Clinching Technique: clinching meaning and process

The clinching technique is an innovative process for the mechanical cold junction of sheet metal. It is based on the plastic deformation of the sheet metal you need to join, that is possible through the interaction between a punch and a die without the supplement of added material. The punch and the die, by punctual pressing of the sheet metals with a preconceived force that permits the penetration of the punch into the sheet metals, create a button that form the “point” of the junction and shape of which depends on the tool kit geometry..

Principal of function (types of the point)

The sheet metals pressed between the punch and the die get deform forcing the material to extend laterally up till they create a button. The “point” can be of the trapezoidal type or of the round type which are realized, respectively, with a trapezoidal punch and die or round punch and die.

  • Round point: the round point permits to realize a hermetic junction, with a resistance to uniform strain in every direction and with an excellent appearance.
    Clinching Meaning & Process: round point

    Clinching Meaning & Process: round point

  • Trapezoidal point: the trapezoidal point allows the union of the sheet metals even with a low ductility, moreover can be applied to the union of more than two layers of the metal plates.
Clinching Meaning & Process

Clinching Meaning & Process: trapezoidal point

Clinching tools for sheets of metal and hybrid materials junction

Jurado is a company based in Italy specialised in manufacturing clinching machines. The company was granted national and international patents for the design and development of innovative clinching tools and techniques. Jurado is exclusive manufacturer of all the patented clinching equipment and machines designed by our company (explore our products).

Jurado’s regular and custom clinghing solutions are available for your company worldwide. We also offer full assistance and a two-year warranty.

The technology of Jurado clinching tools

Our innovative technology aims to optimize manufacturing processes, in terms of costs reduction, improvement of safety, quality control, time optimization and environmental sustainability. Clinching technology and machines are a viable and innovative solution to replace traditional welding in many industrial fields.

  • About clinching

Clinching is a process in which sheets of various materials – mainly metals – are joint whithout the employment of additional elements, as opposed to traditional metal welding. Clinching technique does not need any additional fill or weld material: it doesn’t need pegs, screwes, rivets, bolts and nuts.

The mechanical junction betweet two or more sheets of metal is obtained through plastic deformation which is operated by a punch and a die (read more on Wikipedia).

Clinching technology is a result of an extraordinary breakthrough in industrial engineering.

It has been shown that two or more sheets of industrial material can be successfully fastened together by means of a tool that squeezes the two sheets between a punch and a die which exert a localized pressure. A certain intesity of pressure combined with particular geometrical shape and dimension of the clinghing tool determines the mechanical connection of the materials. The joint consists in a local interlock between the sheets of metal, formed by the clinching machine.

Clinching is still today subject of tireless researches and studies. The engineers at Jurado are committed to improve clinching processes and, therefore, machines in order to extend clinching technology to other industrial fields.

Clinching has undoubtedly become a revolutionary solution for manufacturing. Taking clinching performance to the next level is now a priority for those sectors which still have no other choice than to rely on traditional welding.

For this reason, Jurado has partenered with the Italian University of L’Aquila – Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics. Our company and the University agreed to follow up research and experimentation, by putting toghether brilliant engineer students and Jurado know how related to clinching tools.

As a result of this partnership, students are given scholarships and internships in the field of “Theoretical and experimental development of methods studies for analysis and improvement of the joining process by clinching “.

  • Clinching for metal sheets and other suitable materials

Clinching machines are suitable for fastening a wide range of different materials such as low carbon steels, hight strenghts steels, aluminium alloys, magnesium alloys, copper, titanium alloys, hybrid joints between metals and between metal and polymer.

Clinching can also be applied on metals with coated surface, such as galvanized sheet metal, plastic-coated and pre-painted. So far, plastic is not suitable for clinching process.

Clinching is an instant joining process and it doesn’t need heat assisted process. In order to achieve the best joining performance of clinching tools, we recommend not to employ metal sheet heat methods before the clinching.

  • Shape of Jurado clinching point

During clinching, sheets of metal are forced into the die by the punch. Under that mechanical pressure, sheets get deformed, flow laterally and create an interlock button. That is the joint between the two or more sheets of metal, obtained by clinching machines.

The button shape and performances vary according to the characteristics of the clinching tool applied. Jurado clinching technology relies on round and trapezoidal points.

The geometry of the die and punch of clinching machines is decidive in the junction process. In fact, the junction resistance mostly depends on the the clinching point shape and dimension. Hence, clinching tools and their interlock points should be carefully selected accordingly with the type of material and the thickness of the metal sheets. This guarantees the highest performance.

Round point allows to realize hermetic junction, with extraordinary uniform stress resistance in all directions and with a valuable aesthetic quality.

Trapezoidal point allows to join sheet metal with low ductility as stainless steel. It is highly recommended to clinch more than two metal sheets.

Jurado clinching tools application

Clinching is a reliable solution to join many types of sheet metal components. Clinching is a sort of  “unconventional welding technique”. As metalwork and welding afterwards have marked big revolutions in human culture, first, and industry, afterwards, clinching brings the world towards further progress and innovation among numerous sectors of industry.

 1.Automotive and transport

Clinching is becoming a huge trend in automotive, where it finds numerous applications, especially in automotive parts manufacturing. Nowadays clinching machines play a key role in component fabrication of means of transport and facilities, such as: vehicles, trains, railways, carriages, aircrafts, boats and ships.

Manufacturers and suppliers are even experimenting clinching as a solution for lightweight construction in aerospace, automotive and railway sectors.

