Optical Crimp Blank Inspection for Defect-Free Cable Crimping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for ensuring and verifying the quality of crimps, particularly for indent crimps and cable connections, are inadequate in identifying and preventing defects caused by faulty components or operator errors, leading to poor crimp quality.
Innovation Solution
A method using optical sensors to capture and compare image data of contact sleeves and cables with reference data before crimping, and evaluating the quality of the crimp process through force/displacement monitoring, allowing for real-time adjustment and prevention of defective crimps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional force/displacement monitoring is used during crimping, then some quality indication is obtained, but the method cannot determine the cause of crimping defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs visual inspection of the crimp blank (contact sleeve and cable) before the crimping process to identify potential defects such as incorrect component size, faulty cables, or improper positioning. This preliminary detection prevents defective crimps from occurring in the first place, rather than only detecting them after crimping as with traditional force/displacement monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical force/displacement monitoring with an optical inspection system using cameras and image processing. This substitution enables visual detection of crimp blank defects, providing information about the cause of potential crimping failures that mechanical sensors cannot provide.
2Reliability
If optical inspection is performed before crimping to detect component compatibility, then defective crimps are prevented, but the inspection system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical cameras to create visual copies (images) of the crimp blank and compares these images against reference data or evaluation criteria. This copying approach enables non-contact inspection without physical interaction with the components, simplifying the inspection mechanism while maintaining high detection accuracy for component compatibility and defects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an image processing system as an intermediary between the physical crimp blank and the quality assessment. The camera captures images, which are then processed and compared against reference data to determine component compatibility. This intermediary approach enables automated detection without requiring complex mechanical measurement systems.
3Device complexity
If manual quality assessment by measuring crimp depth is performed, then simple equipment is used, but the inspection is time-consuming and less precise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement of crimp depth with an optical inspection system using cameras and automated image processing. This substitution eliminates the need for physical contact and manual measurement, enabling rapid automated inspection that is both faster and more precise while requiring only simple optical equipment rather than complex mechanical measurement devices.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1E
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 3A~3E
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for ensuring and/or checking the quality of a crimping using a crimping machine (1) for crimping a cable (4) with a contact sleeve (3) and using a first optical sensor (61) for detecting and/or recording first image data of the contact sleeve (3) and using an evaluation electronics system (5), comprising the following steps: the first image data of the contact sleeve (3) are detected by the first optical sensor (61); the evaluation electronics system (5) carries out a first comparison of the first image data of the first optical sensor (61) with first reference data of a predetermined contact sleeve (3), and the first comparison is checked for the presence of a predetermined first criterion; if the predetermined first criterion is satisfied, a first signal is output; wherein the detection of the first image data and the first comparison and the checking of the first criterion and the output of the first signal are carried out before the cable (4) is crimped with the contact sleeve (3). The invention also relates to a crimping machine (1) suitable for carrying out the above method.