Bay Supply Blog - Rivets, Fasteners, and Tools | Mike Eichinger (9)

No matter what type of assembly or manufacturing job you have, chances are you use rivets. Rivets continue to prove themselves to be among the most versatile fasteners with designs for a wide range of applications. Of course, rivets only deliver their promised performance if they are installed properly. That’s why understanding which rivet gun to use for the job is vitally important.

Not all fasteners are created equal. A different type of fastener is available for every type of application you can think of, and choosing the right fastener for the job ensures a lasting and trouble-free joint. The question is, which of the myriad fastener types is appropriate for each task?

Here are four of the most common applications that require fasteners and the best types of fasteners for each one.

Threaded inserts are one of the most versatile types of fasteners available, partly because they are available in so many different types and materials. When you need to create a lasting bond in a thin, soft, or brittle material, threaded inserts are your best option.

Fasteners are designed for all sorts of applications, from heavy-duty construction to mounting a circuit board, and there are almost as many fastener designs as there are applications. The toughest and most secure fasteners have to be used in rugged applications, such as engine mounts, rail cars, factory equipment, cars, or anywhere that constant shaking would loosen most nuts and bolts. Vibration-resistant fasteners are specifically designed to be especially resilient for these applications, but to prevent a joint from failing, you have to know how to choose the right vibration-resistant fastener.

Fasteners come in all shapes and sizes, and when you choose the right fastener for the task, you want something that is easy to install and that provides a reliable joint. That’s why rivet nuts are frequently the fastener of choice for use in the field and on the assembly line.

Cordless tools offer a new degree of freedom, whether you are working at your bench, in the production line, or on the job site. This is especially true of cordless rivet guns. Eliminating the pneumatic hoses makes it easier to use handheld riveters in tight locations, and the power and battery life for cordless rivet tools continues to improve, so they can be used for most riveting applications.

When you want speed and efficiency for fastening applications, there is nothing like a rivet. Rivets are versatile and permanent, which is why they are commonly used in aerospace, automotive, railroad manufacturing, heavy machinery, and even electronics. Rivets can be used to connect everything from steel and metals to fiberglass and plastics. But to get the most from any type of rivet, you need the right type of riveting tool, and some of the most popular and versatile tools available are the POP Avdel ProSet® XT riveting tool line from STANLEY Engineering Fastening.

In the past, we have written about rivet nut threaded inserts as an elegant way to add a threaded fastener to soft substrates. However, there is more than one way to repair a stripped tap hole or add a strong, lasting threaded insert to soft materials. Coil thread inserts provide a strong threaded wall that can be used in virtually any type of hole to accommodate a bolt or threaded fastener.

Blind rivets are high-performance fasteners that are long-lasting and can be set from one side of a joint. They are easy to install and form a tight, permanent bond that resists vibration and corrosion. That’s why blind rivets are widely used in a variety of industries, from agriculture to automotive to consumer electronics. However, as with any type of blind bolt or rivet, to get lasting performance you have to use the right materials and the right blind rivet size.

It’s a new decade, and as we enter 2020, there are new products and trends emerging in every industry, including fasteners. Although you may not think of industrial fasteners as an innovative business, there are some trends worth noting and some specialty fasteners of which you should be aware.