part designs to accommodate riveted connections. Rivets are especially useful for assembling multi-layered sheet metal fabrications produced by CNC punch presses or laser/plasma cutters. The riveting process applies uniform clamping pressure to compress and secure layers together.
Sheet Metal Enclosures & Boxes
Electrical enclosures, junction boxes, and tool boxes commonly get constructed from sheet metal. CNC laser cutting shapes the panels while CNC press brakes bend them into form. Rivets then fasten the sides together to complete the box or enclosure shape. The combination of CNC fabrication and rivet assembly creates durable, custom sheet metal containers efficiently. Rivets allow designers to accommodate specialized dimensions, holes, and angles. Rivets also withstand weather, impacts, and corrosion much better than welds on thin sheet metal.
Securing Metal Plates & Guards
CNC machining frequently needs to attach protective guards or plates onto equipment using durable fasteners. Rivets suit these applications well because they can securely fasten layers of metal while coping with vibration. CNC drilling and tapping can incorporate rivet holes into plate designs and underlying equipment. Operators then rivet the plates into place quickly without welding or grinding. Riveted plates and machine guards flex rather than crack over time and allow for easy replacement compared to welded attachments.
Temporary Fixturing
Workholding fixtures for CNC machining often get custom fabricated from metal shapes and plates. Rivets offer a simple way to temporarily fasten fixture components together before welding. CNC routers can drill precision rivet holes into fixture designs that align with assembly. Operators rivet the fixture pieces together in the correct orientation and then permanently weld the structure afterward. The temporary rivets provide accuracy and flexibility when assembling custom machining fixtures.
Repairing Machined Parts
Rivets supply an easy repair method for damaged machined parts. Broken components like gears, brackets, or pulleys often have small cracked areas. Drilling out the cracks and installing rivets can repair these localized defects rather than scrapping the entire part. Rivets fill cracks and holes in parts while restoring structural integrity. The drilling and riveting can even get performed directly on CNC machines for precision repair work.
Joining Dissimilar Metals
CNC machined parts frequently get assembled using multiple metal alloys like stainless steel, aluminum, and brass. Direct welding between dissimilar metals can cause distortion or cracks. Rivets allow securely joining different metals because they don’t fuse materials. The CNC process can incorporate holes suited for rivet diameters on each unique alloy. Riveting then mechanically fastens the metals together without adverse welding effects.
Scaled Prototyping
CNC machining facilitates rapid prototyping of designs directly from CAD models. This often involves creating scaled models using various light metals. Rivets enable designers to trial assembly techniques on prototypes before final production. CNC routers refine rivet hole locations on prototypes while lathing machines produce tiny rivets for scale models. Riveted prototypes validate fit, form, and function before mass production tools get finalized.
In summary, rivets provide immense value in CNC machining applications where strength, precision, and flexibility are vital. CNC automation enables mass producing riveted components and incorporating rivets into designs quickly. This makes rivets an essential fastening solution for aircraft, machinery, sheet metal work, repairs, and prototypes. As CNC capabilities expand, so will the uses for versatile rivet fasteners. CNC Milling CNC Machining