Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook

INDUSTRIAL CRIMP QUALITY

HANDBOOK
Order No. 64016-0065

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook

Table of Contents

SECTION

1 Introduction to Crimp Technology

2 Purpose and Scope

3 Definitions and Terms

4 Associated Materials

5 Terminal Description
5.1. Features of Solderless Terminals
5.2. Barrel Serration/Dimples
5.3. Barrel Styles
5.4. Splices

6 Procedures
6.1. Preparing the Wire
6.2. Setup and Operation of a Press
6.3. Setup and Operation of a Hand Crimp Tool
6.4. Setup and Operation of a Air Powered Crimp Tool
6.5. Crimping Dies

7 Quality Crimps
7.1. Visual Inspection of OPEN BARREL Crimps
7.2. Visual Inspection of CLOSED BARREL Crimp

8 Importance of Proper Crimping

8.1. Conditions
8.2. Testing
8.3. Final Tensile Value
8.4. Electrical Resistance
8.5. Crimp joints

9 Miscellaneous

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SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION TO CRIMP TECHNOLOGY

Developed to replace the need to solder terminations, crimping technology provides a high quality connection
between a terminal and a wire at a relatively low applied cost. The methods for applying crimp terminations depend
on the application, volume, and range from hand-held devices to fully automated systems.

The application methods include a basic hand tool, a press and die set, a stripper crimper, or a fully automatic wire
processing system. However, no matter what method is used, the setup of each tool is critical for achieving a
quality crimp.

Today, many OEM companies are using Statistical Process Control (SPC) to continuously improve their crimp
terminations. Crimp termination is a complex process and to ensure consistent quality it is necessary to understand
the variability and inter-relational interactions that the technology involves.

Without a thorough understanding of the crimping process, and all the factors that can affect it, the result may not
meet expectations. The three key elements in the crimping process are the terminal, the wire, and the tooling.

Terminal

For most applications, it is not economically practical for connector manufacturers to design a terminal to accept
one wire size, one wire stranding, and one insulation diameter (UL type) as well as Mil Specification. Most
terminals accommodate many wire sizes, stranding, and a range of insulation diameters, and the terminals are
designed to meet acceptable levels over this entire range.

Wire

The wire stranding and insulation type can vary widely within one wire size. For example, there is more than 18%
more material in an 18 AWG by 19-strand wire than an 18 AWG by 16-strand wire. The insulation diameter of an
18 AWG wire can range from 1.78mm (.070") to over 4.57mm (.180"). Wire strands can be copper, tinned, over
coated, or top coated. Wire insulation materials, thickness, and durometers vary from application to application.

Tooling

What type of tooling does the application require? Does the application require hand stripping of the wire or does
the volume dictate an automatic wire-stripping machine? Does the application and volume require hand tools,
press and die, or fully automatic wire process machines? Crimping with a manual hand tool, semi-automatic press
and die, or fully automatic wire processor, all involve different levels of variability. The terminal, wire, and type of
application tooling all affect the quality of the completed terminations.

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SECTION 2
PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Purpose
This handbook provides general guidelines and procedures for understanding and achieving acceptable crimp
terminations. A glossary in Section 3 lists common terms and definitions. Section 4 lists the tools that are
necessary to take accurate measurements and evaluate the crimp's acceptability.

For open barrel only, the tooling setup is critical in determining the quality of the finished crimp. The attributes that
need to be considered include crimp height, conductor brush, bell mouth, cut-off tab and strip length and insulation
position. Variability in one or more of these attributes can reduce the measured pull force. It can be difficult to
establish acceptable variability limits because the attributes all interact with one another.

For example, a track adjustment for bell mouth also will change the cut-off tab length and the insulation wire
position while strip length and wire locations affect the conductor brush and insulation position. Adjusting the
insulation crimp height may result in a slight change to the conductor crimp height measurement. It may be
necessary for the setup person to make multiple adjustments to establishing an optimal setup.

The order in which a setup is done may help reduce the number of repetitions required for an optimum setup.

This handbook is structured so that parts, or all, of its contents can be used as a procedural guide for ISO
requirements.

Scope

This handbook is intended for Molex customers who are crimping Molex open and closed barrel crimp
terminals and are using Molex tooling.

The handbook's contents may slightly differ from other connector manufacturers' or individual company guidelines
and procedures.

This handbook provides a basic overview of what to look for in an acceptable crimp. It is not intended to replace
individual product and/or tooling specifications.

Individual terminals or applications may have special requirements. Tooling limitations also may not permit an
attribute to be adjusted to meet optimum requirements.

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SECTION 3
 Circular Mil (CM)
DEFINITIONS AND TERMS A unit of area used to indicate wire size. It is the
computed total cross sectional area of conductors.
 AWG One circular mil equals cross-sectional area of a
Acronym for American Wire Gauge. It is the most wire one mil (0.001 inches) in diameter.
popular of many systems for designating single, CMA – acronym for Circular Mil Area
round, solid, non-steel wire diameter in United
States of America. Stranded wires are designated  CMA
based on comparison of their total cross-sectional Acronym for Circular Mil Area
area of the conductor part only (their current carrying
capacity) and cross-sectional area of a  Contact Area
corresponding solid wire. It is the area in contact between two conductors, or a
conductor and a connector permitting the flow of
 Barrel electricity.
It is the back end portion of a terminal or contact. It
is crimped to the conductor, insulation, or both.  Conductor Brush BRUSH
When designed to receive the conductor, it is called The conductor
the conductor barrel. When designed to support or brush is made up
grip the insulation, it is called the insulation barrel. of the wire strands
that extend past CONDUCTOR
 Bell Mouth the conductor BARREL
This is the undisturbed portion of the conductor barrel on the
barrel nearest the insulation crimp. It is the result contact side of the terminal. This helps ensure that
from the actual crimping, which acts as a funnel for mechanical compression occurs over the full length
the wires and reduces the possibility of a sharp edge of the conductor crimp. The conductor brush should
on the barrel cutting or nicking the wires. not extend into the contact area.

