Riveted joints are a common way to connect elements and subassemblies in the automotive industry. In the assembly process, tubular rivets are loaded axially with ca. 3 kN forces, and these loads can cause cracks and delamination in the rivet material. Such effects at the quality control stage disqualify the product in further assembly process. The article presents an analysis of the fracture mechanism of E215 low-carbon steel tubular rivets used to join modules of driver and passenger safety systems (airbags) in vehicles. Finite element method (FEM) simulation and material testing were used to verify the stresses and analysis of the rivet fracture. Numerical tests determined the state of stress during rivet forming using the FEM-EA method based on the explicit integration of central differences. Light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chemical composition analysis (SEM-EDS) were performed to investigate the microstructure of the rivet material and to analyze the cracks. Results showed that the cause of rivet cracking is the accumulation and exceeding of critical tensile stresses in the rivet flange during the tube processing and the final riveting (forming) process. Moreover, it was discovered that rivet fracture is largely caused by structural defects (tertiary cementite Fe,Mn₃C_III along the boundaries of prior austenite grains) in the material resulting from the incorrectly selected parameters of the final heat treatment of the prefabricate (tube) from which the rivet was produced. The FEM simulation of the riveting and structural characterization results correlated well, so the rivet forming process and fracture mechanism could be fully investigated.

Quality of 3d model in simple way translates into quality of final product, obtained from 3d printing. 3d CAx software give possibility to create enormous number of shapes – doesn’t matter solids or surfaces. The question is where is the frontier between quality of 3d model and a value for money of the completed print? Is it always necessary to create as good model as possible? This paper will focus on preparation of 3d models, based on primitives and will show connection between quality of mesh, its size and deviations and quality of obtained samples, in same manufacturing conditions.

The paper presents a computer simulation of the influence of the corner construction of a forming tap on the tool material strain. The obtained visual representation is presented of the course of thread groove formation and the distribution of stresses and deformations in the workpiece and tool. The obtained operational stress distributions allow the observation of places with maximum loads and thus exposed to accelerated wear. This helps to select the most advantageous outline for the tool adapted to the specific application in the technological process without the need for long-term operational tests.