molex 63811-1200 User manual

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QualityCrimpingHandbook
OrderNo63800-0029 ReleaseDate:09-04-03 UNCONTROLLED COPY Page1of24
Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
QUALITY CRIMPING
HANDBOOK
§Description
§Operation
§Maintenance

QualityCrimpHandbook
OrderNo63800-0029 ReleaseDate:09-04-03 UNCONTROLLED COPY Page2of24
Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
Table of Contents
SECTION
1Introduction
2Purpose
3Scope
4Definitions
5AssociatedMaterials
6Procedure
7Measurement
8ProcessControl
9TroubleShooting
10 WireGaugeChart
11 Notes

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SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION TO CRIMP TECHNOLOGY
Developedtoreplacetheneedtosolderterminations,crimpingtechnologyprovidesahighqualityconnectionbetweenaterminal
andawireatarelativelylowappliedcost. Themethodsforapplying crimpterminations dependonthe applicationand volume,
andrangefrom hand-helddevicestofullyautomatedsystems.
Theapplicationmethodsincludeabasichandtool, apressanddieset,astripper crimper,orafullyautomaticwireprocessing
system. However,nomatter whatmethod isused,thesetupofeachtool iscritical forachieving aqualitycrimp.
Today,manyOEMcompaniesareusingStatisticalProcessControl(SPC)tocontinuouslyimprovetheircrimpterminations. Crimp
terminationisacomplexprocessandtoensureconsistentqualityitisnecessarytounderstandthevariabilityandinter-relational
interactionsthatthetechnologyinvolves.
Withoutathoroughunderstandingofthecrimpingprocess,andallthefactorsthatcanaffectit,theresultmaynot meet
expectations. Thethreekeyelementsinthecrimpingprocessaretheterminal,thewire,andthetooling.
Terminal
Formost applications,it is noteconomically practicalforconnector manufacturerstodesign aterminaltoaccept onewiresize,one
wirestranding, andone insulationdiameter (UL type). Mostterminals accommodatemany wire sizes,stranding, anda range of
insulationdiameters,andtheterminalsaredesignedtomeetacceptablelevelsoverthisentirerange.
Wire
Thewirestrandingandinsulationtypecanvarywidelywithinonewiresize. Forexample,thereismorethan18%morematerialin
an18AWGby19-strandwirethanan18AWGby16-strandwire. Theinsulation diameterof an18 AWGwire canrangefrom
1.78mm(070")toover 4.57mm(180"). Wire strandscan becopper, tinned,overcoated,ortop coated. Wireinsulation materials,
thickness,anddurometers varyfromapplicationtoapplication.
Tooling
Whattypeof toolingdoestheapplicationrequire? Doesthe application require handstripping of the wire ordoes the volume
dictateanautomaticwire-strippingmachine? Does theapplicationand volume requirehand tools, pressanddie, or fullyautomatic
wireprocessmachines? Crimping withamanualhandtool,semi-automatic pressanddie, orfully automaticwireprocessor, all
involvedifferentlevelsofvariability. Theterminal,wire,andtypeofapplicationtoolingallaffectthequalityofthecompleted
terminations.

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Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
SECTION 2
PURPOSE
Thishandbookprovidesgeneralguidelinesand proceduresforunderstandingandachievingacceptablecrimpterminations. A
glossaryinSection4listscommontermsanddefinitions. Section4liststhetoolsthatarenecessarytotakeaccurate
measurementsand evaluatethe crimp'sacceptability.
Thetoolingsetupiscriticalindeterminingthe qualityof thefinished crimp. Theattributes thatneed tobe consideredinclude crimp
height,conductorbrush,bellmouth,andcut-offtaband striplength andinsulationposition. Variability inoneor moreof these
attributescanreducethemeasuredpullforce. Itcanbedifficulttoestablishacceptablevariabilitylimitsbecausetheattributesall
interactwithoneanother.
Forexample,atrackadjustmentforbellmouth alsowillchangethecut-offtablengthandtheinsulationwirepositionwhilestrip
lengthand wirelocationsaffect the conductorbrushand insulationposition. Adjustingthe insulation crimpheightmay resultina
slightchange to theconductor crimpheightmeasurement. Itmaybenecessaryforthe setuppersonto makemultipleadjustments
beforeestablishinganoptimalsetup.
Theorderthesetupisdonemayhelp reducethenumberofrepetitionsrequiredfor anoptimumsetup. Section6has a flowchart
foraprocesssetupwhileSection8isatrouble-shootingguideforcommonproblems. Using StatisticalProcessControl(SPC) during
thecrimping processcan help minimizethe Parts perMillion (PPM) rejectlevels. Section 7 providesa generalexplanation of the
benefitsofusingSPC.
Thishandbookisstructuredsothatparts,orall,ofitscontentscanbeusedasaproceduralguideforISOrequirements.

