Crimp Machine Vision Pre-Check for Terminal and Wire Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crimp machines lack effective pre-crimp quality assurance, leading to wasted materials and inefficiencies due to post-termination checks that are often destructive and unsuitable for high-value cable assemblies.
Innovation Solution
A crimp machine equipped with a vision system that includes imaging devices for pre-crimp validation, using image analysis and AI to ensure proper terminal and wire positioning, die alignment, and other criteria before crimping, thereby preventing defective crimps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If post-termination checks are used to ensure crimp quality, then crimp quality is verified, but time and materials are wasted due to destructive testing and discarding defective terminations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a vision system that performs pre-crimp validation to check terminal and wire positioning, die alignment, and other criteria before the crimping operation occurs. This prevents defective crimps from being created in the first place, eliminating the need for time-consuming post-termination checks and destructive testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical post-termination check methods (such as pull tests and cross-sectioning) with an optical vision system that uses imaging devices and image analysis to non-destructively validate crimp quality parameters before crimping occurs.
2Reliability
If post-termination checks are performed, then crimp quality is confirmed, but high-cost cable assemblies are wasted when terminations fail specifications
Solution Approach 1:
The vision system performs preliminary validation of terminal positioning, wire positioning, and die alignment before the crimping operation. This prevents defective crimps that would waste high-cost cable assemblies, especially important in applications like automotive wiring harnesses where the entire assembly may be wasted if any termination fails.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces destructive mechanical testing methods with non-destructive optical inspection using imaging devices. This allows verification of crimp quality without damaging the expensive cable assemblies, enabling early detection and correction of positioning errors before material waste occurs.
3Loss of substance
If pre-crimp validation is implemented, then material waste is reduced, but device complexity increases due to vision system components
Solution Approach 1:
The vision system is designed to perform multiple validation functions including checking terminal positioning, wire positioning, die alignment, and other crimp criteria within a single integrated system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate inspection devices, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity while maximizing material waste reduction.
4Manufacturing precision
If imaging devices are used for pre-crimp validation, then crimp quality is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement and validation systems with an optical imaging-based vision system. The imaging devices capture images that are then analyzed by a controller to validate crimp parameters, simplifying the manufacturing process while improving crimp quality through non-contact, non-destructive inspection.
Data Source
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AI summary
A crimp machine (100) includes an anvil (120) having a lower die (122) having a lower forming surface (124) configured to support a crimp barrel (184) of a terminal (102) that receives a wire (104). The crimp machine includes a press (130) having an upper die (132) having an upper forming surface (134). The press is movable relative to the anvil during a crimping process to connect the crimp barrel to the wire. A crimp zone (106) is defined between the upper forming surface and the lower forming surface. The crimp machine includes a vision system (200) positioned to view the crimp zone. The vision system includes an imaging device (202) configured to image the crimp barrel of the terminal and the wire. The vision system operates the imaging device to capture an image prior to the crimping process for performing a validation pre-check prior to the crimping process.