Effects of Increased Tool Velocity on Mechanical Joining of Steel and Aluminum Sheet Metals

The paper shows possibilities for improving the joining process of self-pierce riveting with solid rivets (SPR-SR) by increasing tool velocity. The focus is put on the joining process of high-strength steel sheets with aluminum sheets. Proper and reliable joining of these material combinations is a major challenge for mechanical joining techniques. In the conventional joining process, with common tool velocities well below 1 m/s, different problems during the joining process caused by the high strength of the steel sheets can occur. These problems can be reduced significantly by increasing tool velocity.