pic: 1058 PVC Pirates 2016 Robot: Low Expectations

[PVCMike]

I've been on 1058 for ever and have also used riv-nuts at work a lot. They're sometimes called nut-serts as well. They are super useful but there are some precautions to take. Similar to rivets they have an intended grip range so keep an eye on that. Additionally they are fairly sensitive to hole size so make sure you're using the correct drill. Lastly NO LOCTITE! The major risk with riv-nuts (which is almost completely eliminated with proper installation) is that if they come loose they can turn and that makes removal of the bolt a real challenge. Also you now have a useless riv-nut you need to drill out and replace. As Brendan said though they're really useful, eliminate a lot of wrenching, and make for nice compact assemblies. We really like them!