 Bend Test  Conductor Crimp

One way to test the insulation crimp is by bending This is the metallurgical compression of a terminal
the wire several times and then evaluating the around the wire's conductor. This connection
movement of the insulation and wire strands. As a creates a common electrical path with low
rule, the insulation crimp should withstand the wire resistance and high current carrying capabilities.
being bent 60 to 90 degrees in any direction, several
times. Use care when working with small wire sizes  Conductor Crimp Height (Open Barrel Crimps)
so the wire at the back of the insulation crimp does The conductor crimp height is measured from the
not shear. top surface of the formed crimp to the bottom radial
surface. Do not include the extrusion points in this
 Butt Splice measurement. Measuring crimp height is a quick,
It is a device to join two conductors, end-to-end, non-destructive way to help ensure the correct
rather than overlapping. metallurgical compression of a terminal around the
wire's conductor and is an excellent attribute for
 Chamfer process control. The crimp height specification is
An angle on the inside edge of the barrel entrance of typically set as a balance between electrical and
a terminal that permits easier insertion of the wires mechanical performance over the complete range of
into the barrel. wire stranding and coatings, and terminal materials
and plating. Although it is possible to optimize a
crimp height to individual wire stranding and

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terminal plating, one crimp height specification is and anvil tooling. If the anvil is worn or if the
normally created. terminal is over-crimped an excessive extrusion
results. An uneven extrusion may also result if the
*Consult individual terminal specification punch and anvil being misaligned.
requirements.
 Ferrule
 Crimp A short tube used to mate solderless connectors to
It is the act of physically compressing (forming) a shielded or coaxial cable. It is used as an insulation
connector or contact barrel around a cable in order grip sleeve on solderless terminals.
to make an electrical connection. On a crimped
terminal, a second crimp is often added to the  Flash
insulation area for added strain relief. It is an abnormal protrusion on the wire barrel,
(either insulation material or metal), which indicates
 CSA that the crimping tool is either misaligned or worn
Canadian Standards Association is an independent and thus should not be used.
Canadian testing laboratory similar to UL
(Underwriters Laboratories Inc.).  Funnel Entry
It is a crimped terminal or splice barrel, which opens
 Cut-off Tab Length to facilitate quick and easy wire insertion.
This material protrudes outside the end of the
terminal after the terminal is separated from the  Gas Tight Seal
carrier strip. As a rule, the cut-off tab should be A contact system that utilizes soft metals at high
flush or .254mm (.010”) protruding outside the contact pressures so that upon mating, metal is
housing sleeve. A cut-off tab, which is too long, upset and the resultant joint prevents contaminant
may expose a terminal outside the housing or it may gases from entering the contact area.
fail electrical spacing requirements. In most
situations, a tool is set-up to provide a cut-off tab  Gauge
that is flush to one material thickness. A method of measurement, often using “go” and “no-
go” pins or shapes to determine if an attribute is
within tolerance.

 Harness
A group of wires or cables joined to form a circuit
network for electronic or electrical equipment. A
harness is usually an assembly of cables cut to the
CARRIER STRIP
CUT-OFF TAB proper length, terminated, and tied together prior to
LENGTH being assembled in a piece of equipment.
 Dielectric Test
A test that uses the application of a voltage higher  Insulation Crimp (Strain Relief)
than the rated voltage for a specific time for the It is a crimp encompassing both the wire and
purpose of determining the adequacy against insulation. This helps to prevent the conductor
breakdown of insulation materials and spacing under from being exposed due to the insulation receding
normal conditions. This test is used to ensure the and offers additional resistance to vibration.
crimping procedure did not puncture or destroy the
insulation material on the terminal.  Insulation Crimp Height
Molex does not specify insulation crimp heights
 Extrusions (Flash) because of the wide variety of insulation thickness,
These small flares form on the bottom wire barrel material, and hardness. Most terminals are
resulting from the clearance between the punch designed to accommodate multiple wire ranges.

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Within the terminal’s range, an insulation grip may the terminal, causing them to break off. The
not completely surround the wire or fully surround connection is weakened if the wires are cut or
the diameter of the wire. This condition will still nicked.
provide an acceptable insulation crimp for most
applications.  Nest
The portion of a crimping die, which supports or
 A large insulation grip should firmly grip at least reshapes the barrel during crimping.
88% of the wire.
 A smaller insulation grip should firmly grip at  PSI, psi
least 50% of the wire and firmly hold the top of (Pound-Force per Square Inch) Non-SI unit of
the wire. pressure. Used mainly to denote pressure of air or
other gas, e.g. 75 psi.
To evaluate the insulation section, cut the wire flush
with the back of the terminal. Once the optimum  Pound-Force (lbf)
setting for the application is determined, it is Unit of force, 1lbf is approximately equal to force
important to document the insulation crimp height. exerted on a mass of 1 lb by gravitational force of
Then, as part of the setup procedure, the operator Earth at its surface, or a force exerted by that mass
can check the insulation crimp height. (stationary) on a support (i.e. if mass of 1 lb is
hanged on a wire, it exert a force of ca. 1 lbf
 Locator (directed down) on that wire).
A device for positioning terminals, splices, or
contacts in crimping dies.  Pull Force Testing
Pull force testing is a quick, destructive method to
 MCM (or kcmil) evaluate the mechanical properties of a crimp
Unit of area, based on Circular Mil, equal to one termination.
thousand circular mils. Usually used instead of
AWG above wire sizes greater than 4/0 AWG. Pull force testing results out
of allowed range are good
 Mega (mega, M) indicators of problems in the
Prefix denoting one million, e.g., one megavolt = process. Cut or nicked
one million volts. strands in the stripping
operation, lack of bell mouth
 Micro (micro, ) or conductor brush, or
Prefix denoting one millionth, e.g., one microvolt = incorrect crimp height or
one millionth of a volt. tooling will reduce pull force.
Wire properties and
 Mil Spec stranding, and terminal
Military Specification. A specification used for design (material thickness
qualification of products for acceptability as required and serration design), also can increase, or
for U.S. Government applications (usually for a decrease the value of the results of a pull force test.
military branch), e.g. Mil-T-7928 covers terminals,
lugs, splices, conductors, crimp style. If results of a pull force tests are within an allowed
range, it assures that proper crimp force has been
 Mechanical Strength applied during crimping. It is crucial as, when
To insure how strong the connection is or how much making a crimp, enough force must be applied to
the wire and terminal must be squeezed to get a gas break down the layer of non-conductive oxides that
tight seal. It’s important to crimp the wires tight may build up on the stripped conductor and the tin-
enough to keep them from slipping out of the plating on the inside of the terminal grip. This is
connector, but not so tight as to crush the wires in necessary to provide a good metal-to-metal contact.

