Crimping Wires: The Do’s & Don’ts with Wire Harness Manufacturing
CRIMPING WIRES: THE DO’S & DON’TS WITH WIRE HARNESS MANUFACTURING
Crimping wires is a core function for all Wire Harness Manufacturers. Consequently, at Falconer Electronics we like to say that crimping wires with strict accuracy and precision is an art form.
Developing a highly skilled staff takes years. It requires a keen eye along with a steady presence and laser focus when crimping wires.
As terminals and connectors continue to decrease in size, crimping wires with precision demands skill, dedication and stamina.
Our team works closely with each customer to ensure that all crimped wires comply with industry standards and customer requirements.
Many factors contribute to crimping wires that meet rigorous industry standards.
Customers provide the necessary drawings and instructions with specific details for sizes, crimp height and pull strength.
Additionally, wire insulation and connector compatibility also both serve as critical functions for successfully crimping wires.
Above all, our goal is to ensure product integrity with electrical requirements on each and every wire harness assembly.
Crimping Wires to IPC Standards
Crimping Wires at Falconer Electronics
With over 30 years of experience in cable and wire harness assembly, crimping wires is a daily activity that our team takes tremendous pride in performing meticulously.
In a previous Wire Harness blog post, we discussed IPC Wire Harness Assembly standards.
The IPC/WHMA-A-620C serves as the only industry-consensus international Wire Harness Assembly Standard for the performance and acceptance of cable and wire harness assemblies.
As an IPC certified Wire Harness Manufacturer, Falconer Electronics strictly follows the IPC/WHMA-A-620: Requirements and Acceptance for Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies.
To learn more, click on these links below:
IPC = Association Connecting Electronics Industries: http://www.ipc.org/
WHMA = Wire Harness Manufacturing Association: http://whma.org/
Crimping Wires Do’s & Don’ts
The IPC/WHMA-A-620 standard provides the necessary guidance on crimping wires that are acceptable vs defective.
Here are a few examples of Wire Harness Assembly Do’s and Don’ts:
Crimping Wire Do’s:
- Insulation crimp tabs fully wrap as well as support insulation
- Insulation fully enters and extends past the insulation crimp tabs
- Prepared wires must also be in solid working condition — cannot be scraped, nicked, severed or damaged
- Wires retained in the connector
- Crimp indent is centered
- Insulation crimp must also provide a minimum side report of 180 degrees
Crimping Wire Don’ts:
- Wires should not be flattened, untwisted, buckled, kinked or otherwise deformed.
- Insulation should show no signs of pinching, pulling, fraying, discoloration, charring as well as burning.
- The insulation crimp also needs to fully support and wrap insulation without causing any damage or breaking the insulation.
- Broken insulation can expose wires causing safety issues as well as potential hazards.
- No cuts or breaks in the insulation
- Insulation also cannot be charred
- Insulation melted into the wire strands
- Wire not secured by crimp
- Contact has visible cracks and fractures
- No Birdcaging — in other words, no wire separation
However, these are just a handful of the requirements.
To learn more about the Wire Harness Manufacturer’s Association and A-620 Standards, please click here: http://whma.org/training-materials/a-620a-standards
Reference: IPC/WHMA — Requirements and Acceptance for Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies
Wrapping It Up
Lastly, to learn more about Wire Harness Manufacturing, check out these helpful links:
- Falconer Electronics’ Instant Wire Harness Estimator
- Wire Harness Manufacturing Terms, Tools, and Tips of the Trade
- Wiring Harness Assembly: The Official Resource Guide
In addition, check out these helpful links on Ground Straps:
