Clinching and Riveting Free of Faults

In the automotive industry today, very often doors, hood lids and tailgate lids are being manufactured using clinching instead of spot welding. This clinching process today is mainly used for aluminium parts, but it is also ideal for joining sheet metal parts and profiles of varying thickness and materials. In contrast to riveting, localized cold forming without ancillary joining parts produces non-detachable bonds. The force necessary for plastic deformation can be used for process monitoring. It detects:

• dimensional deviations or an incorrect number of sheet metal parts,
• state of wear of the clinching tool,
• process faults such as punch or swage breakage,
• incorrect setting of the press height,
• insufficient bottom thickness

Permanent monitoring of the clinching force cycle using piezoelectric measuring technology from Kistler not only makes the process cycle transparent, but also monitors the long term stability of a clinching machine. Clinching tongs can thus be periodically checked with the calibration transmitter Type 9831C322. Their parameters are documented and, if necessary, readjusted. The calibration transmitter can also calibrate sensors for indirect or direct force measurement in the machine.

Pop or blind riveting can also be monitored and documented by integrating piezoelectric force sensor technology and visualization by means of the CoMo Net® Type 5863A1 or CoMo View® Type 5863A2 process monitoring systems.

Force monitoring of clinching and riveting prevents faulty components from entering quantity manufacture, thereby ensuring constant high product quality. At the same time, production costs are reduced since there is no need for subsequent manual rejection of deficient clinched or riveted joints.

Kistler Group

Kistler’s core competence is the development, production and use of sensors for measuring pressure, force, torque and acceleration. Kistler’s know-how and electronic systems can be used to prepare measuring signals for use in analyzing physical processes, controlling and optimizing industrial processes, improving product quality in manufacturing and improving performance in sports and rehabilitation.

Kistler offers a comprehensive range of sensors and systems for engine development, automotive engineering, plastics and metal processing, installation technology and biomechanics.

A worldwide sales presence in the form of 19 group companies and 30 distributors ensures customer proximity, application support on an individual level and short lead times.

With a staff of more than 800, the Kistler Group is one of the world’s leading providers of dynamic measuring instrumentation. The Kistler Group achieved turnover of 160 million Swiss Francs in the 2005 financial year.