In this work, the process of clinching was studied through practical experiments and also by computer simulation using finite element method (FEM). The influence of different joint geometries and process parameters on the strength of joints joined by clinching was studied. Subsequently, a practical study with the aim of comparing its results with FEM results was carried out. It was possible to observe that the geometry of the clinching tool and the choice of process parameters influence the interlocking strength. FEM simulations showed similar results to the practical experiments and also avoided the manufacture of different tools and the accomplishment of several experiments.

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