Dünnwandige Freiformstrukturen - The Return of the Rivet - Parametrisch formulierte Metalloberflächen

Thin-walled freeform structures - The return of the rivet: Parametrically formulated metal surfaces.

The following article describes innovative thin-walled freeform metal structures, who are parametrically designed, digitally pre-fabricated pieces and connected using rivets. While in the past decade the rivet has been largely replaced by welding and bolting as a connecting element in metal construction, it proves to be beneficial in the context of thin steel and aluminum plates, where quick, small, and strong connections are made possible, which do not require pre-heating or cause distortions as often encountered in welding. They are also generally less visible than bolts and can be shot quickly without requiring any further nuts or washers.