Crimp Die Alignment Indicia for Consistent Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of a systematic method to ensure consistent overlapping crimps during the crimping process of electrical connectors, leading to variable quality due to reliance on 'eye-balling' and the absence of clear guidance on overlap distance, resulting in inconsistent force distribution and potential premature failure under high tensile loads.
Innovation Solution
A crimp die with an indicia forming section that creates alignment markings on the electrical connector, allowing for precise alignment and repeatable overlapping crimps by forming a first crimp with an alignment indicia spaced from the end, which guides the die for subsequent crimps to overlap the initial crimp.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If crimping is performed without alignment indicia, then the crimping process is simpler, but the overlap distance between crimps becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment indicia are pre-formed on the connector body during connector manufacturing, before the crimping process. These indicia serve as predetermined reference marks that guide the positioning of subsequent crimps, ensuring consistent overlap distance without adding complexity to the crimp die itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment indicia act as an intermediary element between the connector body and the crimp die. By providing visible reference marks on the connector, the indicia mediate the positioning process, allowing the crimp die to be accurately aligned with the desired overlap distance without requiring complex alignment mechanisms.
2Manufacturing precision
If alignment indicia are added to the connector, then crimp overlap consistency improves, but the connector manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment indicia are incorporated into the connector body during the initial connector manufacturing process. By pre-forming these indicia as integral features of the connector rather than adding them separately, the solution avoids additional manufacturing steps while still providing the necessary alignment references.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment indicia are merged with the connector body structure itself. Rather than being separate components or attachments, the indicia are formed as integral features of the connector, combining the structural and alignment functions into a single manufactured part.
3Strength
If multiple crimping operations are performed without alignment guidance, then the process is faster, but the force distribution becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment indicia are prepared in advance on the connector body, enabling quick visual alignment for each crimping operation. This preliminary preparation allows operators to rapidly position the crimp die without complex measurement or calculation, maintaining high productivity while ensuring consistent force distribution through accurate alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector body provides its own alignment guidance through the integrated indicia, eliminating the need for external alignment tools or complex positioning systems. The indicia serve the dual purpose of maintaining strength consistency while enabling rapid, tool-free alignment during the crimping process.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector crimp die including a main body and an indicia forming section. The main body has a connector contacting surface between opposite ends of the main body. The indicia forming section is on the connector contacting surface. When the crimp die forms a crimp on an electrical connector, the indicia forming section is adapted to form an alignment indicia on the electrical connector for subsequent alignment of the die with the crimp to form a subsequent overlapping crimp.