I. Introduction to Rivetless Joining Dies

1. RR stamping point joining is the core of the sheet metal stamping joining technology system. It uses a simple circular male die, which is pressed into the corresponding female die by ZHOTE's pneumatic-hydraulic cylinder pressing equipment. Under further pressure, the sheet material on the male die side squeezes the sheet material on the female die side, causing it to "flow" and deform within the female die, forming the ZHOTE corrosion-resistant joint with no sharp edges or burrs. For sheets with painted or galvanized coatings, the paint or coating "flows" and deforms during the joining process without being damaged, thus ensuring that the joint does not affect the corrosion resistance of the sheet surface.

2. ZHOTE stamping joining dies are manufactured using state-of-the-art manufacturing and coating processes, ensuring an extremely long service life and the highest quality of the stamped joint.

II. Square Thin Panel Joining Die

1. The square joining die has a single anti-rotation feature, but lacks sealing. It is suitable for joining thin, rigid panels without sealing requirements.

III. Joining Metal Sheets

ZHOTE® punched round point joining technology complies with the DIN 8593 series of standards of the German Institute for Standardization. The metalworking industry uses this technology to join metal sheets of varying strengths and materials, including adhesive layers and intermediate layers. In industrial applications, this technology is suitable for single sheets with thicknesses ranging from 0.1 mm to a total thickness of 20 mm, with a tensile strength of up to 800 N/mm². This low-cost, highly reliable, and environmentally friendly production process is a preferred alternative to welding, screwing, and riveting. The riveting die can be quickly and easily replaced, significantly improving production efficiency. The die can be used for single or multiple-point applications. Special shapes are available upon request.

IV. Diverse and Flexible Applications

1. Secure Connections

ZHOTE® punched round point joining offers high flexibility, enabling secure joining of sheet metal of varying grades, finishes, and thicknesses. Furthermore, adhesives or other intermediate layers can be integrated into the process, enabling a wide range of applications.

2. Unlimited Material Combinations

ZHOTE® stamped dot joints can join a wide range of material combinations, including steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and copper. Continuous tooling improvements ensure long service life and reliable connection performance.

3. Excellent Electrical Conductivity

ZHOTE® joints ensure excellent electrical conductivity, making them particularly suitable for electrical components. They do not alter the material's properties and produce stable, push-button connections with high joint strength.

5. Applications of Rivetless Joining Dies

1. Automotive Manufacturing

Used for joining components such as bumpers, exhaust pipes, engine covers, doors, instrument panels, and brake covers, especially for non-load-bearing parts such as doors and trunk lids.

2. Home Appliances

Used for the assembly of components such as washing machine housings, refrigerator doors, and air conditioner outer casings, as seen in products from brands such as Little Swan and Midea.

3. Industrial Equipment

Suitable for fastening metal structures such as chassis and cabinets, elevator platforms, and busbar trunking. ‌1

4. Electronic Products

Used for fastening precision components such as computer casings and copier chassis. ‌1

This technology offers advantages such as strong surface coating compatibility (joining requires no treatment), low energy consumption, and environmental friendliness. However, caution should be exercised when using materials with significantly different thicknesses.

VI. Rivetless Connection Experiments

1. AC servo direct-drive tensile testing equipment enables variable speed and stroke, effectively improving efficiency. When the punch reaches the desired position, it begins reverse motion. During the rivetless connection process, an S-shaped mechanical lock is primarily created on the cross-section. In plastic forming connections, die geometry is a significant factor, and the material properties themselves also affect joint quality. The S-shape is essentially formed when the bottom thickness of the sheet reaches 40% of the combined thickness. Furthermore, the quantitative criterion for evaluating joint quality is primarily joint strength. Generally, this equipment can provide a punching force of 10 to 150 kN. In testing the mechanical properties of Al6061 sheets, the joints are mostly round or square in shape. This experiment primarily used circular joints. In their article, Y. Abealet et al. explain that high-strength steel fracture is primarily due to poor toughness and deformation at the punch corners, and propose that joint strength is a factor in determining riveting quality.

2. To facilitate joint strength testing, the sheets are generally arranged horizontally or vertically during the riveting process. Vertical arrangement is used to measure the tensile strength of the sheets, and a dedicated fixture is designed for this purpose. Shear strength testing of joints uses a horizontal arrangement, also requiring a dedicated fixture.