Patent ID: 8146240

Claim:
A riveting system comprising: (a) a C-frame including a first end and an opposite second end; (b) a drive unit mounted adjacent the first end of the C-frame, the drive unit comprising: (i) an electric motor; (ii) a spindle and a nut coupled to the spindle; (iii) a punch assembly coupled to the spindle; (iv) a transmission assembly causing rotation of the electric motor to rotate the spindle, the nut causing rotation of the spindle to linearly advance the punch assembly in a fluid-free manner; (c) a die mounted adjacent the second end of the C-frame; (d) a self-piercing rivet set between the punch assembly and the die without directly contacting the die; (e) a programmable control unit controlling the electric motor; and (f) a display screen, the control unit sending an error message to be displayed on the display screen if an undesirable condition is present.