Welding vs. Riveting
Advantages to Using Welding versus Riveting for Joints
When designing and constructing any major project, the type of joints you use to connect metal structures is important. While riveting has its purposes, there are many ways in which welding has the advantage in both strength and durability. Read on to understand where welding and where riveting each have their place.
When Welding is Best
Welding tends to result in lighter structures, according to ME Mechanical, since welds don’t require gussets, which make structures heavier every time you add another rivet. The strength of a welded joint is also greater because the two original materials are fully fused. Plus, the resulting smooth surface often has a more pleasing appearance than riveted materials. Lastly, there are fewer limitations in where you can make a welded joint than there are when adding a rivet because adding rivets requires there to be a certain amount of clearance to be able to work correctly.
When to Consider Riveting
Considering the above points, welding tends to require more skilled labor than riveting and choosing welding means choosing a more difficult task. Perhaps one of the biggest difficulties in welding joints comes when considering that materials are likely to change properties at higher temperatures and can then be prone to distortion. Aluminum used in airplanes, for instance, is a tricky material to weld well, and so rivets are employed (according to Science Daily). If small fissures or distortions occur, these can sometimes be hard to detect. Therefore, it is essential to fully consider the scientific properties of the metals you are using before deciding between welding and riveting.
Both welding and riveting offer substantial strength and have helped to create the frames of most modern innovations in technology. The one method that will serve your project best depends on the material you are using, how strong it needs to be, and what kinds of skilled labour you have access to. For more insight and how we can help you decide, give us a call!
