Terminal Crimping Line With Image-Based Wire Quality Sorting

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Solution Overview

Problem

The process of cutting and setting harness-use electric wires for crimping in conventional terminal crimping units is burdensome for workers, especially as the number of wires increases.

Innovation Solution

A terminal crimping unit and method that includes a measuring section for cutting electric wires, a conveying section for handling wire ends, a stripping section for exposing core wires, a crimping section for terminal attachment, a crimping confirmation section for image-based quality control, and a selective discarding section for rejecting non-conforming wires.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual cutting and setting of harness-use electric wires is used, then the terminal crimping unit can operate, but the worker burden increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworker burdenVSAvoidautomation level

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal crimping unit is divided into multiple independent functional sections: a measuring section for cutting wires, a conveying section for transporting wire ends, a stripping section for removing insulation, a crimping section for attaching terminals, a crimping confirmation section for quality inspection, and a selective discarding section for sorting results. This segmentation allows each section to be automated independently, reducing worker burden while maintaining operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The measuring section performs preliminary cutting of harness-use electric wires to required lengths before they reach the crimping section. The conveying section prepares wire ends by transporting and positioning them in advance. The stripping section removes insulation coatings beforehand, exposing core wires for crimping. These preliminary actions eliminate manual preparation work and reduce worker burden.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If automated conveying and processing is implemented, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrimping throughputVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple processing functions are merged into integrated sections. The conveying section combines wire transport, positioning, and transfer functions. The crimping confirmation section integrates photography, image processing, and quality determination functions. The selective discarding section combines quality-based sorting and disposal functions. This merging reduces the number of separate components needed and simplifies the overall system while maintaining high productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The crimping confirmation section photographs crimped wire ends and performs image processing to determine whether crimping criteria are satisfied. This feedback mechanism automatically identifies defective products and directs them to the selective discarding section. The feedback loop ensures high productivity through automated quality control without requiring manual inspection, while the systematic approach keeps device complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If quality inspection is added to the crimping process, then manufacturing precision improves, but the process time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrimping qualityVSAvoidinspection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The crimping confirmation section performs quality inspection continuously as wires move through the conveying system. Photography and image processing occur without stopping the production flow. The selective discarding section immediately removes defective wires from the continuous flow. This continuous inspection approach maintains high manufacturing precision while minimizing time loss by eliminating idle inspection periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

Manual quality inspection is replaced with an automated optical inspection system. The crimping confirmation section uses photography and image processing to automatically evaluate crimping quality. This substitution eliminates the time required for manual visual inspection while maintaining or improving manufacturing precision through consistent, objective criteria assessment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20260066601A1Terminal crimping unit and terminal crimping method

Publication Date: 2026.03.05 YAZAKI CORP

AI summary

Connector terminals are crimped to harness-use electric wires while various burdens on the worker are reduced. A terminal crimping unit includes a measuring section, a conveying section, a stripping section, a crimping section, a crimping confirmation section performing a crimping confirmation process based on a post-crimping image obtained by photographing electric wire end portions to which the connector terminals have been crimped, and a selective discarding section performing a selective discarding process of handing over to a subsequent step the harness-use electric wires that satisfy the crimping criteria and discarding the harness-use electric wires that do not satisfy the crimping criteria.