Patent ID: 6883699

Claim:
A method of joining first and second fusible workpieces at a point of engagement, comprising the steps of: providing a rivet having a body formed of a material with a substantially higher melting point than that of the fusible workpieces wherein the body extends through a slideable cap; rotating the body about a rotational axis and simultaneously driving the body downward through a first workpiece and into a second workpiece, thereby forming a cavity and plasticizing material surrounding the body; engaging the cap against the first workpiece while the body slides through the cap until the upper stop engages the cap; stopping further rotation and inward driving of the rivet after a desired depth is reached; and cooling the fusible workpieces and the rivet, until solidification of the plasticized material occurs whereby the fusible workpieces are held together by the solidified material and by the rivet retained within the workpieces at the point of engagement.