Crimping Feed Timing With Delayed Air Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hand press crimping systems face challenges in efficiently removing newly crimped cables due to manual operation, leading to undesirable deformations as staff struggle to clear crimped cables before subsequent contacts are processed, often requiring complex manual activation of multiple foot pedals.
Innovation Solution
A crimping system with a time-delayed signal that actuates a valve for compressed air, allowing the feed to move automatically after a predetermined delay post-crimping, eliminating the need for a second foot pedal and providing sufficient time for cable removal without collisions, while also controlling a chopper for recycling the carrier tape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual operation of hand press crimping system is used, then flexibility in operation is maintained, but cable removal speed is insufficient leading to deformations
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the crimping signal itself to trigger the feed mechanism through a time-delayed circuit, making the feed operation automatic and self-initiated without requiring separate manual activation. This self-service approach ensures the feed mechanism operates at the optimal moment after crimping, preventing cable deformation while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The time-delayed circuit prepares and activates the feed mechanism in advance based on the crimping signal, ensuring that the cable removal process is initiated at the precise moment when the crimped cable is ready for removal. This preliminary action prevents deformation by ensuring the cable is cleared before the next contact is positioned.
2Manufacturing precision
If a second foot pedal is added to activate feed manually, then cable removal timing is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the crimping signal and feed activation into a single control sequence. The time-delayed circuit integrates both functions by using the crimping signal as the trigger for the feed mechanism, eliminating the need for a separate foot pedal and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining precise timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The time-delayed circuit acts as an intermediary between the crimping signal and the feed mechanism. It receives the crimping signal, applies the appropriate time delay, and then activates the feed mechanism automatically. This intermediary component simplifies the system by replacing the need for manual intervention through a second foot pedal.
3Productivity
If automatic feed is activated immediately after crimping, then productivity increases, but cable deformation occurs due to insufficient removal time
Solution Approach 1:
The time-delayed circuit initiates the feed mechanism in advance based on the crimping signal, ensuring that the cable removal process is underway before the next contact is positioned. This preliminary action with controlled timing prevents deformation while maintaining high productivity through automatic operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the feed activation timing based on the crimping process. The time-delayed circuit creates an optimal time window between crimping completion and feed activation, allowing the operator sufficient time to remove the crimped cable while ensuring the feed mechanism activates automatically at the right moment to maintain productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient, safe, and flexible crimping operations by allowing sufficient time for cable removal and automating the feed process, reducing manual complexity and preventing deformations, while optimizing the crimping system's construction and operation.
Implementation Method 1
the time-delayed first signal during crimping is provided by a cam output with a specific time delay for crimping at the output
Implementation Method 2
The valve is briefly opened by the time-delayed first signal so that compressed air can flow to the feed via the compressed air line
Implementation Method 3
The feed can be actuated by supplied compressed air, whereby a subsequent contact is provided on the crimping tool
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a crimping machine (1) comprising a crimping tool (2) for crimping contacts onto wires, a feeder (4) for supplying the contacts to the crimping tool (2), and an output (6) which, after crimping a contact onto a wire, provides a time-delayed first signal (S1), wherein the time-delayed first signal (S1) controls a valve (10) on a compressed air line (14) connected to the feeder (4), wherein the feeder (4) can be actuated by supplied compressed air (12), and the feeder (4) is actuated with a time delay after crimping a contact onto a wire. The invention further relates to a method for operating a crimping machine (1).