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If this does not occur, resistance can increase. connection. It is a synonym for contact. There are
Over-crimping a crimp termination will reduce the two main types, which include the open barrel and
circular area of the conductor and increase the closed barrel. Parts of the terminal are:
resistance.
Insulation barrel Where the wire’s insulation will be
 Serrations crimped or supported so that it is
It is the saw-toothed grooves on the surface of a firmly gripped.
terminal, which ensures firm gripping of the Wire barrel Where the bare wire will be
conductor. Also provides additional contact area. crimped.
Contact area Where the terminal will be attached
 Solderless to the mating part.
This means without solder – in our case, denoting
the use of a crimping tool.  Terminal Position
The terminal position is set by the alignment of the
 Splice terminal to the forming punch and anvils, and the
A device used to join two or more conductors carrier-strip cut-off tooling. The tool set-up
together. determines conductor, cut-off tab length, and
terminal extrusions.
 Strip Length PUNCHES
The strip length is determined by measuring the
exposed conductor strands after the insulation is
TERMINAL
removed. The strip length determines the WIRE
conductor brush length when the insulation position
is centered.

*Consult individual terminal specification

requirements

STRIP ANVILS
LENGTH  UL
Underwriters’ Laboratories, Inc., founded in 1894,
is chartered as a not-for-profit organization under
the laws of Delaware, to establish, maintain, and
 Tab operate laboratories for the investigation of
Flat rectangular male connection tabs on electrical materials, devices, products, equipment,
components; various sizes to fit female quick construction methods, and systems with respect to
disconnects. hazards affecting life and property.

 Tensile Test  Voltage Drop Test

This is a pull test to determine the mechanical A test of the voltage developed across a component
strength of the crimped wire. They are specific or conductor being a result of electric current flow in
minimum values set for each wire size. See Section the component or conductor and its non-zero
8. electrical resistance. It is the test of the electrical
integrity of the crimp.
 Terminal  Wire
A device designed to terminate a conductor that is to
They are a group of conductors that has a low
be affixed to a wire or cable to establish an electrical
resistance to current flow, together with any

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associated insulation. There are two kinds: a solid  Wire Stop
wire, which is one single strand of material, or It is a stop at the end of a terminal wire barrel. It
stranded group of wire, which is a bundle of wires prevents wire from passing completely through the
twisted together to act as one. barrel so the wire will not interfere with the function
of the contact.
 Wire Size
Wires have varying sizes or gauges that carry
different amounts of electrical current with each wire
WIRES
used for a separate purpose. The size (in AWG) is
called out with a number, such as 8 or 10, followed
by the letters AWG, which stand for American Wire
Gauge.

WIRE STOP

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SECTION 4

ASSOCIATED MATERIALS

 Caliper
It is a gauge, consisting of two opposing blades, for
measuring linear dimensional attributes.

 Pull Tester
A device used to determine
the mechanical strength of
a crimp termination. Most
pull testing is done with a
device that clamps the
wire, pulls at a set speed,
and measures force by
means of a load cell. A
pull tester also can be as
 Eye Loupe simple as hanging fixed
It is an image magnification tool, weights on the wire for a
normally 10 times power or minimum of one minute.
greater, which is used to aid
visual evaluation of a crimp  Toolmaker’s Microscope
termination. This is used for close visual evaluation and
statistical measurement of bell mouth, cut-off tab,
conductor brush, wire position, and strip length.
 Crimp Micrometer
This is a micrometer
specifically designed to
measure crimp height. The
measurement is taken in the
center of the crimp so the
conductor bell mouth does
not influence it. It has a thin
blade that supports the top of
the crimp while a pointed
section determines the
bottom radial (curved) surface.

 Ruler (Pocket Scale)

This is used to measure the length of bell mouth,
cut-off tab, conductor brush, and strip length and
estimate wire position. The recommended
minimum resolution is 0.50mm (.020”).

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SECTION 5
TERMINAL DESCRIPTION

5.1 Features of Solderless Terminals

The properties of the base material must be evaluated. The material (metal) is either copper or brass depending on
the product.
 Molex base metals are purchased, inspected, and received to product specifications.
 Most of these terminals are applied the guidelines of UL; Underwriters Laboratories is a US organization that sets
certain standards for connector testing.
 Some terminals use the guidelines of Mil-T-7928, set by the United States Government.
The following charts show the UL and US Government specifications (MIL-T-7928) for wire pull-out forces of
various wire sizes. The tensile strength is shown in lbf (pound-force). It indicates the minimum acceptable force to
break or separate the terminal from the conductor.

Color Code Wire Size (AWG) *UL - 486 A *UL – 486 C *UL – 310 *Military Class 2
Yellow 26 3 N/A N/A 7
Yellow 24 5 N/A N/A 10
Red 22 8 8 8 15
Red 20 13 10 13 19
Red 18 20 10 20 38
Blue 16 30 15 30 50
Blue 14 50 25 50 70
Yellow 12 70 35 70 110
Yellow 10 80 40 80 150
Red 8 90 45 N/A 225
Blue 6 100 50 N/A 300
*UL - 486 A - Terminals (Copper conductors only)
*UL - 486 C - Butt Splices, Parallel Splices, Closed End Connectors, and Wire Nuts
*UL - 310 - Quick Disconnects, Flag and Couplers
*Military Class 2- Military Approved Terminals only as listed

5.2 Barrel Serration/Dimples

Plain Insulation
1. When quality solderless terminals are stamped, the inside of the barrel is
Plastic Insulation
scored with serrations or dimples.
Sleeve
2. When the crimp is made and the metal terminal barrel is drastically
deformed, the tin plating on the inside of the barrel is fractured at the
serrations, thus causing bare copper-to-copper contact between the wire
and the terminal barrel. This greatly enhances electrical conductivity. Terminal
3. If properly designed, the serrations, or dimples, have angled grooves that, Funnel Entry
during the crimping operation, will bite into the wire, which will greatly
increase the mechanical integrity of the crimp. Insulation with
Support Sleeve
4. A quality solderless terminal has features built into the barrel that insures a Tin-Plated
quality crimp. Brass Sleeve
5. The non-insulated terminal will have a chamfer at the wire insertion end so
the individual strands will not bump against the end of the metal.
6. On an insulated terminal the insulation should have a funnel entry. This
Nylon Sleeve
acts as a guide for the wires to enter the barrel smoothly.
7. There are two styles of insulated barrels. Both have a funnel feature.

