Heavy-duty blind rivet

A blind rivet is a fastener for joining thin-sheet materials. It is used where there is no access to the back side of the structure.

The rivet consists of two parts: a hollow cylinder with a head at one end and a mandrel passing through the cylinder. During installation one part is removed — hence the name “blind”.

Heavy-duty rivets differ from standard ones in material: instead of aluminium, carbon steel is used. They are often coated with a layer of zinc for corrosion protection.

Application and installation

Heavy-duty rivets are used in the construction of cars, ships and aircraft — where the joint must be especially reliable.

Installation: a hole is drilled in the materials to be joined, into which the rivet is inserted so that the mandrel with the head remains on the outside. A pneumatic tool is used to flatten it: it presses on the mandrel, and the load is transferred to the end of the cylinder, which flattens out on the hard-to-reach side. After that, the mandrel breaks off and is removed.