The core competitiveness of rivet screws stems from the dual empowerment of "special structural design + riveting process adaptability". Their bodies are usually processed from high-strength materials, with common materials including carbon steel (e.g., 1018, 1020), stainless steel (e.g., 304, 316), and aluminum alloy. Different materials correspond to different application scenarios: carbon steel rivet screws, after surface galvanizing or chrome plating, can meet general anti-rust needs and are suitable for indoor equipment; stainless steel rivet screws, relying on excellent corrosion resistance, are suitable for humid and outdoor scenarios; aluminum alloy rivet screws, with light weight and good thermal conductivity, are often used in aerospace, electronic equipment and other fields sensitive to weight.
The structural design of rivet screws is centered around "riveting fastening" and includes three core components: first, the riveting section with teeth — this is the key structure distinguishing it from ordinary screws. The outer side of the riveting section is covered with fine oblique teeth. During riveting, the teeth will embed into the workpiece surface under pressure to form a "mechanical engagement", which not only prevents the screw from loosening but also enhances the shear resistance of the connection; second, the flange head — compared with the flat head or round head of ordinary screws, the flange head increases the contact area with the workpiece, effectively dispersing the local pressure during riveting and preventing thin-walled workpieces (usually with a thickness of 0.5-2mm) from denting or deforming due to excessive pressure. At the same time, the flange edge can also play a certain sealing role, reducing the entry of dust and moisture into the connection gap; third, the high-precision thread section — the thread precision usually reaches grade 6g, ensuring good fit with nuts or built-in threaded holes and avoiding installation jams or unstable connections caused by thread deviations.
The characteristics of the riveting process further amplify the application advantages of rivet screws. Traditional threaded connections require pre-tapping on the workpiece, which is not only cumbersome but also prone to thread stripping due to insufficient tapping precision. Especially for workpieces made of soft materials such as aluminum alloy and plastic, the thread strength after tapping is low, and loosening is likely to occur during long-term use. However, the installation of rivet screws does not require tapping. It only needs to press the screw into the prefabricated hole of the workpiece (with a hole diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw's riveting section) through a riveting machine, and the fastening is completed by the plastic deformation of the workpiece and the engagement of the screw's teeth. The entire process takes only 5-15 seconds and requires no subsequent processing (such as deburring or thread repair). This "one-step" installation method greatly reduces the assembly difficulty and is particularly suitable for mass production scenarios — such as the mass assembly of mobile phone casings and the assembly line production of automotive interior parts. It can improve assembly efficiency by more than 30% while reducing labor costs and defect rates.
In terms of performance, rivet screws have the prominent characteristics of "stable connection and reliable strength". After riveting, the screw and the workpiece form an "integrated" connection. The mechanical engagement structure of the teeth can effectively resist the influence of external forces such as vibration and impact, avoiding the problem of loosening of traditional screws due to vibration. Taking the M4 specification carbon steel rivet screw as an example, its tensile strength can reach 20-30kN, and its shear strength can reach 12-18kN, which fully meets the fastening needs of scenarios such as electronic equipment and furniture; if stainless steel is used, the tensile strength can be further increased to 35-45kN, suitable for high-strength demand scenarios such as automobile chassis and outdoor equipment. In addition, rivet screws have high installation consistency — through the precise pressure control of the riveting machine (usually 10-30kN, adjusted according to the screw specification), the riveting depth and engagement strength of each screw can be ensured to be consistent, avoiding deviations caused by manual installation and ensuring the stability of product quality.
From the perspective of practical application scenarios, the adaptability of rivet screws covers the core needs of multiple high-precision manufacturing fields. In the electronic equipment industry, they are key connectors for products such as mobile phones, computers, and routers — such as the fixing of mobile phone middle frames and screen brackets, and the splicing of computer host casings: workpieces of electronic equipment are mostly made of thin-walled aluminum alloy or plastic. Traditional tapping is prone to cause workpiece cracking, while the tooth engagement structure of rivet screws can not only ensure connection strength but also avoid damaging the workpiece; at the same time, the anti-rust property of stainless steel or galvanized rivet screws can cope with the humid environment during long-term use of electronic equipment (such as office air-conditioned rooms and the plum rain season in southern China), preventing casing loosening and poor contact of internal components caused by screw rust.
In the automobile manufacturing field, rivet screws are mainly used for fastening automotive interiors and precision components, such as instrument panel brackets, door trim panels, and in-vehicle navigation fixing: automotive interiors have extremely high requirements for surface flatness, and the flange head of the rivet screw can be flush with the workpiece surface, avoiding protrusions that affect the appearance; moreover, cars vibrate frequently during driving, and the anti-loosening ability of rivet screws can ensure the long-term stability of interior parts without abnormal noise or falling off. In the aerospace field, aluminum alloy rivet screws, relying on the advantages of "light weight + high strength", are often used for connecting in-cabin equipment brackets of aircraft and satellite components — aerospace products have strict weight control requirements, and aluminum alloy materials can greatly reduce the overall weight. The efficiency of the riveting process and the stability of the connection can meet the high-precision and high-reliability requirements of aerospace manufacturing.
Compared with other similar fastening components, rivet screws have significant competitive advantages. Compared with ordinary self-tapping screws, rivet screws do not rely on the workpiece's own threads, are suitable for a wider range of materials (such as soft plastic and thin aluminum alloy), have stronger anti-loosening ability, and will not have thread stripping due to frequent vibration; compared with welded screws, rivet screws do not require high-temperature operations, avoiding workpiece deformation and oxidation caused by welding, and have higher assembly efficiency without the need for professional welders, which meets the requirements of green production and lean manufacturing in modern industry; compared with blind rivet screws, rivet screws do not require additional tools (such as a rivet gun) during installation and can be completed only with a riveting machine. In addition, the screw head is flatter after connection, making it suitable for scenarios with high appearance requirements.
During use and selection, three key points need to be noted to give full play to the performance of rivet screws. First, select specifications according to the workpiece material and thickness: if the workpiece is made of soft materials (such as plastic and aluminum alloy), rivet screws with shallow teeth and large flange edges should be selected to avoid workpiece cracking during riveting; if the workpiece thickness is thin (<1mm), a model with a short riveting section should be selected to prevent the screw from penetrating the workpiece; if the workpiece thickness is large (>3mm), a model with a long riveting section should be selected to ensure full engagement of the teeth. Second, select materials according to the application environment: carbon steel galvanized rivet screws can be used in dry indoor scenarios; 304 stainless steel rivet screws are preferred for humid or outdoor scenarios; 316 stainless steel rivet screws are required for highly corrosive environments (such as chemical workshops and coastal areas); aluminum alloy rivet screws are the best choice for scenarios with lightweight requirements such as aerospace. Finally, control the riveting parameters: the pressure of the riveting machine needs to be adjusted according to the screw specification and workpiece material. For example, the pressure corresponding to M3 carbon steel rivet screws is usually 10-15kN, and the pressure for M5 stainless steel rivet screws is 20-25kN; too little pressure will lead to unstable engagement, and too much pressure may damage the screw thread or the workpiece. It is recommended to operate with reference to the parameter table provided by the manufacturer and conduct a pressure test if necessary.