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insulation providing a strain relief, so the wire does
5.3 Barrel Styles not vibrate, loosen, fray, or break. It is available in
10 to 26 AWG (0.10 to 6.60mm2).
The barrel is the part of the terminal that is crimped
around the wire. Molex offers different styles listed TIN-PLATE
BRASS SLEEVE
below.
TONGUE (STYLE VARIES)
1. The Krimptite™ is the SEAM
basic Molex barrel style.
NYLON SLEEVE
It is non-insulated and is
a one-piece design. This AVIKRIMP™
terminal is the most
economical and has the TRANSITION
greatest variety of uses BARREL OR THROAT 5. The Open Barrel product is used in manufacturing
where special features KRIMPTITE™ operations where quantity of work is needed. The
are not required. It is open barrel allows the wire to be crimped faster and
available in 10 to 26 AWG (0.10 to 6.60mm2). easier and is the barrel style preferred when using
automated wire processing equipment.
2. The Versakrimp™ is TONGUE (STYLE VARIES)
the same as the INSULATION
NO SEAM SUPPORT
Krimptite™, except
CARRIER
the seam is brazed STRIP
(welded) closed.
This brazed-seam
barrel terminal will TRANSITION
OR THROAT QUICK
not open under BARREL DISCONNECTS
conditions of stress VERSAKRIMP™ AND RING
OPEN BARREL TERMINALS
or wire pull. This STRIP
allows for crimping from any direction without the
barrel opening up, and provides greater tensile
strength. This terminal is ideal for hard to crimp 6. The Nylakrimp™ is specifically designed for large
solid and stranded wires. It is available in wire wire applications. The color-coded barrel is affix
range 4/0 to 22 AWG (0.10 to 117.00mm2). with a permanent rigid color-coded nylon insulated
sleeve. It has a funnel entrance that eliminates wire
3. The Insulkrimp™ has a BARREL
strand fold back. It is available in wire range 4/0 to 8
rigid insulation sleeve AWG (8.50 to 117.00mm2).
made of PVC (polyvinyl
chloride), which protection NYLON SLEEVE
INSULATION
to the Krimptite barrel area SLEEVE
in wire sizes of 10-22
AWG or the brazed seam INSULKRIMP™
of the Versakrimp barrel of 4/0 to 22 AWG. It is
HEAVY DUTY
available in wire range 4/0 to 22 AWG (0.10 to TERMINALS
117.00mm2). FUNNEL
ENTRANCE NYLAKRIMP™
4. The Avikrimp™ has a color-coded sleeve, which
provides insulation as well as an insulation grip.
The insulation is made of Nylon, and has a
secondary tin-plated brass sleeve added. This
brass support sleeve is crimped around the wire

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7. The Perma-Seal MULTI STUDS

STAR RINGS
™is specifically NYLON SHRINK
designed for water TUBING
resistant
applications. The
color-coded barrel
PERMA-SEAL™
has a permanent
FEMALE QUICK
rigid color-coded nylon insulated sleeve. It has a DISCONNECTS
MALE QUICK
funnel entrance that eliminates wire strand fold back. DISCONNECTS
It is available in wire range 10 to 22 AWG (0.10 to
6.60 mm2).

8. The Eyelet can be used in place of standard

compression terminals because it is deep drawn
from CDA-110 electrolytic pitch copper and then tin-
plated for corrosion
SEAMLESS BARREL
 Barrel Lengths
resistance. It has a In wire sizes 26-16 AWG, the industry has two
seamless barrel standard barrel lengths for the metal barrel. The
with a flared barrel lengths are 6.35 mm (.25”) and 4.36 mm (11/64”).
entry. It is available EYELET The 4.36 mm barrel is the OEM (Original Equipment
in wire range 8 to Manufacturer) standard barrel length. The 6.35 mm
500 MCM. FLARED BARREL barrel is more
ENTRY commonly used in the
 Tongue Styles maintenance and
BARREL
The “tongue” is the end of the terminal that attaches aftermarket segments LENGTH
to other components (switch, stud, transformer, etc.). of industry.
These tongue configurations vary. The following are The purpose of the
some examples: longer barrel is simply to give the user a bigger
target area to crimp. These barrel lengths are not so
RINGS HOOKS important if you use a terminal with the molded step
construction on the insulation, or if a precision
ratchet tool with terminal locator is used. OEM
tooling is usually designed for only short barrel
terminals.

SPADES FLANGED  Step Construction Insulation for Tool Location

SPADES The “step” on the insulation of molded terminals is
used to position (locate) the crimping tool. The tool
should rest on the step and crimp made just above
it. This insures that the entire width of the crimping
tool is hitting on the barrel below. This step
construction is very important when using a non-
SNAP SPADES FLAG RINGS ratchet maintenance tool without a locator.

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 Step Down Butt Splices

The Step Down Butt Splice is the perfect solution
when two wires need
to be inserted in one
end of a splice and a
single wire in the
other end.
LOCATE
TOOL HERE

STEP  Avikrimp Butt Splice

CONSTRUCTION With the extra metal sleeve and nylon insulation,
 Insulation Barrel Colors these splices should be used when heavy vibration
The colors on the insulation barrel (red, blue, and is anticipated and a
yellow) are used to indicate the wire range. The strong strain relief is
colors repeat themselves and are an industry needed.
standard color-coding. See the Chart below.

