[Jon Stratis]

We use a mix of rivets and threaded fasteners. Most often rivets are used for gusset plates on structural members - a couple of rivets can do a great job holding things together when all the stress is sheer. Threaded fasteners are used for situations where things need to come apart by design (for example, the top half of our robot this year detached for transport in the trailer), or when they are holding something in tension, or when we simply can't afford the height of a bolt head.

We're also big proponents of rivet nuts (or whatever else people call them). They are ideal when you need to bolt something to some tubing but don't want to go all the way through the tubing, or when access to a nut is going to be difficult. It just takes a little practice to get used to installing them!

Removing a pop rivet is quick and easy with a drill, and inserting one with a rivet gun is even easier. I can't count the number of times something has been riveted together, then later had to be taken apart and put back together for some reason. It happens all the time!