From the perspective of core composition, color-zinc rivet nuts consist of two key components: one is the rivet nut body, and the other is the surface color-zinc coating. The rivet nut body is usually made of high-quality carbon steel (such as 1010, 1015 low-carbon steel) or stainless steel. Its structure includes three parts: a threaded hole, a flange, and a riveting section. The threaded hole is used to cooperate with bolts to achieve fastening; the flange can increase the contact area and prevent workpiece deformation during installation; the riveting section is the core of the riveting process, which deforms under external tension and forms a tight bite with the workpiece. As a "protective coat", the color-zinc coating is not a single layer but a composite coating formed through electrogalvanizing + color passivation treatment: first, a zinc layer is deposited on the nut surface, and then a color passivation film is formed through a chromate passivation process. The thickness of the film is usually controlled at 8-12μm, which can not only ensure the adhesion of the coating but also provide sufficient anti-rust ability.
The value of the color-zinc coating is the core advantage that distinguishes color-zinc rivet nuts from ordinary rivet nuts. First is the excellent corrosion resistance. The zinc layer itself has a sacrificial anode protection effect; when scratches or minor damages appear on the workpiece surface, the zinc layer will corrode first, thereby protecting the nut body and the workpiece from rust. The color passivation film further blocks the contact between water, oxygen and the metal substrate, forming a "double protection". According to salt spray test data, high-quality color-zinc rivet nuts can withstand 48-72 hours in a neutral salt spray environment without red rust, which is far better than ordinary black zinc or white zinc coatings (usually 24-48 hours). This allows them to maintain stable performance for a long time in scenarios such as humid kitchen appliances and outdoor building components. Second is the clear visual recognition and classification function. The color-zinc coating presents a uniform iridescent or blue-color appearance, which is not only aesthetically pleasing but also helps workers quickly distinguish rivet nuts of different specifications during assembly (some manufacturers adjust the passivation process to make different colors correspond to different sizes), reducing the risk of wrong installation. At the same time, the bright color also makes it easier to detect problems such as missing installation or reverse installation during subsequent quality inspection, improving production efficiency. In addition, the color-zinc coating has good wear resistance and adhesion, so it is not easy to peel off or get scratched during transportation and assembly, avoiding local rust caused by coating damage and ensuring the overall protective effect of the nut.
Combined with the characteristics of the riveting structure, the application advantages of color-zinc rivet nuts are further amplified. The riveting process does not rely on professional skills like traditional welding, nor does it require pre-tapping on the workpiece. It only needs to stretch the nut with a rivet gun to deform the riveting section and make it firmly bite with the workpiece. The entire process takes only 10-30 seconds, which greatly reduces the assembly difficulty and time cost. This feature makes it particularly suitable for connecting thin-walled workpieces (with a thickness usually of 0.5-3mm) — such as air conditioner outdoor unit casings and laptop brackets. For these workpieces, welding is likely to cause deformation, and ordinary nuts are prone to workpiece cracking due to tapping. However, color-zinc rivet nuts, through the "physical bite" method, can not only ensure connection strength but also avoid damage to the workpiece. At the same time, color-zinc rivet nuts after riveting have stable tensile and shear strength. Taking the M6 specification carbon steel color-zinc rivet nut as an example, its tensile strength can reach 30-40kN, and its shear strength can reach 20-25kN, which fully meets the fastening needs of scenarios such as home appliances and furniture. Moreover, since the threaded hole is built into the nut body, there is no need to rely on the thread strength of the workpiece. Even if the workpiece is made of soft material (such as aluminum alloy or plastic), reliable connection can be achieved through the nut.
From the perspective of practical application scenarios, the adaptability of color-zinc rivet nuts almost covers the core needs of multiple industries. In the home appliance manufacturing industry, color-zinc rivet nuts are widely used in parts such as refrigerator door frames, washing machine inner drum brackets, and microwave oven casing splicing. On the one hand, the corrosion resistance of color zinc can cope with the humid environment of kitchens and bathrooms, preventing door loosening and inner drum abnormal noise caused by nut rust. On the other hand, the riveting process will not damage the appearance of the home appliance casing and can achieve a non-protruding connection, avoiding scratches on users during use. In the construction and furniture industry, color-zinc rivet nuts are often used for frame connection of aluminum alloy doors and windows and fixing of metal connectors in panel furniture. Aluminum alloy doors and windows are exposed to the outdoors for a long time, and the corrosion resistance of the color-zinc coating can resist the erosion of rainwater and ultraviolet rays, extending the service life of the doors and windows. Panel furniture is made of soft materials such as particleboard and MDF, which cannot be directly tapped. Color-zinc rivet nuts can form a stable threaded connection through riveting, ensuring smooth opening and closing of drawers and cabinet doors. In the transportation and light industry fields, color-zinc rivet nuts are also indispensable for the frame splicing of electric bicycles and the assembly of toolbox casings. The frames of electric bicycles are mostly thin-walled steel pipes; riveting connection can avoid pipe deformation caused by welding, and the color-zinc coating can cope with wind and rain during outdoor riding. Toolboxes need to be opened and closed frequently, and the high connection strength of color-zinc rivet nuts can ensure that the casing will not loosen due to vibration and collision, protecting the safety of internal tools.
Compared with other similar fastening components, color-zinc rivet nuts have significant competitive advantages. Compared with ordinary galvanized rivet nuts, the color-zinc version has better corrosion resistance and higher visual recognition, making it suitable for scenarios with high requirements for protection and quality inspection. Compared with stainless steel rivet nuts, color-zinc rivet nuts (especially those with carbon steel substrates) have lower costs (about 30%-50% lower) and can achieve corrosion resistance similar to that of stainless steel through the color-zinc coating, resulting in higher cost-effectiveness. They are particularly suitable for mass-produced civilian products. Compared with welded nuts, color-zinc rivet nuts do not require professional welders and have higher assembly efficiency. They also do not cause problems such as welding fumes and deformation, which meets the requirements of green production and lean manufacturing in modern industry. At the same time, if disassembly and maintenance are needed later, the nut can be removed only by destroying the riveting section, which will not cause irreversible damage to the workpiece and facilitate the after-sales maintenance of the product.
In the process of use and selection, several key points need to be noted to give full play to the performance of color-zinc rivet nuts. First, select the appropriate specification according to the workpiece material and thickness: if the workpiece is made of soft materials such as aluminum alloy or plastic, a model with a longer riveting section and a larger flange should be selected to increase the contact area and avoid crushing the workpiece; if the workpiece thickness is thin (<1mm), a thin-walled nut should be selected to prevent excessive deformation of the workpiece during riveting. Second, pay attention to tension control during installation: too little tension will lead to unstable riveting, while too much tension may cause the nut to break or the workpiece to deform. It is necessary to adjust the rivet gun pressure according to the nut specification (such as M3, M8) and workpiece material with reference to the tension parameters provided by the manufacturer to ensure the riveting effect. Finally, avoid misuse in strongly corrosive environments: although the color-zinc coating has strong corrosion resistance, in strong acid and alkali environments (such as chemical workshops and coastal high-salt spray environments), it is still recommended to choose stainless steel materials or add additional anti-corrosion treatment to prevent the coating from failing quickly and causing nut rust.
Contact: Mr. Deng
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Tel: 0756-8586520
Email: lizhong@zhjiali.com
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