Color Code Wire Range (AWG)

Yellow 24-26
Red 18-22
 Nylon Closed–End Connector
Blue 14-16 Used in a wide variety of
Yellow 10-12 situations to “pigtail” or tie
Red 8 together two or more wires.
Blue 6
Yellow 4

There are different kinds of barrels with different  Funnel Entry Butt Splice
shades of the same color, which are used for In the past, the crimping of machine terminated butt
different barrel styles. PVC and Nylon take the color splices has been difficult and nearly impossible if
differently. In the 14-16 AWG range (blue) for attempted on a piece of robotic equipment. Now,
example, the PVC barrels will be dark blue. The with our new Funnel Entry Butt Splice, the end that
nylon barrels will be a lighter, translucent blue. will be crimped by the crimping press is funneled to
When using the lighter blue terminals, the secondary allow quick and easy
sleeve will be crimped in addition to the wire barrel wire insertion.
crimp. The actual shade of color has nothing to do
with quality of the insulation.
 Perma-Seal Splices™
5.4 Splices The tough sleeve of Perma-Seal splices resist
abrasion and cutting. This protective helps to
Molex offers standard and special splices for nearly maintain the insulation and sealing properties even
every type of wiring need. in hostile
environments, not
 Butt Splices to mention
On this connector, the unbeatable strain
stripped wires are relief.
inserted from each end
and they "butt" in the
center. Then a crimp at
each end secures the
connection.

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook

 Parallel Splice
This connector has stripped wires that lie side-by-
side in the splice. They are secured by a single
crimp in the
middle.

 Window Butt Splice

This connector has military approval (Mil-T-7928/5)
to withstand the harshest environments. The
window guarantees proper wire insertion and crimp
tool alignment. They are nylon insulated and have
an insulation grip that provides superior strain relief.

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook
SECTION 6
ACCEPT REJECT
PROCEDURES
Improper Stripping
“Nicked” Strands
6.1 Preparing the Wire

Check the stranded wire to see if any strands have

loosened and expanded to be larger than the wire and
the insulation together. If this has occurred, twist the Proper Stripping
wires to the size they were before they were stripped. Be Undamaged
Strands
sure that the stranded wire is within the outside diameter
of the insulation after you have twisted them.
Improper Stripping
ACCEPT REJECT
Cut Strands
Expanded Strands
Loose Wire 6.2 Setup and Operation of a Press

1. Check that tooling is clean and not worn. If

necessary, clean and replace worn tooling.
Wire within Exceeds
Outside Diameter
2. Disconnect power to the press and remove
Outside Diameter
guarding devices.
3. Install the appropriate tooling into the press.
Check the insulation to ensure that there has been 4. Load terminals into the tooling so that the first
a nice clean cut. Wires with damaged insulation terminal is located over the anvil.
should not be used. 5. Manually cycle the press to help ensure a complete
cycle can be made without interference. If it
ACCEPT REJECT cannot, remove tooling and check press shut
Insulation
height. Go to procedure 3.
Whiskers 6. Check that the tooling is aligned. Check the
impression on the bottom of the crimp that was
Insulation
Thickness made by the anvil tooling. Check that the
extrusions and crimp form are centered. If not,
Damage Less align tooling and go to
Damage 1/2 of
Than 1/2 of procedure 5.
Insulation Thickness
Insulation Thickness 7. Check that the terminal
or Greater
feed locates the next
Split terminal over the center
Cut of the anvil tooling. If
not, adjust terminal
feed and the feed finger
and go to procedure 5.
8. Re-install all safety
Burred or Charred devices that were removed during the set-up.
(Follow all safety requirements listed in
individual press and/or tooling manuals.)
9. Crimp sample terminals under power.
Check to see if the stripping tool or machine has cut or 10. Evaluate cut-off tab length and conductor bell
nicked any of the wires. If you see nicked wire you must mouth. If adjustment is necessary, disconnect
cut and re-strip the wire before crimping to be sure that power to the press and remove guarding. Adjust
the amount of current that can be carried is not reduced.

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook
track position. Manually cycle the press and check 3. Place the terminal in the tool. Select the proper
the feed finger for feed location, go to procedure 7. color-coded crimp nest.
11. Evaluate conductor brush. If adjustment is 4. If using a locator, lift the locator and insert the
necessary, disconnect power to the press and terminal in the proper nest with the barrel up and
remove guarding. Adjust wire stop for bench against the locator bar. Release the locator blade to
applications or press position on automatic wire hold the terminal in position. See Figure 1. Locator
processing equipment. Go to procedure 8. may be raised or lowered so terminal sits flat and
12. Evaluate insulation position. If necessary, adjust straight in tool. The locator must be removed to run
strip length, crimp new samples, and go to splices.
procedure 11. 5. Insert the wire. See Figure 2.
13. Adjust insulation crimp height so the insulation
crimp is not in contact with the wire insulation.
14. Crimp sample terminals.
15. Measure conductor crimp height (if applicable) and
compare to specification. If necessary, disconnect
power and remove guarding. Adjust conductor crimp
height, install guards, connect power, and go to
procedure 14.
16. Perform a pull force test.
17. Adjust insulation crimp. TERMINAL
18. Crimp sample terminals. Figure 2 WIRE
19. Evaluate insulation crimp. If necessary,
disconnect power and remove guarding. Adjust 6. Squeeze the handle. All production hand tools
insulation crimp height, install guards, connect should have a built in full-cycle ratchet mechanism.
power, and go to procedure 18. 7. Inspect for proper crimp location. Check the Hand
20. Measure crimp height and compare to specification. Crimp Tool Specification sheet that you are using for
If necessary, disconnect power and remove guarding. correct conductor crimp height.
Adjust conductor crimp height, install guards, connect
power, and go to procedure 18. 6.4 Setup and Operation of a Air Powered Crimp
21. Document measurements. Tool

6.3 Setup and Operation of a Hand Crimp Tool 1. Insure the Air Crimp Tool is designed to crimp the
size wire and the proper terminal shown on the Air
1. Insure that the hand tool is designed to crimp the Crimp Tool Specification Sheet.
size wire and the proper terminal shown on the Hand 2. Strip the wire and make sure it is clear of any nicks
Crimp Tool Specification sheet. or cuts. See Section “Preparing the Wire” above.
3. Place the wire into the terminal. Select the proper
color-coded crimp nest.

