Want to learn something esoteric today? Of course you do! Let me talk to you about heat riveting. Heat what? you ask, I never heard of it. Well, I am here to fix that. It will be great, unusual, information to bring out at a time of your choosing. The weirder the better in my opinion.

Here we go: heat riveting or heat stake riveting, is a simple and cost-effective process that can be very useful in certain situations as it can join small components to form one large component. Got that? There are many different riveting methods but in heat stake riveting the thermoplastic materials, the plastic is plasticised with the electrically heated riveting punch at the point of contact. The material is then formed and pressed together under pressure. The electricity is then switched off so the air cooling can begin. The punch is heated by a heating cartridge and then it is monitored by using a temperature sensor.

This particular type of riveting is not only suitable for thermoplastics, but is also suitable for steel-plastic connections. Heat stake riveting is especially good for safety applications in the automobile industry, for airbag segments for example. The rivets are high in strength and the process is gentle which also makes this method ideal for surfaces which have, or require, a high quality finish. Heat stake riveting is also a cost-effective alternative to ultrasonic riveting. Heat riveting can be used for door trim panels, instrument panels, airbags, trunk trim panels, centre consoles and decorative covers.

Other good things about heat riveting is that it has low energy consumption, it is simple, and various material connections are possible: you can fix different materials such as metal and plastic together. It is suitable for high production volumes and it is quickly available in standard rivet unit sizes. Other riveting methods can be used, it just depends on the material.

So, there you go: all about heat riveting. I hope you enjoyed it.