Quality Crimping Handbook QUALITY CRIMPING HANDBOOK Order No: ATS-638000029 Revision: C Release Date: 09-04-03 Revision Date: 09-12-06 UNCONTROLLED COPY Page 1 of 23
Quality Crimp Handbook Table of Contents SECTION 1 Introduction 2 Purpose 3 Scope 4 Definitions 5 Associated Materials 6 Procedure 7 Measurement 8 Process Control 9 Trouble Shooting 10 Wire Gauge Chart Order No: ATS-638000029 Revision: C Release Date: 09-04-03 Revision Date: 09-12-06 UNCONTROLLED COPY Page 2 of 23
Quality Crimp Handbook SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION TO CRIMP TECHNOLOGY Developed to replace the need to solder terminations, crimping technology provides a high quality connection between a terminal and a wire at a relatively low applied cost. The methods for applying crimp terminations depend on the application and volume, and range from hand-held devices to fully automated systems.
Quality Crimp Handbook SECTION 2 PURPOSE This handbook provides general guidelines and procedures for understanding and achieving acceptable crimp terminations. A glossary in Section 4 lists common terms and definitions. Section 4 lists the tools that are necessary to take accurate measurements and evaluate the crimp’s acceptability. The tooling setup is critical in determining the quality of the finished crimp.
Quality Crimp Handbook SECTION 3 SCOPE This handbook is intended for Molex customers who are crimping Molex open barrel crimp terminals and are using Molex tooling, primarily in semiautomatic or automatic wire processing termination methods. The handbook’s contents may slightly differ from other connector manufacturers’ guidelines or individual company procedures. This handbook provides a basic overview of what to look for in an acceptable crimp.
Quality Crimp Handbook BEND UP SECTION 4 BELL MOUTH BRUSH ROLLING SEAM CONDUCTOR CRIMP INSULATION CRIMP TWISTING STRIP LENGTH BEND DOWN CUT-OFF TAB TERMINAL CROSSSECTION VIEW EXTRUSIONS CRIMP HEIGHT EXTRUSION EXTRUSION Figure 4-1 DEFINITIONS Anatomy of a Crimp Termination (Figure 4-1) Bell Mouth (Flare) The flare that is formed on the edge of the conductor crimp acts as a funnel for the wire strands.
Quality Crimp Handbook insulation crimp, and that no insulation is crimped under the conductor crimp. The insulation position is set by the wire stop and strip length for bench applications. For automatic wire processing applications, the insulation position is set by the in/out press adjustment. situations, a tool is setup to provide a cut-off tab that is flush to one material thickness.
Quality Crimp Handbook that may build up on the stripped conductor and the tinplating on the inside of the terminal grip. This is necessary to provide a good metal-to-metal contact. If this does not occur, resistance can increase. Over-crimping a crimp termination will reduce the circular area of the conductor and increase resistance. Pull force testing is also a good indicator of problems in the process.
Quality Crimp Handbook SECTION 5 ASSOCIATED MATERIALS Caliper A gauge, consisting of two opposing blades, used for measuring linear dimensional attributes. Ruler (Pocket Scale) This is used to estimate the five-piece measurement of bell mouth, cut-off tab, conductor brush, wire position, and strip length. The recommended maximum resolution is 0.50mm (.020”).
Quality Crimp Handbook SECTION 6 11. PROCEDURES Tool Setup (Reference Procedures Flow Chart) 1. Check that tooling is clean and not worn. If necessary, clean and replace worn tooling. 2. Disconnect power to the press and remove guarding devices. 3. Install the appropriate tooling into the press. 4. Load terminals into the tooling so that the first terminal is located over the anvil. 5. Manually cycle the press to help ensure a complete cycle can be made without interference.
Quality Crimp Handbook PROCEDURES FLOW CHART Start A Evaluate tooling to ensure it is clean and not worn No Wire processin Replace tooling / clean Yes Disconnect power and remove necessary guards Adjust press position Install tooling into the press Set shut height of the press Load terminals into tooling Remove tooling from the press Not Good Bench press Disconnect power and remove necessary guards Evaluate insulation position Adjust wire stop Align tooling Conductor crimp height OK? No A
Quality Crimp Handbook upper specification limit is set so CP and CpK are equal. High pull force readings that increase the standard deviation can lower CpK even if the mean and lowest reading are increased. SECTION 7 MEASUREMENT Pull Force Testing 1. Cut wire length approximately 152.00mm (6.00”) long. 2. Strip one end to 13.00mm (.500”), or long enough so no wire insulation is under the insulation grip, or loosen the insulation crimp so it has no grip on the insulation of the wire. 3.
Quality Crimping Handbook Figure 7-1 PULL TESTING Figure 7-3 CALIPER Figure 7-2 CRIMP MICROMETER Order No 63800-0029 Revision: A Release Date: 09-04-03 Revision Date: 09-04-03 UNCONTROLLED COPY Page 13 of 23
Quality Crimp Handbook SECTION 8 CRIMP PROCESS CONTROL The crimp process is the interaction of a terminal, wire, tooling, personnel, methods and procedures, and environmental attributes. When this process is controlled, it will produce a quality termination. Quality control is an important part of quality crimping. It should not take excessive setup or inspection time to do, and it can save a harness manufacturer thousands of dollars in potential rework or re-manufacturing.