SAFETY
SHEILD

LOCATOR TERMINAL
Figure 1
2. Strip the wire and make sure it is clear of any nicks TERMINAL
or cuts. See Section “Preparing the Wire” above. LOCATOR
Figure 3

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook
4. If using a locator, lift the locator and insert the Four piece CONFINED CRIMP, InsulKrimp™ and
terminal with the wire in the proper nest with the AviKrimp™.
barrel up and against the locator bar. Release the Bottom INDENTOR CRIMP, 8 and 6 AWG
locator blade to hold the terminal in position. See VersaKrimp™.
Figure 3. Locator may be raised or lowered so
terminal sits flat and straight in tool. The locator  The Indentor crimp consists of a holding nest and
must be removed to run splices. indentor ram to deform the barrel. The advantage of
5. Push on the wire to assure it is still fully seated in the this configuration is that while it covers a broad
terminal. Cycle the tool. See Figure 4. range of wire sizes, it is still easy to design and
inexpensive to manufacture.

WIRE
TERMINAL
Figure 4  The F crimp is used to close the barrel and confine
the individual strands. The overall quality is
6. Inspect for proper crimp location. Check the Air excellent.
Powered Crimp Hand Tool Specification Sheet that
you are using for correct conductor crimp height

Caution:
Never operate this tool without the supplied
safety shield in place. Never place fingers in
the tool nests.

Note: Whenever crimping without the locator,

make sure the seam of the barrel is oriented up or  The Confined crimp gives the best overall crimp. It
down in the tool as this will provide higher pull is in the shape of a hexagon, an enclosed “C”, or a
force values. confined quad. The advantages of all three crimps
are uniformity and compression of individual strands
6.5 Crimping Dies and uniform outer appearance.

The Molex product line includes seven types of dies

for different terminals:

Two piece INDENTOR CRIMP, VersaKrimp™

Two piece CONFINED CRIMP, Krimptite™ and
VersaKrimp™
Two piece CONFINED CRIMP, InsulKrimp™ and
AviKrimp™
Two piece F TYPE CRIMP, Krimptite™ and
VersaKrimp™
Four piece F TYPE CRIMP, VibraKrimp™

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook
Molex provides a complete line of fully automatic wire such as ARTOS, KOMAX, and others. This Manual
processing machines, semi-automatic and manual wire shows the basics of Manual and Semi-Automatic
crimping tools. Each system is tailored to our customer’s equipment.
individual needs by using support equipment, and can be
adapted to wire processing equipment offered by
manufacturers

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook
SECTION 7 ACCEPT REJECT

QUALITY CRIMPS Insulation Insulation

Quality is something that must be measured by some Slightly Pierced or
set of criteria. Four major agencies give test criteria for Damaged Crushed
quality of solderless terminals. They are:

 U.L. (Underwriters Laboratories)  Insulation Support Crimp

 CSA (Canadian Standard Association)
ACCEPT REJECT
 NEMA (National Electronic Manufacturers
Association)
 Federal Government Spec - Mil-T-7928 Metal Insulation Insulation
Tabs Formed. Wire Tab Bent
In all of the above standards specific reference is made Is Held Snugly
to the following areas:
1. Be sure that the insulation barrel tabs are not
bent.
 Copper or brass quality specifications
2. Form the tabs properly.
 Tin-plating specs type and thickness 3. If one of the tabs is bent, the insulation crimp
 Smoothness of edges and lack of burrs will not be strong enough to provide the
 Firmness of fit between metal and insulation needed stress relief.

Then there is a whole series of tests to be performed  Wire Visible

on the crimp area after the crimp is made: ACCEPT
1. Be sure that both the
wire and the insulation
 Tensile test are visible in the window. Window
 Dielectric withstand 2. If only the insulation is
 Salt spray visible, you may have crimp insulation in the
 Vibration conductor barrel.
 Heat rise 3. If only the bare wire is visible, you cannot assume
that the insulation has been properly crimped.
The most widely used field test for testing the quality of REJECT
REJECT
the crimp is the pull test, or tensile test.

The two most widely used measurements are the U.L. Insulation Wire Not
and Military Tensile values. See Section 8. Note that Not Visible Visible
the Military pull force is higher than the U.L.
4. If there is no insulation support crimp, be sure that
7.1 Visual Inspection of OPEN BARREL Crimps the length of the wire visible behind the conductor
crimp is not greater that the diameter of the
 Insulation Not Damaged insulation. If the length of the wire visible exceeds
the diameter of the insulation, the terminal could
1. Crimp the insulation just enough (may have a cause a short circuit.
slight indentation to hold the wire in place). If ACCEPT REJECT
Insulation
the insulation has been pierced or crushed, the Diameter
wires inside may have been damaged also.
2. Be sure that the conductor insulation has not Exceeds
been pierced or crushed by the crimp. Wire Visible
Insulation Diameter

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook

 Good Bell Mouth Present

ACCEPT REJECT
ACCEPT REJECT

Slight Wire Wire

Bell Mouth Crimped Protrudes
Wire No Bell Mouth
Crimp
 Wire Extension
1. Be sure that a good bell mouth is present in the 1. Be sure that the wires extend not more than
wire barrel. 1/32” (1mm) past the end of the barrel. If the
2. If no bell is present, the sharp edge of the wire wires are not flush or greater, you will not be
barrel may cut or nick the wires. able to see if the crimp is complete and correct.
ACCEPT REJECT
 No Wire Strands in the Contact Area
ACCEPT REJECT Wire
Wire Flush or Not Flush
Greater
Up to 1/32” (1mm)
Wire in
Contact Area
Contact Area
 No Damage to the Contact Area
ACCEPT REJECT

