Stanley Engineered Fastening plans to start selling “next-generation self-pierce rivets” in North America for the first time, Repairer Driven News reports.
“Demand for SPRs, which already are well-established in Europe, is on the rise in North America as automakers increasingly adopt materials such as aluminum, which is forecast to grow in the North American automotive industry,” 
the company stated.
For example, the new Range Rover Sport has 3,648 Stanley SPRs.
In North America, SPRs are already used in the Ford F-150 and Cadillac CT6 as OEMs look to trim weight without compromising safety.
Self-pierce riveting (SPR) is a process used to join two or more layers of materials without a predrilled or punched hole,” according to the company’s website. “This is done by driving a rivet through the top layers of material and upsetting the rivet in the lower layer (without piercing the layer) to form a durable joint.
SPRs can join together parts made of aluminum, steel, plastics, composites or a combination of materials.
SPRs are installed with a servo-driven tool enabling control of the rivet-setting process for repeatability. The system provides process-monitoring capabilities, enabling increased productivity and quality.
Initially Stanley will market next-gen SPRs to OEMs, with the product expected to attract MROs once repairs are needed. Stanley said several major North American automakers needing to add materials like aluminum and carbon fiber have expressed interest in the new SPRs.
FIN subscribers can read the last eight years of Stanley Engineered Fastening sales and profit results by clicking on FIN Stock Review.
Related Stories:
• At Half-Year Point, Fastener Markets Diverge
Related Links:
Share: