Experimental investigation of friction stir blind riveting process for non ferrous sheet metal alloys

Abstract

In automotive and aircraft industries, a number of components are newlineassembled together to produce massive structures. The parts are connected by a newlinesuitable fastening or joining method. Selection of suitable joining method which newlineimproves the strength and reduces the cost is important. The combinations of newlinedissimilar alloys have been introduced gradually for weight reduction and newlineobtaining better properties. Aluminum alloys often are used for body structures newlineand reinforcements in the automotive and aircraft industry. Copper and its alloys newlineare the most important engineering materials because of their good corrosion newlineresistance, outstanding electrical and thermal conductivity, attractive appearance, newlinegood strength and ductility and ease of fabrication. For this reason, Aluminum newlinealloys and copper were chosen as the sheet materials in the study. Most sheet metal parts used in automotive and aircraft assembly are joined using rivets. A new joining process, Friction Stir Blind Riveting (FSBR) is newlinea combination of friction stir riveting and blind riveting. In FSBR process a blind newlinerivet is driven at high rotational speed and brought into contact with the newlineworkpieces, thereby generating frictional heat between the rivet and the newlineworkpiece, which softens the workpiece material and enables the rivet to be driven newlineinto the workpiece under reduced force. Once fully inserted, the blind rivet is upset newlineusing the internal mandrel as in normal blind riveting to fasten the workpiece newlinetogether. The FSBR process eliminates the need for the separate hole making newlineoperation required as in the conventional blind riveting process while retaining newlinethe advantage of one-sided accessibility. newline newline