Wire in
Contact Area Contact Area
Slight Scratch or Scrape Contact Area
but No Visual Dents Damaged
No Wire Stop.
Wire Stop Do Not Use
1. Be sure that the contact area is not dented or
crushed.
2. If it is dented or crushed (slight scratch or scrape
is permissible), the connection between the
1. Be sure that no wire strands extend into the terminal and another component cannot be
contact area of the lug or terminal. made properly.
2. If the wire strands are in the contact area, they
will interfere when the terminal is connected. 7.2 Visual Inspection of CLOSED BARREL Crimp

 No Strands Sticking Out (Strand Fold Back)  Wire Visible

1. Be sure that all of the wire strands are twisted
ACCEPT
together, and are equal to the size they were Insulation
before being stripped. Crimp Wire Stop REJECT
2. If the strands are not together, or if one is left
sticking out, your wire mass is reduced and can
cause both electrical and mechanical problems.
Wire Brush
Wire Crimp is Visible Wire not Visible

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook
1. Be sure that the wire is visible in the inspection 1. Be sure that the wires are either flush with the
window so that there is evidence of a good end of the conductor barrel or extend past the
crimp. See Butt Connector above. barrel.
2. This “brush” extension should be approximately
 Crimp to be Centered 1/32” (1mm).
1. On all crimped terminals, the conductor crimp 3. If the wires are not flush or greater, you will not
should be centered on the conductor barrel. This be able to see if the crimp is complete.
insures even pressure on the entire length of the
barrel.  Wire Size (AWG) Requirements
REJECT 1. To achieve a quality crimp be sure to follow the
ACCEPT
proper insulation crimp for different wire sizes.

Wire sizes of 8 AWG and larger do not require an

insulation crimp.
Centered Not Centered.
Too Far Forward ACCEPT

 Good Bell Mouth Present

ACCEPT REJECT No Insulation Crimp

Wire sizes 18 thru 10 AWG require an insulation

crimp to securely hold the wire insulation crimp.
Bell Mouth No Bell Mouth
PLASTIC INSULATION CRIMP
1. Be sure that a good bell mouth is present on the
wire barrel. REJECT REJECT

 No Wire Strands in the Contact Area

Insulation Deformed No Insulation
REJECT Wire Can Move Crimp
ACCEPT In Insulation Crimp

METAL INSULATION
Wire in
ACCEPT CRIMP REJECT
Contact Area Contact Area

1. Be sure that wire strands do not exceed into the

tongue area of the lug or terminal. No Insulation
Insulation Deformed.
2. If the wire strands are in the contact area, they Crimp
Wire Should Not Move
will interfere when the terminal is connected. In Insulation Crimp

 Wire Flush or Greater METAL INSULATION

ACCEPT CRIMP REJECT

ACCEPT REJECT

Wire Flush or Wire Insulation Indent Insulation Indent Not

Greater (Brush) Not Flush Formed-Wire Secure Formed-Wire Moves
In Insulation Crimp In Insulation Crimp

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook

 Insulation Support Crimp

ACCEPT REJECT

Metal Sleeve Snug Metal Sleeve

Not Snug

1. On closed barrel terminals that have a

secondary metal sleeve (AviKrimp™), the metal
sleeve should be formed snugly around the wire.

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook
SECTION 8 8.2 Testing

IMPORTANCE OF PROPER CRIMPING Mechanical

Once the correct terminal is selected, proper The tensile test or pull test is a means of evaluating the
attachment to the wire is critical. One indication of the mechanical properties of the crimped connection. The
importance of proper crimping is evidenced in a study chart on this page shows the UL and Military
for the Space Shuttle Program that traced 28% of all Specifications (MIL-T-7928) for various wire sizes. The
defects to improperly assembled wiring and connectors. tensile strength is shown in lbf (pound-force), it indicates
Mechanical as well as electrical connections are the minimum acceptable force to break or separate a
important - The result of a properly crimped joint is a terminal from the conductor.
reliable mechanical and electrical connection.
When the crimp is made, there must be enough pressure
The mechanical connection is the crimping of the applied so that the oxides that may build up on the
terminal to the conductor. The desired result is stripped conductor and the tin plating on the inside of the
sufficient force on the outside of the barrel to tightly terminal barrel are broken down and there is good metal-
form it around the conductor. It must be secure enough to-metal contact. If this situation does not occur, the
not to vibrate loose or to be pulled off through normal resulting crimp will have unacceptably high resistance.
use.
Tensile Strength in Pound-force
Wire Size *Military
The electrical characteristics are just as important. The *UL-486A *UL-486-C *UL-310
(AWG or MCM) Class 2
major concern is the amount of electrical resistance 26 3 N/A N/A 7
caused by the mechanical joint. The electrical 24 5 N/A N/A 10
resistance will determine the crimped joint’s ability to 22 8 8 8 15
conduct current 20 13 10 13 19
18 20 10 20 38
8.1 Conditions 16 30 15 30 50
14 50 25 50 70
12 70 35 70 110
To achieve a positive relationship between the 10 80 40 80 150
mechanical and electrical connection in the crimped 8 90 45 N/A 225
joint, the following conditions are required: 6 100 50 N/A 300
1. The terminal must be of sufficient cross section 4 140 N/A N/A 400
size and conductive material that it is as good an 2 180 N/A N/A 550
1 200 N/A N/A 650
electrical conductor as the wire.
1/0 250 N/A N/A 700
2. The surfaces of the wire and terminal that will be 2/0 300 N/A N/A 750
pressed into contact in the crimp must be clean and 3/0 350 N/A N/A 825
free of heavy, non-conductive films such as oxides, 4/0 450 N/A N/A 875
sulfides, and similar substances. 250 MCM 500 N/A N/A 1000
300 MCM 550 N/A N/A 1120
Some reasons for failure of crimped joints to meet 350 MCM 600 N/A N/A 1125
minimum tensile requirements include nicked wires,
nicked or ruptured strands, strand turn back at crimp *UL - 486 A - Terminals (Copper conductors only)
joint, and ruptured wires outside of the crimped *UL - 486 C - Butt Splices, Parallel Splices, Closed
terminal. To avoid these problems, use the correct size End Connectors, and Wire Nuts
wire for the barrel, prepare your wire carefully, and use *UL - 310 - Quick Disconnects, Flag and Couplers
the proper crimping tool. *Military Class 2- Military Approved Terminals only as
listed

