The invention relates to a connecting element (4, 5), in particular a screw (4) or a nut (5), for mechanically connecting components (1, 2), the connecting element (4, 5) consisting at least partially of a material with a mechanical tensile strength of at least 350 MPa. According to the invention, the material of the connecting element (4, 4, 5, 8) has an electrical conductivity of at least 50% IACS. The invention also relates to a corresponding production method for a connecting element (4, 5) of this type.

A method for manufacturing a motor vehicle, and to a correspondingly manufactured motor vehicle having a modular construction in which a substructure and further body modules of the motor vehicle are manufactured independently of one another and are subsequently permanently connected to one another.

A pin member for a fastener includes an elongated shank having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a cylindrical shank portion having an outer surface, a head located at the first end of the elongated shank, the head including a bearing surface located on the bearing surface of the head, and a threaded portion located at the second end of the elongated shank. Either or both of the bearing surface of the head or the outer surface of the cylindrical shank portion is coated with a coating and/or is textured. The coating may be tungsten, molybdenum, copper, or a refractory ceramic. The textured surfaces may include a surface roughness greater than 0.5 micron.

A rivet for connecting at least two components arranged one upon the other and are not pre-punched. The rivet has ahead, a shaft, a foot and a length L of the rivet between 7 mmL16 mm. The shaft has an outer diameter D.sub.S between 5.2 mmD.sub.S5.6 mm, and a bore hole with diameter D.sub.B between 3.1 mmD.sub.B3.5 mm and depth T.sub.B between 6 mmT.sub.B15 mm. A bore hole volume V.sub.B in the shaft between V.sub.BminV.sub.BV.sub.Bmax with V.sub.Bmin=7.3 [mm.sup.2].Math.L [mm] and V.sub.Bmax=0.9 [mm.sup.2].Math.L [mm] arises. In an axial sectional view, the foot has a conical outer chamfer and a conical inner chamfer interconnected by a cutting edge, the inner chamfer transitions into an inner bore wall of the shaft via a circular arc section and the outer chamfer and the inner chamfer enclose a cutting angle W.sub.S in the range from 80W.sub.S90.

The invention relates to a self-piercing rivet for connecting at least two elements. The self-piercing rivet has a coating. At least one component of the coating has a melting temperature of at least 450 C., and/or the coating comprises nickel. A method for producing a self-piercing rivet includes, providing a self-piercing rivet blank, applying a coating to the self-piercing rivet blank by a chemical coating method, and obtaining the self-piercing rivet.

Methods and blind fasteners with EME protection are provided. A blind fastener comprises a shank having a bulb forming portion; a head; and an electromagnetic effects (EME) protection sealant positioned on at least one of the bulb forming portion of the shank or under the head.