What is Crimp in Wire Harnesses and Cable Assemblies

 What is a wire or cable crimp?

Crimping involves using a crimping tool to install a connector on the end of a cable. The process begins by placing the connector into the crimping tool. Next, the bare wire is placed into the connector at the end of the cable. The final step requires the installer to squeeze the handle of the crimping tool to attach the connector to the cable.

 

Why is it important to have a good quality crimp?

High-quality crimps form airtight joints, which are created by compressing specially designed splice strips or crimp terminals with electrical components such as cables and wires. The resulting terminals cause the strands in the wire to be reshaped to form a solderless electrical connection with low resistance.

 

The joints must be gas-tight to protect the metal from corrosion by moisture and oxygen. They must also be strong, with individual joints that are not broken or segmented. The crimping process also creates microconnections in the wire that allow current to pass through the connection. When crimping wires, it is important to avoid over-tightening, as this reduces the cross-section of the wire. In addition, crimping errors (such as incorrect wire ratios or insufficient tightening) can lead to burnouts or hot spots. A high quality crimp will last up to ten years or more.

 

Crimp Quality Standards

Crimp quality specifications have only one requirement in common: they must meet the crimp height and width specifications required by the terminal manufacturer.

 

With respect to crimp height, the A-260 specification is the only one that allows optional crimp height measurements, and these measurements are only optional when the crimp involves a tensile test. Both the A-260 and VW specifications require the use of a micrometer with a blade and tip. This helps minimize the risk of flash affecting height measurements.

 

Crimping

Crimping connects a contact to a wire by applying pressure. This process relies on a crimping tool to form the connection as the handles of the tool are squeezed together to connect the wire to the contact. Crimping is best suited for applications that require consistent durability under harsh conditions.

 

Some specific advantages of crimping include.

Crimping is quick and easy, and can be automated with a crimping machine or handled manually with a crimping tool

Creates a gas-tight connection between the cable and connector to create a consistently reliable joint

Higher consistency compared to soldering

However, crimping has one potential drawback: it requires tooling specifically for connector contacts, which can be costly.

 

Soldering

Soldering is a traditional method of terminating wires and is more cost-effective than crimping. The process involves heating, melting, and then cooling an alloy containing tin, silver, brass, or lead into a solder cup to bond the contacts to the wire. Industrial and general-purpose applications that require reliable power and signal connections typically use soldering rather than crimping.

 

While soldering offers certain benefits, such as affordability, some of the disadvantages of soldering include

Soldering can cause damage by generating heat in connectors, contacts and cables

It is less resistant to vibration and corrosion

The process takes more time to complete than crimping

 

The crimping process offers several benefits that make it a favorable option for soldering.Mao Jia Plastic Electronics, a professional cable harness manufacturer offers a variety of custom solutions for electronic wire and cable products. We have provided excellent products for a wide range of applications, so if you have a need for a custom cable harness, please contact us!