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Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
SECTION 3
SCOPE
This handbook is intended for Molex customers who are crimping Molex open barrel crimp terminals and are
using Molex tooling, primarilyin semiautomaticorautomatic wireprocessingtermination methods.
Thehandbook's contentsmay slightly differfrom otherconnectormanufacturers' guidelinesorindividual companyprocedures.
Thishandbookprovidesabasicoverviewofwhattolookforinanacceptablecrimp.Itisnotintendedtoreplaceindividualproduct
and/ortoolingspecifications.
Individualterminals orapplications mayhave special requirements. Toolinglimitations alsomaynot permitanattribute tobe
adjustedtomeetoptimumrequirements.

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Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
INSULATION
CRIMP
BRUSH
STRIP
LENGTH
BELL
MOUTH
CRIMP
HEIGHT
CONDUCTOR
CRIMP
CUT-OFF
TAB
SEAM
EXTRUSIONS
EXTRUSION EXTRUSION
TERMINAL CROSS-
SECTION VIEW
Figure 4-1
BEND
DOWN
BEND UP
ROLLING
TWISTING
SECTION 4
DEFINITIONS
Anatomy of a Crimp Termination (Figure 4-1)
§Bell Mouth (Flare)
Theflarethatis formedontheedgeoftheconductor
crimpactsasafunnelforthewirestrands. Thisfunnel
reducesthepossibilitythat asharpedge onthe
conductorcrimpwillcutornickthewirestrands.Asa
generalguideline, theconductor bell mouthneeds to be
approximately1to2timesthethicknessoftheterminal
material.*
§Bend Test
Onewaytotesttheinsulationcrimpis bybendingthe
wireseveraltimesandthenevaluatingthemovementof
theinsulationandwirestrands. Asarule,the insulation
crimpshouldwithstandthewirebeingbent 60 to 90
degrees in any direction, several times. Use care when
workingwithsmallwiresizessothewireatthebackof
theinsulation crimpdoes notshear.
§Conductor Brush
Theconductorbrushis madeup ofthe wirestrands that
extendpasttheconductorcrimpon thecontact sideof
theterminal. Thishelpsensurethatmechanical
compressionoccursoverthefulllengthoftheconductor
crimp. Theconductor brushshould notextend into the
contactarea.
§Conductor Crimp
Thisisthemetallurgical compression of a terminal around the
wire'sconductor. Thisconnectioncreates acommonelectrical
pathwithlowresistanceandhigh currentcarrying
capabilities.
§Conductor Crimp Height
Theconductorcrimpheightismeasured fromthetop surface
ofthe formed crimpto the bottom radialsurface. Do not
includethe extrusionpointsin thismeasurement,(See Figure
4-1). Measuringcrimpheightisaquick,non-destructiveway
tohelpensurethe correctmetallurgicalcompression ofa
terminalaround thewire'sconductor andisan excellent
attributeforprocesscontrol. The crimpheightspecificationis
typicallysetasabalancebetweenelectricalandmechanical
performanceoverthecomplete rangeofwire strandingand
coatings,andterminalmaterials and plating. Althoughitis
possibleto optimizea crimp heightto individual wire
strandingandterminalplating,onecrimp heightspecification
isnormallycreated.
*Consultindividualterminalspecificationrequirements

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Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
Figure 4-2
§Cut-off Tab Length
Thismaterialprotrudesoutsidetheinsulationcrimpafter
theterminal is separated fromthecarrier strip. As a rule,
thecut-offtabisapproximately1.0to1.5timesterminal
materialthickness. * Acut-off tabthatistoolong may
exposeaterminaloutsidethehousingorit mayfail
electricalspacingrequirements.In mostsituations,a toolis
setuptoprovideacut-offtabthatisflushto onematerial
thickness.
§Extrusions (Flash)
Thesearethesmallflaresthatformonthebottomofthe
conductorcrimpresultingfromtheclearance betweenthe
punchandanviltooling.Iftheanviliswornortheterminal
isover-crimped,excessiveextrusionresults. Anuneven
extrusionmay alsoresult ifthe punch andanvil alignment
isnotcorrect,ifthefeedadjustmentisofforifthereis
insufficient/excessiveterminaldrag.
§Insulation Crimp (Strain Relief)
Thisisthepartoftheterminalthat providesbothwire
supportforinsertioninto thehousingand allowsthe
terminaltowithstandshockandvibration. Theterminal
needstoholdthewireasfirmlyaspossiblewithoutcutting
throughtotheconductorstrands. Theacceptabilityofan
insulationcrimpissubjectiveanddepends onthe
application. Abend testisrecommended todetermine
whetherornotthestrainreliefisacceptableforeach
particularapplication.
§Insulation Crimp Height
Molexdoes notspecify insulation crimpheights because of
thewidevarietyofinsulationthickness, material,and
hardness. Mostterminalsaredesignedtoaccommodate
multiplewire ranges. Withintheterminal’s range,the
strainreliefmaynot completelysurroundthewireorfully
surroundthediameterofthewire. Thisconditionwill still
provideanacceptable insulationcrimpformost
applications.
§Alargestrainrelief shouldfirmlygrip atleast88% of
thewire.
§Asmallerstrainreliefshouldfirmlygripat least50%of
thewireandfirmlyholdthetopofthewire.
Toevaluatetheinsulationcrimpsection,cutthewireflushwith
thebackoftheterminal. Oncethe optimum settingforthe
applicationisdetermined,itisimportanttodocumentthe
insulationcrimpheight. Then,as partof thesetup procedure,
theoperatorcancheckthecrimpheight.
§Insulation Position
Thisisthelocationoftheinsulationin relationto the
transitionareabetweentheconductorandinsulationcrimps.
Equalamountsoftheconductorstrandsandinsulationneeds
tobevisibleinthetransitionarea. Theinsulation position
ensuresthatthe insulationiscrimpedalongthefulllengthof
theinsulation crimp,and thatno insulation iscrimped under
theconductorcrimp. Theinsulationpositionissetbythewire
stopandstriplength forbenchapplications. Forautomatic
wireprocessingapplications,theinsulationpositionis set by
thein/outpressadjustment.
§Strip Length
Thestriplengthisdeterminedbymeasuringtheexposed
conductorstrandsafterthe insulationisremoved. Thestrip
lengthdeterminestheconductorbrushlength whenthe
insulationpositionis centered.
*Consultindividualterminalspecificationrequirements

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Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
Figure 4-4
28.5
29.5
30.5
31.5
Thousandths
Measurements
Crimp Height
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10111213 14 1516 17 18 1920 21 2223 24 25
Sample
Contol Limit
Control Limit
UpperSpecification
LowerSpecification
ExampleControlChart
Figure 4-3
Figure 4-5
RAM
PRESS BASE
PLATE
SHUT HEIGHT
GAUGE
Figure 4-6
PUNCHES
WIRE
ANVILS TERMINALS
§Process
Thecombinationofpeople,equipment,tooling,
materials,methods, and proceduresneeded to produce a
crimptermination. ProcessControlisusedtotrack
attributesovertimetoaidinthedetectionofchangeto
theprocess. Detecting aprocess changewhen it happens
helpspreventmanythousandsofbadcrimps.
§Pull Force Testing
Pullforcetestingisaquick,destructiveway toevaluatethe
mechanicalpropertiesofacrimptermination. When
makingacrimp,enough pressuremustbeappliedtobreak
downtheoxidesthatmaybuildupon thestrippedconductor
andthetin-platingontheinsideoftheterminalgrip. This is
necessarytoprovideagood metal-to-metalcontact.Ifthis
doesnotoccur, resistancecanincrease. Over-crimping a
crimpterminationwillreduce thecirculararea ofthe
conductorandincrease resistance.
Pullforcetestingisalsoagoodindicatorofproblemsinthe
process. Cutornickedstrandsinthe strippingoperation,
lackof bellmouth orconductor brush, orincorrect crimp
heightortoolingwillreducepullforce. Wireproperties and
stranding, and terminal design (material thickness and
serrationdesign),alsocanincrease ordecrease pullforce
levels.
§Shut Height
Thedistance(atbottom deadcenter ona press),from the
toolingmountingbaseplate tothetoolingconnectionpointon
theramofthepress.
§Terminal Position
Theterminalpositionissetbythealignmentoftheterminalto
theforming punchandanvils, andthecarrier stripcut-off
tooling. Thetoolset-updetermines conductorbell mouth,cut-off
tablength,andterminalextrusions.

