What is a Crimping Tool and How Are They Used?

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If you want to join connectors and cables, then you need to know about crimping.

But how do you crimp, and what type of tool do you need to do it?

In this post, we'll go into what crimping is and which tool you'll need to get your job done.

What is crimping and what is a crimping tool?

Crimping is a way of joining pieces of metal or other ductile material by deforming one or both of the pieces to hold the other, and this deformity is known as the "crimp". A crimping tool is the tool used to deform the material and create the connection.

Crimping is commonly used in electrical work, to attach wires together or wire to other connectors. "Crimp connectors" is the general name for the fittings that attach to the wire using this method, which usually have an insulated sleeve attached to a metal connector.

The purpose of the crimping tool is to form a secure connection that is properly sealed from any gas or moisture, preventing shortages or faulty electrical connections. It allows electricians to form a solderless connection between two wires, or to terminate a strand of wire.

Crimping is also used in manufacturing, by mechanics and engineers who crimp a wide range of different things.

How to use a crimping tool

To start crimping, you will need the following:

• Wire

• Connector

• Wire Stripper

• Crimping Tool

Here's how to use a crimping tool:

1. Strip the insulation from your wire to leave enough room for the crimp connector to slip onto the end. You can use a wire stripper for this.

2. Twist the end of the wire to make the end firmer and allow for a better connection.

3. Insert the connector into the crimping tool and gently hold it.

4. Insert the wire into the crimping connector, then firmly apply pressure. If using a ratchet crimping tool, it will release automatically when the crimp is made, so you likely won't have to squeeze as hard.

5. You can test a bad crimp by pulling apart the connector and wire to see if it fails. It's always better for a crimp to fail before you've installed it, than afterwards.

What types of crimping tool are there?

There are many different types of crimping tools, all with different uses.

Here are the main types:

Bootlace crimping tool

Designed to crimp bootlace ferrules/crimps, which are metal tubes attached to a colour-coded insulation collar.

They're often used in screw terminals to stop multiple core wires from splitting and can handle a range of popular wire sizes.

Choose a high leverage one, such as the Maun Bootlace Ferrule Crimper, to get a good crimp without tiring out your hand. You can also choose the plier version to crimp a wider range of sizes.

Thin cable precision crimping tool

When you're working with thin cables, you don't have much margin for error, which is why traditional hand crimping tools can create problems.

The solution to this is to use a crimping tool with a ratchet feature, such as this one, that helps to control the crimp to remove human error from the process, ensuring a good crimp every time, even with smaller cables.

Crimping tool for QM & IP68 connectors

These tools are designed to crimp QM connectors and IP68 connectors, which are ideal for mains control lead connections, as well as small transmission systems.

This tool can handle QM connectors up to 24 AWG wire size and IP68 connectors up to 28 AWG wire size, making it a versatile choice.

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Crimping tool for splice connectors

If you're looking to crimp splices, either gel-filled or butt splice connectors, then you need a proper tool for it, as opposed to a generic crimping tool.

This Scotchlok&#; Crimping Plier handles both Scotchlok&#; 8A and 8B splice connectors, and has a return spring to make it easier to handle.

Crimping tool for coaxial cable

Coaxial cable is a type of transmission line used to carry high-frequency signals, such as broadband internet, and has an inner conductor cable surrounded by a conducting shield, making it difficult to crimp.

Crimping tools for this type of cable tend to come in different categories depending on the coaxial cable impedance (calculated in Ohms Ω), so make sure to get one that matches your cable type.

Here are some suggestions:

Can you crimp wires with pliers?

No, you can't crimp with pliers, because they won't create the proper cold weld connection that a crimping tool will. A poor crimp can result in air and moisture getting inside the connection, which can lead the connection to fail. Instead, invest in a specialist crimping tool.

Which is the best crimping tool?

The best crimping tools are manufactured by Maun because:

• They have been specifically designed for different crimping connectors.

• They are engineered and made in England to produce secure joints.

• They offer high leverage action so you have to use less pressure.

• Maun has a long history &#; they've been producing tools since .

Is it better to crimp or solder?

Crimping usually offers a stronger and more reliable connection than soldering, because soldering can degrade over time, and crimping is generally easier to do. It's a lot easier to crimp when you're in a hard-to-reach place, such as reaching wiring in a ceiling or under floorboards.

How do you undo a crimp?

It's almost impossible to undo a crimp, and if you do, the second crimp is likely to be unreliable and may degrade over time. Your best option is to cut the wire, and then extend it if it's now too short.

