In-mold automated riveting technology for silver contacts: a technological innovation in the manufacturing of precision electrical contact components.

In the manufacturing of low-voltage electrical appliances, relays, switches, and connectors, the reliable connection between silver contacts and copper-based springs is crucial for ensuring the electrical performance and mechanical lifespan of products. Traditional riveting processes rely heavily on manual feeding and single-machine riveting, resulting in low efficiency, poor consistency, and high labor costs. To overcome this bottleneck, In-Die Riveting technology has emerged. By automatically feeding silver contacts into a progressive die and simultaneously completing high-precision riveting during the forming process, it achieves integrated manufacturing of Electrical Contact Stamping and functional integration. This technology not only significantly improves production efficiency but also substantially enhances the quality stability of Silver Contact Riveted Copper Stamping Parts.

 

The core of in-die silver contact riveting lies in "completing functional assembly simultaneously with stamping." The typical process flow is as follows: copper strip (usually T2 red copper or C11000 electrolytic copper) undergoes blanking, punching, bending, and forming processes sequentially through a multi-station progressive die; at a specific station, pre-formed silver contacts (such as AgSnO₂, AgNi, etc.) are precisely fed into the die positioning groove by a vibratory feeder or linear feeding system; subsequently, a special riveting punch presses the silver contacts into the pre-punched holes of the spring sheet during the downward movement of the press, achieving mechanical locking through plastic deformation to form a firm connection. The entire process requires no manual intervention, and the cycle time can reach 60–300 times per minute, far exceeding that of traditional step-by-step riveting.