Wire crimping of terminals and contacts to specification
Wire crimping joins a prepared conductor to the terminal or contact defined by the project. Problems usually appear in the combination of terminal, real conductor cross-section and tooling applied, rather than in the terminal on its own. We coordinate the process by requiring that combination to be the right one, not the available one, and we check the batch received before delivering it.
What it involves
What wire crimping of terminals includes
Wire crimping of terminals is the process of joining a prepared conductor mechanically and electrically to a terminal or a contact through controlled deformation of its crimp zone. The sector also uses terms such as terminal crimping or crimp termination, and all of them designate the same operation. What decides the result is the combination: a terminal within the cross-section range of the conductor, deformed with the tooling that corresponds to that part number. With the wrong tool the assembly can look correct and measure well for continuity, and still degrade with vibration and thermal cycles.
- Conductor prepared with the cross-section and strip the part number asks for
- Terminal or contact within its cross-section range
- Tooling corresponding to the part number used
- Joint with no strands outside the crimp body
Process control
Verifiable points of terminals after wire crimping
The acceptance criterion is agreed in writing before the order and depends on the part number, the terminal chosen and the assigned manufacturer.
- Acceptance criterion recorded before the order is launched
- Crimped sample validated when the part number is new or has changed
- What is checked on the batch received and to what extent
- Consistency throughout the batch, not only in the first units
- What is done if a unit falls outside the agreed criterion
- Destructive tests only if expressly agreed in the quote
How this process is coordinated
How wire crimping of terminals is coordinated
The consistency between conductor, terminal and tooling is checked before accepting the order, not after.
We review the combination
We check that the terminal or contact chosen corresponds to the real cross-section of the conductor and that tooling exists for that part number.
We coordinate with the manufacturer
The assigned manufacturer confirms that it has the right tool for that specific part number before the order is accepted.
We validate a sample where appropriate
A crimped sample is validated before launching a quantity, with the possibility of reviewing it with you.
We check the batch received
Sampling verification of the batch according to the criterion agreed in the quote, before delivering it or moving on to assembly.
Where the failure originates
Where wire crimping of terminals fails
These four variables are settled in the quote; leaving them open is the usual cause of irregular terminations.
Prepared conductor
It arrives from cutting and stripping with a real cross-section and a specific strip length. A short strip leaves little conductor inside the terminal; a long one leaves copper exposed outside.
Terminal or contact
The terminal finishes a free end; the contact is crimped the same way but is afterwards housed in a connector. In both cases the part number must cover the cross-section range of the conductor.
Tooling for the part number
Each terminal part number has its own tool. A universal tool produces a deformation that does not correspond to the design of the terminal. The manufacturer that carries out the crimping supplies and applies it.
Control criterion
What is checked on the batch and to what extent. Without an agreed criterion, a deviating setting is detected when the whole batch has already been made.
Related information
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What this process actually covers
Wire crimping of terminals is carried out by manufacturers in our network selected for each project; Justicia Marin defines the requirement with you, coordinates the supply and verifies the batch received. We have no workshop, machinery or laboratory of our own, and we issue no certifications: certificates are those of the manufacturer or supplier that carries out the process. The specific means available and the level of control that can be achieved are confirmed in writing in the quote before the order. We do not carry out standardised destructive crimp tests (metallographic sections, certified pull tests) unless expressly agreed with the manufacturer for a specific project and reflected in the quote.
Questions about the process
Wire crimping: frequently asked questions
- Why is the crimping tool so important?
- Because every terminal is designed for a specific deformation of the crimp zone. The tool prescribed by the terminal manufacturer delivers that deformation; a universal pair of pliers does not. A wrongly crimped connection can first measure well and then degrade through vibration and temperature changes. That is why wire crimping is checked for the combination of terminal, conductor and tool before the order.
- What is the difference between a terminal and a contact?
- A terminal finishes a free end, for example for a screw connection. A contact is crimped in the same way but is afterwards placed in a connector housing. In both cases the part number must match the conductor cross-section and the correct tool must be used.
- How is a crimped connection checked?
- According to the agreed criterion: visual inspection of the position of conductor and insulation, crimp height, a pull test on a sample and, only if expressly agreed, a micro-section. References such as IPC/WHMA-A-620 help to fix what is acceptable. The tests are carried out by the manufacturer; we review the records.
- Can I supply the terminals myself?
- That is possible, if the part number is known and the manufacturer has the matching tool. We check beforehand that terminal and cross-section fit together. It is often simpler to have the terminals supplied with the job, so that responsibility for the whole combination lies with one party.
- Who crimps the cables?
- A manufacturer that we select based on the terminals, the cross-sections, the volume and the checks requested, and that has the right tooling. Justicia Marin fixes the requirement with you, coordinates the sample and checks the batch received. We have no crimping machines or workshop of our own.
- Is soldering an alternative to crimping?
- Sometimes, for example with certain circuit board connections or connectors with solder cups. For most industrial assemblies, however, crimping is more repeatable and better resistant to vibration. The choice follows from the drawing and the design of the connector; we discuss it with you before the operation is fixed.
- Which data do you need?
- The cross-section and construction of the conductor, the part number of the terminal or contact, the strip length, the quantity, the checks wanted and any acceptance criteria. With a drawing or a crimped sample we can check the combination fastest and prepare a suitable quote.
Doubts about terminal and tooling?
Tell us the cross-section and terminal part number.
We check that the combination is consistent and, if it is not, we propose the correct terminal before you buy.
What you can send us
- Bill of materials or part numbers (Excel, PDF or text)
- Drawing or schematic for custom assemblies (PDF, DXF or similar)
- Estimated quantity and expected repeat orders
- Your priority: competitive price, certification or lead time
- Required standards or documentation
- Target delivery date
Tell us what you need to buy
We reply within 1 working day.