Conclusion

We hope you found our article about crimpers and how they are used useful. If you have any questions, we're always available for comment.

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Wire harnesses vary from different working systems, but the process generally requires electrical wires, connectors, wire terminals, and other tools. Wire crimping is one of the essential steps in wire harnesses. It is a process of joining wires to wires or wires to terminals to produce an electrical circuit and deliver the electricity to other equipment.

To crimp wires perfectly, you need to choose the right tools for different terminals. And you&#;ll learn how to choose the correct tools for good wire crimping in this post.

What is a Wire Crimping Tool?

Wire crimping tool is often used in electrical works to make a joint between two wires or attach the wire to other connectors. They commonly come in different shapes and sizes, but the basic function of these crimping tools is to create a reliable connection. Instead of soldering, electrical crimps make the joint mechanically stronger and more flexible. So, how to choose the right crimping tool for your electrical work? Read on the article.

How to Choose the Best Wire Crimping Tool?

An electrician professional needs the right tool to get their work well done. A wrong tool may make you frustrated as your work needs to be done again later. A DIYer also needs a good wire crimping tool to create an electrical system.

There are different types of wire crimping tools on the market, and here we&#;ll introduce two mainly used crimping tools. They may have slight differences, and here we&#;ll dive into the detailed information about them. These two types of wire crimping tools are classified based on the terminal types. So, before knowing the types of wire crimping tools, you need to understand different types of terminals.

Wire terminals are very common in electrical applications, and wire ferrules (also known as bootlace terminals) are often used in Europe. There are many terminal designs including electrical ring terminals, spade terminals, hook terminals, butt terminals, bullet terminals, pin terminals, and so on.

Pin terminals are very similar to wire ferrules, so what&#;s the difference between them? Wire terminals are crimped on the insulation and the central area has a diameter smaller than the wire. In comparison, wire ferrules are crimped on the end of the terminal, and the central area has a diameter larger than the wire. Pin terminals are suitable for some terminal block applications, and wire ferrules can be more suitable for industrial applications.

A terminal crimper is very functional as it can crimp many kinds of wire terminals, including ring, spade, and butt terminals. It is often labelled with AWG on the body or grip, allowing you to crimp terminals with different AWGs.

Tips: When selecting the crimping tool, consider the wire size. What is AWG? The full name of AWG is American Wire Gauge. It was first introduced in to unify the measurement of the cable wire. In general, the larger the number of AWG, the smaller the wire diameter. For example, 16 AWG wire is thinner than 10 AWG wire.

Terminal Crimper

Take a look at VCELINK terminal crimper; it is an all-in-one crimping tool that combines the function of wire cutting, stripping, and crimping. The tool can crimp 10-22 AWG insulated and non-insulated terminals and strip 10-24 AWG wires. It can also help easily cut copper, aluminum, or steel wires. It is a must-have tool for electrician engineers who often work with electrical cables and homeowners who often do DIY projects.

VCELINK GJ710

Features:

• Non-slip grip with ergonomic design for easy use
• Double-sided spring, helping save labor
• Suitable for stripping 10-24 AWG wires, crimping 10-22 AWG insulated and non-insulated terminals, cutting different types of wires
• Can adjust the stripping length and force
• Features different notches that correspond to different wire gauges
• Easy to use for both novices and professionals

Ferrule Crimper

Ferrule crimpers are a bit different from terminal crimpers. They are used to crimp stranded copper wires with ferrules. A ferrule crimper can be generic as it can help crimp various ferrules. And almost all ferrule crimpers look the same except for the shape of the crimp. This functional tool is ideal for electricians and DIY hobbyists to make reliable electrical connections in different terminal projects, including car audio and speaker wiring. Look at this VCELINK ferrule crimper.

VCELINK GJ709

Features:

• Suitable for insulated and non-insulated ferrules from 10 to 23 AWG
• Non-slip design for easy use
• Ratchet self-adjusting design to adjust the pressure according to different terminal sizes
• Nickel plating for corrosion- and wear-resistance

Final Thoughts

Though you can even crimp electrical wires without a crimping tool, choosing the proper crimper for different terminals allows for an efficient and quick crimp. And there are two various crimping tools for different terminals, you can choose either one based on your own needs.

For more information on this topic, you can keep up on our blogs. While VCELINK offers general and basic information for our customers and other visitors to the website, it&#;s not professional advice.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Terminal Crimping Machine. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.