You are here: Blind Rivet Guide: Types, Specifications, Selection and Common Issues - CHANRUI
Blind rivets (often called pull rivets) are the most widely used single-side riveting fasteners on cases, cabinets, sheet metal, home appliances and automotive parts, and the automatic riveting machine is the device that performs automatic sorting, feeding and pull-riveting for them. In real inquiries, plenty of faults and selection mistakes come from not understanding the rivet itself. This article sums up blind-rivet types, specs, selection and usage problems in a structured way for purchasing, process and equipment staff to compare.
I. Working principle of a blind rivet
A blind rivet is made up of two parts: the rivet body and the mandrel (core pin). During riveting the rivet gun grips the mandrel and pulls it backward; the blind end of the body swells to form a rivet head, clamping two or more plate layers, and once the set pulling force is reached the mandrel snaps at the break point, finishing single-side riveting. It only needs operation from one side of the workpiece and works on boxes, tubes and closed cavities whose back cannot be reached - its biggest efficiency advantage over solid rivets and bolted connections.
II. Which types of blind rivets exist?
| Classification basis | Kind | Feature / application |
|---|---|---|
| By body design | Open end | Most widely used and inexpensive; the body end stays open after the mandrel breaks; ordinary cases and sheet metal |
| Closed end | The body end is sealed, waterproof and moisture-proof after riveting; for outdoor, rain-exposed and sealed parts | |
| By head style | Round head (oval round head) | Standard kind with a wide pressing area; used wherever the surface permits a protrusion |
| Countersunk head | Sits flush with the panel after riveting; for appearance faces and slide-rail faces | |
| By purpose | Double-drum/multi-drum type | Forms several drums that distribute the clamping force; suited to thin plates and soft materials |
| Structural (high-strength) | Mandrel locks in place without loosening, anti-vibration and high clamping force; common in automotive/new energy | |
| Pull-through/grooved type | Wide clamping margin; suited to thick-thin plate stacking and multi-hole layers | |
| By material | Aluminum/steel, all-aluminum, all-steel, stainless steel, copper | Selected according to strength, corrosion resistance and electrochemical compatibility |
III. Open-end vs closed-end blind rivets: the difference
| Comparison point | Open end | Closed end |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Hollow open-ended body | Body end sealed into a dome |
| Waterproofing | Not water-tight | Sealed after riveting, keeps rainwater out |
| Leftover mandrel | The snapped mandrel can loosen and drop out | The snapped mandrel is trapped inside the closed end and rarely falls out |
| Price | Low | Comparatively high |
| Typical application | Indoor cases/cabinets, interior home-appliance parts | Outdoor cabinets, lamps, vehicles, damp kitchen/bath environments |
IV. Semi-tubular rivets vs blind rivets: the difference
| Comparison point | Blind rivet | Semi-tubular rivet |
|---|---|---|
| Riveting approach | Pull gun does single-side riveting, blind-mandrel forming | Requires two-side operation; a punch/spin riveter curls the hollow end |
| Equipment | Automatic riveting machine/rivet gun | Spin riveters, press riveters, and so on |
| Reachability | Single-side work, works on closed cavities | The back requires support or a die |
| Typical setting | Cases/cabinets, sheet-metal enclosures, home-appliance housings | Hardware goods, luggage, hinges, precision small parts |
The two are not interchangeable but chosen by workpiece structure and back reachability; an automatic riveting machine only fits blind rivets, whereas semi-tubular rivets call for spin/press riveting equipment - confirm the process direction before purchasing to avoid ordering the wrong model.
V. Choosing rivets: four key factors
Firstly,riveting thickness (riveting grip range): the body length has to cover the total plate thickness - too short rivets loosely, too long forms poorly, and the catalog lists each model's riveting-thickness interval; secondly,hole diameter alignment: the standard hole diameter is normally 0.1-0.2mm larger than the rivet diameter - an over-large hole loosens the rivet point, an over-small one won't take the body; thirdly,material pairing: as a rule the body material should match the workpiece material to avoid electrochemical corrosion, and stainless parts prefer stainless rivets; fourthly,strength and finish: heavy-load/vibration parts choose structural, appearance faces choose countersunk, and outdoor use chooses closed end. Handing these parameters together with physical sample rivets to the equipment maker ensures the correct nozzle and channel; for details seeCan Automatic Riveting Machines Use Rivets of Any Specification。
VI. Common blind-rivet faults, causes and prevention
| Problem | Typical cause | Prevention / remedy |
|---|---|---|
| Mandrel won't break | Nozzle mismatch, low air pressure, abnormal rivet hardness | Check nozzle spec, confirm air pressure, replace with qualified-batch rivets |
| Rivet point loose, spins by hand | Rivet too short, over-large hole, pulling force too low | Select length by plate thickness, control hole diameter, check equipment pulling force |
| Panel pull-through/excessively deep indentation | Gun head not seated flat, round head used in countersunk hole, force too high | Press the nozzle flat to the panel, match head type to hole type, adjust pulling force |
| Jamming/partial feeding | Burred/deformed rivets, wrong channel spec, dirty feed tube | Control incoming quality, swap nozzle and clear channel when spec changes, clean periodically |
| Snapped-mandrel rattle | Open-end mandrel not held, dropping into the cavity | Move closed cavities/noise-sensitive parts to closed or structural type |
| Rust after riveting | Aluminum/steel mixed, humid environment | Select stainless/closed type, add waterproofing if needed |
Most obvious "equipment failures" of an automatic riveting machine are in fact rivet-spec, hole-diameter or incoming-material issues; it is advised to sort and keep defect samples by symptom and let the engineer identify the responsible link on site during the trial.
Riveting Knowledge FAQ
FAQ on Blind Rivets
Q1: Can an automatic riveting machine run rivets from different makers?
In principle yes when specs match, but different makers use different dimensional tolerances and surface treatments, and the jam rate may shift; ahead of mass production it is advised to run continuous sampling with the rivet batch planned for purchase.
Q2: How many specs can a single machine handle?
Similar specs can be made compatible by changing the nozzle and adjusting the channel; where head-diameter/length differences are large or materials differ, multi-channel or multiple machines are required; for details seeWhat Types of Automatic Riveting Machines Are There。
Q3: Are rivet nuts and blind rivets the same?
No. A rivet nut creates an internal thread on thin plate for later screw assembly; a blind rivet is a direct joint. Automotive parts plants use rivet nuts heavily; seeNew Energy Vehicle Parts Riveting Case。
Q4: How can a rivet spec be identified quickly?
Use calipers to measure head diameter, rivet diameter and body length, confirm material and head type, and take clear nameplate and physical photos to send the maker; when in doubt, send sample rivets - physical measurement by the engineer is the safest route.
Not sure the rivet matches the model? Send samples for measurement
Customers may book an engineer on site to run continuous sampling with your rivets and workpieces, checking feeding, cycle and yield; consultation hotline+86 13268883882。
Recommended reading:Automatic Riveting Machine Buying Guide (Full) · Compatibility Spec and Selection Notes · Automatic Riveting Machine Selection Consultation
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