A method to join three panels together for a motor vehicle includes one or more of the following: layering the three panels, the three panels including a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel, the second panel being positioned between the first panel and the third panel, the third panel having a higher electrical conductivity than the first panel and the second panel; joining the first panel and the second panel together; and joining the third panel to the first panel and the second panel.

A setting head for a joining device, such as a press or a setting device, which setting head comprises the following features: a punch which is movable in a longitudinal direction such that a joining element can be joined into a component by means of a punch face arranged at a working end of the punch; a hollow cylindrical receiving sleeve which has a through-passage and which, with the punch in the through-passage, is guided adjacent to the working end of the punch concentrically and axially movably thereon; and two mutually opposite holding arms arranged on the receiving sleeve outside the through-passage each provide at least one laterally inwardly projecting holding end, with the result that the at least two holding ends allow the joining element to be releasably positionable adjacent to a punch-remote outlet opening of the through-passage and by the axially movable working end of the punch.

A method of riveting comprising providing a rivet having a head and a shank depending downwardly therefrom, the shank terminating in a tip and being hollow so as to define a rivet interior, receiving an insert at least partially within the rivet interior, placing the rivet and insert on the opposite side of a workpiece from a die, driving the rivet and the insert towards the die and into the workpiece under the action of a force using a punch along a central axis, and reacting the force using the die so as to cause the rivet to flare outwardly and interlock the workpiece.

A manufacturing method for joined bodies that allows galvanic corrosion to be reduced is provided. The method is for manufacturing a joined body obtained by joining together a mating member made of ferrous metal and a non-ferrous metal material. The method includes: a press fit step of press-fitting a joining element made of ferrous metal into a predetermined surface of the non-ferrous metal material; and a welding step of forming a melted portion between an exposed portion of the joining element press-fitted into the non-ferrous metal material and the mating member. After the press fit step, a part of the joining element is exposed from the predetermined surface and the remaining part of the joining element is not exposed and is buried in the non-ferrous metal material. The remaining part of the joining element includes a lodging portion having a surface facing to the predetermined surface.

A system for attaching material stack-up layers of at least two layers together using mechanical fasteners is disclosed. The material stack-up comprises at least an upper layer and a lower layer. The lower layer has a relatively constant thickness equal to or greater than 4.0 mm or may have alternating thick and thin areas in which the thickness of the thick area is equal to or greater than 4.0 mm. A mechanical fastener attaches the upper layer and the lower layer and is inserted at least partially into the lower layer. The fastener is inserted into the thick area of the embodiment having alternating thick and thin areas. The lower layer may be any of a variety of materials, including magnesium or any other brittle material. The lower layer may also be a casting, such as a magnesium casting. The mechanical fastener may be any of fasteners, screws or bolts.

An assembly includes an upper substrate, a lower substrate, and a self-piercing rivet. The lower substrate defines a preformed interior cavity and a preformed exterior profile adjacent the interior cavity to define a variable thickness wall. The self-piercing rivet extends through the upper substrate and into the preformed interior cavity of the lower substrate.

A method for determining the quality of a joint fabricated in a plurality of metal sheets by a joining device and a control method. The joining device comprises a drive element, and a hold-down device The method may have the following steps: moving the drive element to move the punch and, via at least one first and one second spring, the hold-down device; recording of a force applied by the drive element with a first sensor and of a distance covered by the drive element with a second sensor during a movement of the drive element in a mating direction and opposite thereto as a force/displacement curve; and comparing a linear relief range in the recorded curve with a reference curve.

A system for attaching layers of material together comprised of a self-piercing rivet, a layer having a clearance hole through which the self-piercing rivet passes on assembly, and a layer free of a clearance hole and into which the self-piercing rivet is at least partially inserted. The system may include a third layer free of a clearance hole. The system may also include three layers wherein the clearance hole is formed in the middle layer. If the clearance hole is formed in the middle layer, the width of the hole may be greater than the diameter of the self-piercing rivet to avoid contact between the rivet and the middle layer. The layer having the clearance hole may be a hard material such as steel. One or more of the layers may be material that is difficult to pierce or can be damaged if pierced.

A method of riveting comprising providing a rivet having a head and a shank depending downwardly therefrom, the shank terminating in a tip and being hollow so as to define a rivet interior, receiving an insert at least partially within the rivet interior, placing the rivet and insert on the opposite side of a workpiece from a die, driving the rivet and the insert towards the die and into the workpiece under the action of a force using a punch along a central axis, and reacting the force using the die so as to cause the rivet to flare outwardly and interlock the workpiece.

A method of inserting a rivet into a workpiece using a rivet insertion apparatus, the method comprising, during a first rivet insertion step, using a punch and die to drive the rivet into the workpiece such that a slug of workpiece material is removed from the workpiece and travels into a bore provided in the die, modifying or changing the die to provide a rivet receiving die surface, then during a second rivet insertion step, using the punch to drive the rivet further into the workpiece such that a shank of the rivet is upset by the rivet receiving die surface.