6 September 2020

Difference between welding and riveting

Riveting and welding joint both are totally different ways to join pieces of metal and there are generally used for completely different application and difference. So here this article gives information about the main key difference between welding and riveting to better understand this topic.

What is riveting?

Riveting is a metal joining process in which the two metallic arts are joined by the use of rivets. In this process, the metallic parts to be joined do not undergo any change in their physical structure or they change the atomic structure. However, force is required for riveting. Riveting is used widely in the automobile and aerospace industry and in much other application where we require permanent or semipermanent bonding and where bolting and welding is not an option.

What is welding?

Welding is a metal joining process the two-part that are to be welded are fused together by application of heat and pressure. Permanent fusion happens between joining metals. The welding process demands many factors depending on the type of welding process like SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, etc.

Difference between welding and riveting:

  • In welding, no hole is required to drill on the parent components in order to join them y welding. While in riveting requires a number of through-holes on parent components for passage of rivets. 
  • The time required for welding is also less. While in riveting drilling the holes, inserting the rivets, heating the protruding end, ad the upsetting them all these steps take substantial time.
  • The load-carrying capacity of the component before and after welding remains the same. While in the riveting cross-sectional area reduces due to holes. Thus load carrying capacity also degrades.
  • The strength of the welded joint is very high, the strength of the riveted joint is comparatively low.
  • Welding properties of the base plate surrounding the weld bead are affected during welding, Riveting metallurgical properties of the base plate material remain unaffected in riveting.
  • In the welding process, the joint is prone to fail under vibrations, Rivet joint performs well under vibrations.
  • Weld joint does not require any additional strap, rivet, and some other materials, etc. However, filler metal can be used when the root gap is more, while in rivet joint inherently require various accessories like rivets, straps, and some other materials, etc.
  • Designing a welded assembly is easy, cheap, and time-efficient, while designing a riveted assembly require bulk calculations, so it is costly and time-consuming.
  • Welded assemblies lighter in weight as no additional part is used except filter metal, Due to the use of several additional parts, riveted assemblies become heavy.
  • Weld joints are susceptible under vibration, rivers joints perform excellently under vibration. Inherently the rivet joint requires various accessories such as rivets, straps etc. However, the so-called filler metal is not required.
  • Welded structures are lighter in weight, riveted structures are heavier due to the usage of additional straps.
  • Welding offers apparently magnificent joint, Due to the presence of rivet heads and hammered portion opposite to head, appearance hampered.
  • The welding process is also faster, riveting is one slow process as drilling holes and hammer it rivets require a significant amount of time.
  • The weld joint is susceptible under the vibration, Rivet joint performs excellently under vibrations.
  • Lap joining, butt joining, T-joining, and cylindrical joining, etc are possible by using welding, While the Riveting joining is suitable only for butt joining. Lap joining requires additional plates.
  • The major used for Welding is joining of metals, ceramics, plastics, and composites also, Riveting is suitable for joining metals only.
  • Welding has a vast area of application starting from joining thin plates in the automobile industry to pipe joining, Area of application of riveting is narrow. Typical application includes pressure vessel, gas cylinder, boiler, etc.
Explore more information: