Patent ID: 8567032

Claim:
Method for connecting a metal workpiece and a plastic workpiece using a joining tool including a pin movable along an axial direction, a sleeve surrounding the pin and being rotationally driveable and movable with respect to and in the axial direction of the pin, and an outer clamping ring surrounding the sleeve, said method comprising the steps of: positioning the metal workpiece and the plastic workpiece such that contact surfaces of the workpieces abut on each other; positioning the joining tool on the metal workpiece so as to bring a front end of the pin, the sleeve, and the clamping ring into contact with an outer surface of the metal workpiece, the outer surface being opposite the contact surface of the metal workpiece; rotating the sleeve and the pin so as to generate friction between the front ends of the sleeve and the pin and the outer surface of the metal workpiece; and moving the pin and the sleeve in the axial direction of the pin while both the pin and the sleeve are rotated, one of the sleeve and the pin penetrating into the metal workpiece and the other of the sleeve and the pin being retracted from the outer surface thereof, wherein the axial movement into the metal workpiece is stopped before said one of the sleeve and the pin reaches the contact surface, wherein, after stopping the axial movement, said one of the sleeve and the pin is retracted from the metal workpiece and said other of the sleeve and the pin is moved toward the outer surface of the metal workpiece until the front ends of the pin and the sleeve are on the same level.