The fastener was developed specifically for applications requiring a high load-bearing threaded blind fastening with exceptional pull-out resistance, especially when used in thin-walled materials: and the fastener proved to be the ideal solution for mounting solar panels.
RIVKLE’s design is that of a rivet nut set into a special elastomer or thermoplastic material. As the fastener is inserted into a drilled hole in the host material it is held in place by unique clamping nodules mating to the surface of the host material until the threaded fastener attaching the solar panel is torqued up as required.
Since the metal part of the nut is only joined to the elastomer in the lower area of the RIVKLE fastener, as it is tightened a bulge forms on the head against the inner face of the solar panel host material. This feature not only helps to provide the required load distribution and pull-out resistance: it also ensures minimal deformation of the parent material, an adavantage which is almost impossible to achieve with some alternative joining methods.
Another key consideration that attracted the solar panel engineers to RIVKLE was that compared to using weld-nuts, the process is quick, clean and much easier to manage in-situ. In this case, the selection of hexagonal M10 RIVKLE fasteners permitted speedy installation and provided a secure, long lasting joint that will remain corrosion-free throughout the expected lifetime of the solar array.