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook
Dielectric Testing
(The term “dielectric” refers to an insulator.) Causing Potential Wire is deformed
Failure Mode or Future Excessive
Or Compressed Beyond
Some terminals are covered with insulation so that Break or Fracture Point Crimp Depth
Normal Yield Point
electrical contact can be made only where it is
desirable. The crimp is made through (on) this Single
insulation, which is compressed and extruded due to Strand Wire
the pressure of the crimping dies. Obviously, not all Terminal
Excessive
insulation materials can withstand this treatment and Bell Mouth
Wire Barrel
even with the strongest materials, the crimp must be
correctly designed so as not to rupture the insulation. Another way to cause tensile failure is not
compressing the barrel enough to hold the conductor
Dielectric tests are made on insulated terminals after securely. Molex crimp tools are designed to eliminate
crimping to determine that the crimp process is not these problems.
rupturing the insulation or thinning it out so that it will
not withstand impressed voltages. The test is made 8.4 Electrical Resistance
by impressing a voltage between the wire to which the
terminal is crimped and conductive materials The electrical resistance across the crimp is compared
contacting the terminal insulation. to the resistance of an equal length of wire, and
expressed as relative resistance for a particular wire
The voltage is gradually increased until the size.
requirements are reached or until a breakdown occurs
which means the insulation breaks. Depending on the Relative resistance of the crimp to the wire is given by
use and the specifying agency, dielectric withstanding the formula below:
requirements normally range from 1500 to 8000 volts,
resulting in a 300 to 600 volt rating of the terminal. Relative resistance 
RC
RW
8.3 Final Tensile Value Where:
RC = Resistance over crimp
The type of die affects the final tensile value in RW = Resistance of wire
several ways. See Crimping Dies, Section 6.5.

If the die (as in the indentor type) does not indent far
enough, a void may be created in the compression
joint permitting the individual strands to shift, thus
loosening the connection. Further, the air space
(void) acts as an electrical insulator.

Relative resistance values of less than 1.0 denote a

crimped joint with less resistance than the wire;
values more than 1.0 indicate greater resistance than
the wire. Usually it is easier to measure the voltage
If the die presses too tightly the individual strands can drop across the crimped joint. Many specifications
be squeezed and elongated. This can cause a weak state the requirements in terms of voltage drop at a
point in the conductor, cause the wire to break at a specified current. Voltage drop is the more
lower than allowable tensile strength, and/or create a commonly used term in the industry. If the resistance
heat rise across the joint because of lower cross- value is desired, it may be calculated from Ohm’s
section and increased resistance. Law:

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook
corners of the crimp shape and more evenly distribute
E the forces of the crimp.
R =
I
Brazed barrel terminals usually give higher tensile test
Where: than the non-brazed (for specific values, tensile tests
R is the resistance (in milliohms) must be performed on each terminal).
E is the voltage drop (in millivolts)
I is the current flowing (in amperes) Annealing

Crimp voltage drop and resistance values are quite When the metal part of a solderless terminal is
small and are expressed in terms of milivolts (.001 stamped on a stamping press; the strip of metal
volts) and miliohms (.001 ohms). material is repeatedly hit in the stamping process.

A crimp joint of poor quality could be caused by These terminals are made on progressive dies.
several factors. It is indicated by increased resistance,
which cause increase in voltage drop value.
For example, the presence of air pockets or voids in
the crimped joint will cause a higher resistance
(smaller area of contact between terminal and wire). This repeated hitting causes the metal (usually
Increased resistance results in a higher voltage drop copper) to become work hardened. Copper gives its
and a temperature rise, which in turn increases the best mechanical and electrical characteristics when it
corrosion rate and further increases the resistance. is in its original (not work hardened) state.
A crimped joint that has been over-crimped and the
conductor (wire) elongated out of shape could cut the In order to return the work hardened copper to its
circular area of the conductor and cause a greater normal soft and malleable state, it must be annealed.
resistance at this weakened point. Annealing is accomplished by heating the metal
(copper) terminal in a furnace, and then cooling it
8.5 Crimp Joints slowly. This process restores the copper to its
original state.
A finely stranded wire (large number of small diameter
strands) usually improves crimped joint performance. How does annealing (or lack of) affect the crimp
A wire composed of a few strands of larger size will barrel and quality of a solderless terminal?
tend to act as a solid wire in the crimp. Some
stranded wire crimp configurations are not satisfactory When a work-hardened terminal is crimped, it does
for solid wire. More deformation must be imposed in not form around the wire in a uniform fashion, thus
order to form wire and barrel into a solid mass. On the giving sharp angles, which allows for voids. The
other hand, finer strands will more readily fill the inside annealed barrel can be easily formed, giving uniform
pressure on the wire and thus a superior crimp.

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Industrial Crimp Quality Handbook

SECTION 9
MISCELLANEOUS
AWG-CMA Table
Terminal Size /AWG CMA Range
26-22 202-810
24-20 320-1,020
22-18 509-2,600
22-16 509-3,260
16-14 2,050-5,180
14-12 3,260-8,213
12-10 5,180-13,100
8 13,100-20,800
6 20,800-33,100
4 33,100-52,600
2 52,600-83,700
1/0 83,700-119,500
2/0 119,500-150,500
3/0 150,500-190,000
4/0 190,000-231,000

Technical Wire Information

CMA — Circular Mil Area. Circular Mil is a unit of area equal to that of a circle whose
diameter is one Mil.
MIL — One mil equals .001 inches.
.001” = 1 mil
.030” = 30 mils
.125” = 125 mils
Changing Inches to Mils
1. Multiply inches by 1000 or,
2. Move decimal point 3 places to right or,
3. Change terminology, i.e. 0.032 in. = 32 thousandths or 32 mils.

Computation of CMA
Round Solid Conductor:
Change diameter from inches to mils, and then multiply the diameter “D” in mils by itself.
CMA = D mils x D mils
Stranded Conductor:
Find CMA of a single strand and multiply the result by the total number of strands.
CMA = (D x D) x Number of Strands of one Strand

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Fax: 630-969-1352
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