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SECTION 5
ASSOCIATED MATERIALS
§Caliper
Agauge,consistingoftwoopposingblades,formeasuring
lineardimensionalattributes.
§Eye Loop
Amagnification tool,normally 10
timespowerorgreater,whichis
usedtoaid visualevaluationofa
crimptermination.
§Crimp Micrometer
Thisisamicrometerspecificallydesignedtomeasurecrimp
height. Themeasurementis takenin thecenter ofthecrimpso
theconductorbell mouthdoes notinfluence it. Ithasathin
bladethatsupportsthetopofthecrimpwhileapointedsection
determinesthebottomradialsurface.
§Ruler (Pocket Scale)
Thisisusedtoestimatethefive-piecemeasurement ofbell mouth,
cut-offtab, conductor brush, wireposition,and strip length. The
recommendedmaximumresolutionis0.50mm(.020”).
§Pull Tester (ReferenceFigure5)
Adevice used to determinethemechanical strength of a crimp
termination. Mostpulltestingisdonewithadevicethatclamps
thewire,pulls atasetspeed,and measuresforce bymeansofa
loadcell. A pulltesteralsocanbeassimpleashangingfixed
weightsonthewire foraminimum ofoneminute.
§Toolmaker’s Microscope
Thisisusedfor closevisualevaluationandstatisticalmeasurement
ofbellmouth, cut-off tab,conductorbrush,wirepositionand strip
length.

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SECTION 6
PROCEDURES
Tool Setup (ReferenceProceduresFlow Chart)
1. Checkthat toolingis cleanandnot worn.If necessary,
cleanand replace worntooling.
2. Disconnectpowertothepressandremoveguarding
devices.
3. Installtheappropriatetoolingintothepress.
4. Loadterminalsintothetoolingsothatthe firstterminalis
locatedovertheanvil.
5. Manuallycyclethepress tohelpensureacompletecycle
canbe madewithout interference. Ifit cannot, remove
toolingandcheckpress shut height. Gotoprocedure 3.
6. Checkthatthetooling isaligned. Checktheimpression
onthebottomofthecrimpthatwasmadebytheanvil
tooling.Checkthattheextrusionsandcrimpformare
centered.Ifnot,aligntoolingandgotoprocedure5.
7. Checkthattheterminalfeedlocatesthenextterminal
overthecenteroftheanviltooling. Ifnot, adjust
terminalfeedandfeed fingerandgo toprocedure5.
8. Re-installallsafetydevicesthatwereremovedduringthe
set-up. (Follow all safety requirements listed in
individual press and/or tooling manuals.)
9. Crimpsampleterminalsunderpower.
10. Evaluatecut-offtablengthandconductorbellmouth. If
adjustmentisnecessary,disconnectpowerto thepress
andremoveguarding. Adjusttrackposition. Manually
cyclethepressandcheckthefeedfingerforfeed
location,gotoprocedure7.
11. Evaluateconductorbrush. Ifadjustmentisnecessary,
disconnectpowertothe pressandremove guarding.
Adjustwirestopforbenchapplications orpressposition
onautomaticwireprocessingequipment. Goto
procedure8.
12. Evaluateinsulation position. Ifnecessary,adjust striplength,
crimpnewsamples, andgotoprocedure11.
13. Looseninsulationcrimpheight.
14. Crimpsampleterminals.
15. Measureconductorcrimpheightandcompareto specification.
Ifnecessary,disconnectpowerandremove guarding.Adjust
conductorcrimp height,installguards, connectpower,and go
toprocedure14.
16. Performapullforcetest.Refertotroubleshooting(Section9)
ifthistestfails.
17. Adjustinsulationcrimp.
18. Crimpsampleterminals.
19. Evaluateinsulationcrimp. Ifnecessary, disconnectpowerand
removeguarding. Adjustinsulationcrimpheight,install
guards,connectpower,andgotoprocedure18.
20. Measurecrimpheight and compare to specification. If
necessary,disconnectpowerandremoveguarding. Adjust
conductorcrimp height,installguards, connectpower,and go
toprocedure18.
21. Documentmeasurements.
Please Work Safely At All Times.

