Emhart Teknologies has introduced an electrically driven Self-Piercing Rivet (SPR) assembly system that operates at variable speeds while monitoring and controlling setting forces at each rivet point.

The new system, which replaces spot welding in automotive assembly, sets as many as 60 rivets per minute, joining steel, aluminum, and composite materials up to nine millimeters thick.

Fiber optic controls measure sheet thickness and rivet lengths and then automatically establish the setting force for each application. The system processes rivets of varying lengths, and dual drum feeders hold up to 40,000 rivets.

A system monitor displays process parameters and tolerances and stores data on the most recent 500 applications. Fiber optic signaling prevents electromagnetic interference, which can occur in hydraulic systems.

"Rivets set by our new SPR assembly system have the same static strength as spot welds and more than 30 percent greater strength and stability under load and vibration," said Hermann Roeser, president of the Automotive Division of Emhart Teknologies. "This enables automotive designers to reduce fastening points while maintaining quality and streamlining production."

An earlier version of the Emhart Teknologies SPR system was tested and proven on the Audi Space Frame (ASF) , the only all-aluminum body in a production car. More than 1,400 SPR applications appear throughout the ASF.

The SPR system is a "cold" fastening process that drives rivets through the top layer of material and expands radially into the lower sheet, forming a mechanical interlock. Rivets penetrate but do not puncture the second sheet.

For more information, contact Steve Bleakley, automotive sales and marketing manager, Emhart Teknologies, at (810) 949-0440, or at emhart.com.

About Emhart Teknologies

New Haven, Conn.-based Emhart Teknologies is the global leader in the design and creation of unique assembly technologies from concept through installation.  Emhart’s technology-based assembly products and systems deliver innovative, integrated system solutions to virtually any manufacturing challenge anywhere in the world.  From automotive to construction, computers to appliances, Emhart products are sold in more than 100 countries. A Black & Decker Company, Emhart has 3,000 employees in 24 operating facilities worldwide.  Please go to www.emhart.com for more information.

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