How do hollow rivets enable single-sided installation, solving the problem of no reverse working space?
Publish Time: 2025-08-18
In modern industrial manufacturing, construction installation, and equipment maintenance, fastener installation environments are often complex and varied. Many joints, due to structural design constraints, cannot be accessed from both sides simultaneously. For example, in closed boxes, inside pipes, on the backs of mechanical equipment, or on aircraft skins, traditional bolts, nuts, or solid rivets require double-sided access, making them difficult to use. Hollow rivets, with their unique structural design, successfully achieve "single-sided installation," becoming a key fastening solution to address the problem of no reverse working space.The core structure of hollow rivets consists of two parts: the outer rivet body (the rivet body) and the inner tie rod (the core rod). The rivet body is a hollow tube with a prefabricated rivet head at one end and an expandable opening at the other. The tie rod extends through the rivet body, with its head located within the rivet body. Installation requires simply inserting the rivet into a pre-drilled hole. A dedicated rivet gun then clamps the tie rod and applies tension from one side.When the rivet gun is activated, it continuously applies axial tension to the pull rod, forcing the rod head into the rivet body. As the tension increases, the pull rod head compresses the rear end of the rivet body, forcing it to expand outward and form a bulge. This process creates an expanded structure similar to a "head" on the back of the joined sheet, securely clamping two or more layers of material. The entire forming process is completed entirely on one side, without the need for back-up support or hammering.This "inside-out" bulging mechanism is the key to hollow rivets' single-sided installation. Unlike traditional solid rivets, which require a top die and hammering on the back side, hollow rivets derive their forming force from the internal pull rod. All movement is performed by the front tool, completely eliminating the need for back-side access. Installation can be completed even in narrow, confined, or hard-to-reach areas, as long as the rivet gun can reach them.Furthermore, hollow rivets are fast and efficient. A skilled operator can complete dozens of rivet joints per minute, far exceeding the efficiency of welding or threaded connections. Especially in automated production lines, when used with electric or pneumatic rivet guns, these systems can achieve continuous, stable, high-strength connections. They are widely used in applications such as automotive bodies, rail transit, electronic chassis, aviation panels, and architectural curtain walls.Notably, after riveting, the pull rod automatically breaks off at a pre-set "fracture groove" due to stress concentration. The broken rod head remains within the rivet body, which neither affects the appearance nor hinders subsequent sealing or painting. The remaining rivet body forms a complete, sealed connection point, offering excellent tensile strength, shear resistance, and sealing properties, effectively preventing loosening, water leakage, and air leakage.In terms of material selection, hollow rivets can be made of aluminum, steel, stainless steel, or titanium alloy, depending on the application environment, meeting varying strength, corrosion resistance, and weight requirements. For example, in aircraft manufacturing, lightweight, high-strength aluminum alloy hollow rivets are widely used for skin connections. In outdoor equipment, stainless steel rivets withstand weather and ensure long-term stability.Furthermore, hollow rivets offer excellent adaptability. It can be used to connect metal and non-metallic materials, such as aluminum and plastic, steel and composite materials, and has a certain tolerance for aperture deviation, resulting in a high installation error-tolerant rate. For thin plate connections, its gentle bulging process is less likely to cause cracking, making it particularly suitable for brittle or soft substrates.In summary, hollow rivets, through the mechanical principle of "pull rod traction - internal extrusion - rear bulging," achieve true single-sided installation. It not only solves the construction difficulties of traditional fastening methods when reverse space is limited, but also offers the advantages of fast installation, reliable strength, and strong adaptability, making it an indispensable and efficient connection solution in modern engineering. Whether in high-end manufacturing or everyday maintenance, hollow rivets, with their simple and intelligent design, demonstrate the practical beauty of fastening technology.
