Blindnieten

Blindnieten, or blind rivets, are a type of mechanical fastener designed to be installed from one side of a joint. They consist of a hollow rivet body and a mandrel that runs through the center. During installation, the rivet body is pulled by the mandrel, causing the rear portion to expand and form a blind head behind the workpiece, while the mandrel breaks off on the front side. This makes blind rivets suitable for assemblies where access to the opposite side is limited or impossible.

Variants and features include open-end (standard) blind rivets, closed-end (sealed) rivets that resist leakage, and structural blind rivets that are engineered for higher strength and thicker materials. There are also flush- or countersunk-head versions for smooth exterior surfaces and weatherproof variants for sealed joints. Material choices for the rivet body and mandrel include aluminum, steel, stainless steel, titanium, copper, and various polymers, with nylon or other plastics used in non-structural applications.

Installation and selection considerations: Holes must be drilled to the correct diameter for the chosen rivet size, and the combined material thickness must fall within the rivet’s grip range. A suitable rivet gun—manual, pneumatic, or hydraulic—drives the mandrel and completes the setting process, after which the mandrel portion protruding from the rivet breaks off. Blind rivets provide rapid, reliable fastening with one-sided access, making them popular in automotive, aerospace, electronics enclosures, appliances, and construction.

Limitations include lower pull and shear strength compared with solid rivets, and reduced performance in very high-vibration or high-load applications unless using a structural or specially rated variant.