Clinching (metalworking)

Clinching also referred as "Press-Joining" is a bulk-sheet metal-forming process aimed at joining thin metal sheet without additional components, using special tools to plastically form an interlock between two or more sheets. The process is generally performed at room temperature but in some special cases the sheets can be pre-heated to improve the material ductility. Clinching is characterized by a series of advantages over competitive technologies:

• Reduced joining time (the joining time is less than a second);
• Reduced cost and weigh: the process does not involves additional elements such as screws of rivets or adhesives
• Reduced cost of the machine;
• No pre-holes are required;
• Can be adopted to join different materials including metals, polymers, composite and wood;
• Can be easily automated and does not require qualified workers;
• Eco-friendly: it does not require pre-treatments (solvents, acids, etc)
• the mechanical behavior of the metal material near the joint is generally improved since the work-hardening;
• Cleaness: the process does not produce flashes of fumes;
• Repeatibility;
• Flexibility: the same tools can be employed for a wide series of materials
• Reduced Joining Forces