Crimping
CRIMPING Crimping ensures electrical and mechanical connection of the wire to an item of equipment or to a connecting system by means of the end fitting. Crimping Tools Special crimping tools are needed to crimp a connecting device onto a wire. A properly crimped terminal provides a joint between the wire and the terminal as strong as the wire itself. The preferred crimping tool is a ratchet-type crimper that is periodically calibrated to ensure a consistent and proper crimp. When using a ratchet-type crimping tool, the handles of the tool will not release until the jaws have moved close enough together to properly compress the terminal barrel. Many crimping tool manufacturers are available (AMP, Buchanan, Burndy, Cannon, Daniels, Hughes, Raychem, etc.), who provide different types of crimping tools to be used with different types of connecting devices. Some have fixed locators, and the tools come in different sizes indicated by the color coding on the handle. Some tools have removable...