A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener comprising a smooth cylindrical shank with a pre-formed head. When the tail is deformed after insertion through aligned holes, a second head is formed, securely clamping the components together without threads or nuts. Their simple design & high durability makes it a perfect fastener for creating permanent joints between materials, when other fasteners such as screws or bolts just won’t do.
Rivets are often visible on ship hulls & old military vehicles, but more popular use of rivets are the butt cap rivets which was widely used for the Hughes H-1 Racer, the first rivet-less sleek plane designed by Howard Hughes
Its sleek rivet less design provides it with less weight & can reach higher speeds with improved aerodynamics
What makes Rivets so Useful
Rivets are designed to hold materials together permanently & securely. Once installed, they don’t come loose with vibration or wear. That’s why rivets are trusted in industries where safety and strength are non-negotiable.
Rivets are quite noticeable especially in old massive vehicular & industrial construction. Such as on cruise ships, military vehicles, & industrial panels.
How do Rivets actually work?
- Insertion – The shank passes through accurately aligned holes in the parts to be joined.
- Upsetting – A hammer, rivet set, or—in blind rivets—a mandrel deforms the tail, forming a second head.
- Clamping – The newly formed head draws the materials together, producing a tight, permanent interference fit.
- Completion – Once installed, removal requires drilling out the rivet; the joint will not back off in service.
Heated till its hot, it requires two person to install 1 rivet, one holding it & one securing it on the other end
While Hot rivets are typically larger, and used in large-scale construction like ships, boilers, and steam engines & they are heated red-hot before installation
They are indispensable for: Automotive repairs and aftermarket fit-outs, HVAC ducting and architectural cladding, General maintenance where rear access is restricted.
Blind rivets—so-called because installation requires access to only one side of the joint—contain a mandrel that pulls the tail into shape before snapping off flush.
How many types of rivets are there?
Solid Rivets:
- The Oldest type of rivets used in structural applications like bridges and aircraft.
- Require access to both sides of the workpiece to secure it.
Blind Rivets (Pop Rivets):
- Used when you can only access one side of the material
- Using a rivet gun, a mandrel inside the rivet pulls on the tail to deform it, then snaps off.
Semi-tubular and Tubular Rivets:
- Have a hollow end that flares out with less force.
- Common in light-duty applications like electronics or leather goods.
Rivet Nuts (Threaded Inserts)
- Provide a load-bearing internal thread in thin sheet.
- Allow bolts to be fitted into aluminium extrusions, panels, or enclosures.
Small though they are, rivets underpin some of the world’s most critical structures, from airframes soaring at 35,000 feet to ships braving corrosive seas. Their unrivalled combination of strength, reliability, and ease of installation ensures they remain a cornerstone of modern engineering.
At Champion, we stock:
- Aluminum and stainless-steel rivets, spanning 2.4mm to 4.8mm diameters. Available in kits, replacement packs and blister packs. Along with professional rivet guns. CBRG-1, CBRG-2 and CRA-PR