2. Construction industry and civil engineering

Clinching tools are used to fabricate building machinery such as excavator, cranes, and all equipment applied to construction industry, whether for huge or little works

3. Agriculture equipment

Agriculture machinery is undergoing now a huge evolution, as the attention to environtment increase and sustainability is pursued in every industrial and economical sector. Clinching machines give a viable solution to agriculture equipment manufacturing.

4. Household appliances and electronics

Metal sheet junction is a recurring activity in the manufacturing of household appliances and electronics. Clinching is widely replacing welding techniques worldwide as far as metal components production process is concerned.

5. Mechanical engineering

The design and manufacturing of mechanical systems is getting increasingly oriented to innovative assembly technologies. Here is where this type of machines play a key role in the production of the various components and the junction of metal parts.

6. Medical engineering

This sector is among the most promising in current world industry. New technologies – such as clinching process – are the basis of the study, the design and implementation of new medical machinery destined to achieve a breakthrough in the world of health.

7. Energy production and chemicals

Clinching technology shows its highest performance in chemical industry and energy production, whether related to renewable or traditional resources like oil and gas. In this sector, metal sheets junction requires the highest standards: clinching tools achieve strong interlock junction that can resist to any wheather condition and to any chemical substance. That is exactly what the industry needs.

Jurado clinching tools: our products

Jurado designs a wide variety of scheet metal clinching machines, each suitable for specific materials and manufacturing sectors. Our clinching tool range can be mainly classified as static equipment and wireless equipment.

Our mobile sheet metal clinching machines are efficient, incredibly light and versatile. They suit any assembly process need, because they allow the operator perform the junction between two or more sheets of metal very quickly and with no effort, unlike the traditional welding techniques.

Our static clinching tool, instead, is suitable for the junction of thicker sheets of metal.

Here is a list of our patented exclusive products and the description of their features.

  • Static clinching tool

Jurado produces one static clinching machine able to perform interlock joints on big and thick metal sheets.

1. CB500 static clinching machine

Its peculiarity is a wide opening size of the punch and die. It is able to joint together large metal pieces. Moreover, it comes with a pneumatic pressure booster. The machine can be operated by two pedals. The CB500 clinching tool is able to perform both round and trapezoidal interlock points.

  • Mobile clinching tools

Jurado produces several mobile clinching machines with different features, each suitable for specific manufacturing purposes and processes.

1.Cobra

It is specifically designed to clinch complex sheets of metal. The manual opening system allows the operator to perform a solid interlock joint between two sheets with an irregular surface such as U-shaped pieces and corners. Thanks to its peculiar deisgn, Coba enables operate even with little space.

2.Mouse X60 – X22 – X 30

The Mouse system is a set of clinching tools which can be customized according to costumer’s needs: the size of the plier, punch and die features, the hydraulic thrust are customizable. The geometrical shape of the point can be round or trapezoidal according to specific purposes and metal sheets thickness. Mouse sheet metal clinching machines are provided both in the static and in the wireless version.

Mouse is a C-shaped plier, with the piston is placed on the same axis of the die. It is specifically designed to perform clinch interlock on corners and U-shaped profiles. It allows to joint think sheets of metal, up di 2 mm + 2 mm. It is a handy clinching tool thanks to its double handle which can be adjustable to front position, top and rear. Mouse X60 can be equipped with various types of tools and balancer torque.

3.Shark

It is a suspended compact machine installed on a gyroscope allowing to rotate the clinching machine over 360° to clinch metal sheets. It is particularly suitable to assemble components for ventilation and air channeling systems. It performs the trapezoidal points up to 3 sheets of 1.2 mm thickness and round points on 2 sheets with a thrust of 35 kN.

4.Python LA

This plier is able to perform points even in unaccessible areas. Thanks to its mechanical opening system of the head, the Python LA is able to overcome obstacles such as a folded edge and perform interlock points. A powerful clinching tool  with a clamping force of up to 35kn. It is  installed on a gyroscope support and can be equipped with tool kits for round and trapezoidal points and withdies with custom height and size.

5.Condor 2A

This machine acts through perforation: it cuts the sheet of metal on three sides, thus creating a flap that is folded on the underlying sheet. Its shape allows it to be easily used in the production of filters for air treatment systems. It is a great alternative to spot welding and the riveting and is particularly suitable for the joining of extremely thin sheet metal. The Condor 2A applications mainly are: air filters, refrigeration, household appliances.

6.Python

Portable light-wight sheet metal clinching machine. Thanks to its thrust of 35 kN can join together sheets of total thickness up to 3.6 mm. The hydraulic cylinder positioned off the axis of clinching and the elevated opening size make it a versatile machine capable of performing high-resistance points in a large number of situations. It can be equipped with tool kits for round and trapezoidal points and with dies of different height and size which enable it to achieve the best point for each of the sheet thickness.

7.Pirana

An extremely lightweight clinching machine able to assemble metal sheet up to a total thickness of 2.0 mm. Its lightness and compactness make it a versatile and flexible machine able to adapt to a great variety of work situations, thanks to the possibility to have the alignment of the head in three different configurations with respect to the axis of the handle: straight, staggered and 90 °. It is mainsly suitable for metal furniture manufacturing and refrigeration machines. It can be provided with a balancer dynamometer. It performs both round and trapezoidal points.

8.Mangusta

It is our first sheet metal clinching machine with a built-in pressure booster. It is a low-weight, versatile and flexible machine. It can be provided in three different geometrical configurations depending on the alignment of the head relative to the axis of the handle: with straight head, with head and offset with a 90 ° head. It can be equipped with torque balancer. It can perform both the trapezoidal point and the round point.