Patent ID: 7123982

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a joint by operating a riveting system having a riveting tool, a self-piercing rivet, and automotive vehicle panels, the riveting tool including an electric motor and a rivet punch, the method comprising: (a) determining if the self-piercing rivet is located in the riveting tool; (b) moving the self-piercing rivet to the riveting tool if step (a) is negative; (c) sensing a length of the self-piercing rivet; (d) energizing the electric motor to advance the self-piercing rivet; (e) rotating a portion of the electric motor in response to step (d); (f) converting the rotation of step (e) to linear displacement of the rivet punch with a non-fluid transmission; (g) the rivet punch pushing against a solid head of the self-piercing rivet during insertion into the automotive vehicle panels; (h) advancing the self-piercing rivet into an unpierced portion of the automotive vehicle panels, in response to step (f); (i) outwardly diverging a leading end of the self-piercing rivet during insertion of the self-piercing rivet into the automotive vehicle panels; (j) preventing the self-piercing rivet from completely piercing through a die side one of the automotive vehicle panels; (k) automatically determining displacement associated with the rivet punch to insert the self-piercing rivet; (l) deenergizing the electric motor and transmitting an error signal if an unacceptable condition is determined; (m) clamping the automotive vehicle panels together in an area substantially surrounding the riveting area; and (n) automatically comparing actual sensed values to previously stored reference values.