Steps towards a riveting solution

A frequently asked questions is how to speed up riveting assembly processes, but not at the cost of efficiency or quality control. According to Zygology, the new Z-AR Auto Feed Riveting System will reduce your manufacturing lead times, minimise downtime and speed up your assembly.

The most significant and common factor that slows down the assembly process is human.  The repeated requirement for the operator to reach into a box, pick up a rivet, insert it into the nose of the tool and then install it. “The new Z-AR automatic rivet system removes that continuous requirement,” says the company.

Its bowl feeder holds up to 1,000 rivets at a time and, by utilising specially adapted Stanley XT1 or XT2 tools attached to the Z-AR bowl feeder and control unit, rivets are fed to the tool nose tip at the rate of 60 or more per minute. “With the Z-AR, rivet handling by the tool operator is almost completely eliminated, and downtime is significantly reduced,” adds Zygology, sole distributor.

Almost instant rivet feed

After each rivet is installed, the PLC-controlled mechanism feeds a new rivet from the bowl feeder to the nose tip almost instantly. The speed of assembly is only limited by the dexterity of the tool operator. The spent stems are automatically ejected from the tool and collected in a storage container within the control unit for quick and easy disposal or recycling.

“The Stanley XT1 and XT2 tools sit comfortably in the hand, are fast and offer excellent reliability,” it is further stated. “The transfer mechanism is easy to remove from the tool and, as the tools use readily available parts, routine maintenance is quick, cost-effective and straightforward.”

The Z-AR system can accommodate most standard rivet types between 3.0 and 5.0mm diameter, and all rivet materials can be accommodated, including aluminium, copper, steel and A2 and A4 stainless steel. The flexible umbilical allows 360° riveting in any direction, making the Z-AR suitable for all manufacturing environments.

The speed factor

Discussing the Z-AR Auto Feed Riveting System, Zygology sales director Richard Avery comments: “One of the common questions we get is how to speed up the riveting process. The most significant factor that slows things down is the need for the operator to reach into a box, pick up a rivet, carefully insert it into the tool's nose, and then install it – again and again.

“This tool takes all the fiddling around out of the equation. It’s loaded with up to 1,000 rivets and keeps feeding them on demand until they run out. You just then need to refill the feed bowl and repeat. Thanks to the new Z-AR, the riveting process couldn’t be simpler or faster.”