SPRING 2012

74 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK
Anthony Di Maio
Anthony E. Di Maio attended Wentworth Institute and Northeastern University. In 1962 he
started working with Blind Fasteners as Vice-President of Engineering & Manufacturing for two
blind rivet manufacturers. He has been Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Industrial
Fasteners Institute (IFI) and is still involved in the writing of IFI specifications. In 1991, he
started ADM Engineering and is working with Fastener Manufacturers developing new
fasteners and special machinery. He can be reached at ADM Engineering, 6 Hermon Ave.,
Haverhill, MA 01832; phone and fax 978-521-0277; e-mail: tdimaio@verizon.net.
CONSIDERATIONS WHEN SELECTING BLIND RIVETS
The following considerations should be taken when
selecting a blind rivet for your application.
Tensile and Shear Values
The blind rivet should have the proper tensile and
shear strength to withstand all the forces your
application could apply to the riveted joint. This force
calculation should be made at the most extreme force
condition on the riveted joint. This extreme tensile and
shear force that is exerted on the blind rivet must be
used for a secure riveted joint. All blind rivet
manufacturer's list the tensile and shear values of all
the diameters and alloys of the blind rivets they produce.
Just by viewing the manufacturers catalog or the
Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI) blind rivet
specifications, you can select the proper blind rivet that
will satisfy your application.
When calculating the correct tensile and shear
values of the blind rivet for your application, a safety
factor should be considered in your calculation. For
example, if your components to be riveted will exert 500
pounds of tensile and shear force to the blind rivet, you
should add your safety factor percentage to the 500
pounds. If your safety is 100% then you will select the
rivet or rivets that can resist 1000 pounds tensile or
shear force.
Alloy
The alloy of the blind rivet is the next consideration
to be made. The alloy selection is determined by the
tensile and shear values needed and also the
environment that the blind rivet application will be
subjected to. If your application is in contact with food,
a stainless steel rivet body should be selected. This is
a blind rivet with a stainless steel rivet body and a
stainless steel mandrel. If your rivet application is
outdoors and subjected to the weather, your alloy
selection can be all stainless steel or all aluminum blind
rivets. The tensile and shear calculation will determine
which alloy should be used. Stainless steel has a higher
tensile and shear value. There are blind rivets that have
a combination of alloys. For example, aluminum rivet
body with a steel mandrel. This blind rivet has a rivet
body made of 5056 aluminum, which is stronger that
5050 and 5052 aluminum rivet bodies. 5050 and 5952
rivet bodies are used with aluminum mandrels. The
5056 aluminum rivet body with a steel mandrel are used
in applications that require higher tensile and shear
values greater than the 5050 or 5052 aluminum rivet
bodies. The 5056 rivet body cannot be used in outdoor
applications. Even though the steel mandrel is zinc
plated, it will rust where the mandrel breaks.
This same theory is applied to the stainless steel
rivet body with a steel mandrel. This blind rivet cannot
be used outdoors or in food preparation applications
because where the mandrel breaks it can rust.
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