Quality Crimp Handbook Production Before the tool is ready for production, the level of capability needs to be established. Many harness manufacturers run only a few hundred or few thousand wires at one time. In this case, it is not practical or economical to run a twenty-five-piece capability with every set-up. sensible way to manage a manufacturing process is to understand, monitor and reduce sources of variability that are inherent to the process itself.
Quality Crimp Handbook SECTION 9 TROUBLE SHOOTING Wire Preparation Symptom Irregular insulation cut (Figure 9-1) Cut or nicked strands (Figure 9-2) Irregular conductor cut-pulled strands (Figure 9-3) Wire length variability too high (Figure 9-4) Wrong strip length (Figure 9-4) Figure 9-1 IRREGULAR INSULATION CUT Figure 9-3 PULLED STRANDS Order No: ATS-638000029 Revision: C Release Date: 09-04-03 Revision Date: 09-12-06 Cause Worn tooling Wire cut depth too shallow Damaged tooling Cut depth too deep Co
Quality Crimp Handbook Bell Mouth and Cut-off Tab Length Symptom Low pull force (Figure 9-6 and 9-7) Cut or nicked strands (Figure 9-8) Long cut-off tab (Figure 9-9) Cause Excessive bell mouth, no cut-off tab Excessive bell mouth, cut-off tab alright No bell mouth and/or excessive cut-off tab Good bell mouth and excessive cut-off tab Figure 9-5 OPTIMAL CRIMP Solution Adjust track position for small cut-off tab Check for worn or incorrect punch tooling and replace Adjust track position Check for camber in
Quality Crimp Handbook Conductor Brush and Insulation Position Figure 9-10 INSULATION UNDER CONDUCTOR CRIMP, GOOD CONDUCTOR BRUSH Figure 9-12 INSULATION UNDER CONDUCTOR CRIMP, SHORT OR NO CONDUCTOR BRUSH Figure 9-11 INSULATION UNDER CONDUCTOR CRIMP, CONDUCTOR BRUSH TOO LONG Figure 9-14 CONDUCTOR BRUSH TOO SHORT Figure 9-13 CONDUCTOR BRUSH TOO LONG Figure 9-16 INSULATION UNDER INSULATION CRIMP, CONDUCTOR BRUSH TOO SHORT Figure 9-15 INSULATION UNDER INSULATION CRIMP, CONDUCTOR BRUSH TOO LONG Insulatio
Quality Crimp Handbook Insulation Crimps Figure 9-17 PREFFERRED INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-18 PREFFERRED INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-20 ACCEPTABLE INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-22 MARGINAL INSULATION CRIMP Order No: ATS-638000029 Revision: C Release Date: 09-04-03 Revision Date: 09-12-06 Figure 9-19 ACCEPTABLE INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-21 MARGINAL INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-23 MARGINAL INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-24 MARGINAL INSULATION CRIMP UNCONTROLLED COPY Page 19 of 23
Quality Crimp Handbook Crimp Height Symptom Crimp height off target (Figure 9-26) Crimp height variability too high (Figure 9-27) Cause Changed wire type vendor or stranding Changed insulation color or durometer Changed crimp tooling Changed crimp press (shut height) Changed press type (manufacturer) Changed terminal reel (lot code) Changed tooling set-up Damaged or worn tooling Wire variability Terminal variability Damaged, loose or worn tooling Measurement error Terminal spring-back too great, over cri
Quality Crimp Handbook Pull Force Symptom Wire breaks before conductor crimp - low pull force (Figure 9-29) Wire pulls out of conductor grip - low pull force (Figure 9-29) Cause Cut or nicked strands Crimp height too low Small or no bell mouth Insulation crimp through insulation wall Crimp height too high Small or no conductor brush Conductor bell mouth too big Gold terminal application Terminal material thickness too small Light serrations on terminal Solution Check the stripping process Adjust crimp he
Quality Crimp Handbook SECTION 10 AWG 8 8 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 14 14 14 14 14 16 16 16 16 16 16 18 18 18 18 18 18 20 20 20 20 20 20 22 Order No: ATS-638000029 Revision: C Wire Area Sq. mm Sq. inch 8.302 .01287 7.820 .01212 7.955 .01233 8.605 .01334 8.513 .01319 8.424 .01306 5.261 .00816 4.740 .00735 5.006 .00776 5.320 .00825 3.308 .00513 3.632 .00563 3.085 .00478 3.294 .00511 3.3118 .00514 2.082 .00323 2.270 .00352 1.941 .00301 2.078 .00322 2.112 .00327 1.308 .00203 1.433 .00222 1.229 .
Quality Crimp Handbook AWG 22 22 22 24 24 24 24 24 26 26 26 26 28 28 28 30 30 30 32 32 32 Wire Area Sq. mm Sq. inch .355 .00055 .382 .00059 .329 .00051 .205 .00032 .227 .00035 .201 .00031 .241 .00037 .200 .00031 .128 .00020 .141 .00022 .127 .00020 .154 .00024 .080 .00012 .089 .00014 .093 .00014 .051 .00008 .057 .00009 .060 .00009 .032 .00005 .034 .00005 .039 .00006 Stranding No. Dia. 7 .0100 19 .0063 26 .0050 1 .0201 7 .0080 10 .0063 19 .0050 41 .0031 1 .0159 7 .0063 10 .0050 19 .0040 1 .0126 7 .0050 19 .