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Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
Disconnectpowerandremove
necessaryguards
Installtoolinginto
thepress
Loadterminals
intotooling
Manuallycycle
thepress
Evaluatetoolingto
ensureitiscleanand
notworn
Replace
tooling/clean
Set shut height
ofthepress
Removetooling
fromthepress
Start
Complete
cycle?
Tooling
aligned?
Terminal feed OK?
Terminalcentered
overanvil?
Evaluatecut
-
off
taband
bellmouth
Installsafetyguarding
andconnectpower
Crimp
samples
B
Adjustterminalfeed
and/orfeedfinger
Align
tooling
A
Adjusttrack
position
Manuallycycle
thepress
Disconnectpowerandremove
necessaryguarding
Crimp
samples
Adjustpres
s
position
Evaluate
conductor
brush
Disconnectpowerandremove
necessaryguards
Adjust
wirestop
Looseninsulation
crimp
A
B
enchpress
orwire
processing
B
Evaluate
insulation
position
Crimp
samples
Adjust
striplength
Installsafety guarding and
connectpower
Adjustconductor
crimpheight
Adjust
insulation
Troublesh
ooting
(SeeSection9)
Disconnectpowerandremove
necessaryguarding
Conductor
crimpheight
OK?
Pull
force
test
Crimp
samples
InsulationOK?
Conductor
crimp
OK?
Installsafety guarding and
connectpower
Adjustconductor
crimpheight
Disconnectpowerandremove
necessaryguarding
Disconnectpowerandremove
necessaryguarding
Adjustinsulation
crimpheight
Installsafety guarding and
connectpower
End
Wire
processing
Benchpress
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
Good
Not
Good
No
No
Yes
Good
Not
Pass
Yes
Pass
Good
Not
Good
Not
Good
No
Yes
PROCEDURES FLOW CHART

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SECTION 7
MEASUREMENT
Pull Force Testing
1. Cutwirelengthapproximately152.00mm(6.00”)long.
2. Striponeendto13.00mm(.500”),orlongenoughsono
wireinsulationisunder theinsulationgrip, orloosenthe
insulationcrimpsoithasnogripontheinsulationofthe
wire.
3. Terminatetheappropriateterminal tothewire tothe
nominal crimp height.
4. Visuallyinspecttheterminationforbellmouth,wirebrush
and cut strands.
5. Setpulltesterto25.4.00mmperminute(1.00"per
minute). Formost applications, a higher rate will not have
asignificantimpactonthedata.Theslower ratepreventsa
suddenapplicationofforce orjerkingthatsnapsstrands.
Verifyhigherpullrateswithdatatakenat1.00”per
minute.
6. Ifnecessary,knottheunterminatedendofthewire(If
insulationslipsonwire).
7. Regardlessofpulltestertype,bothwireandterminatedend
mustbe securelyclamped. (Note: Clamp terminalcontact
interface,do notclamp conductorcrimp)
8. Activatepulltest.
9. Recordpullforcereadings. A minimumof fivepull force
measurementsshould be done to confirmeachset-up. A
minimumof25readingsshouldbetakenforcapability.
10. Comparelowest reading to minimum pullforcespecification.
Note:HighvariabilityandlowerCpK'sarecommon fordouble
wireapplications.Thevariabilityisduetomorevariationin
conductorbrush,conductor bell mouth and fewer strands of
onewirebeingincontactwiththeserrationsontheterminal
barrel.A double crimpapplicationisconsiderednobetterthan
thesmallest wirecrimped. Higherpull force readingscan be
seenifbothwiresaregrippedandpulledexactlytogether.
Pullingeachwireindividually willresult ina muchlower pull
forcereading.Ifbothwiresareofthesame size,thetopwire
willnormallyresultinalowerreadingthan thebottomwire
duetotheeffectsoftheterminalserrations.
Wire Chart
Note:Pull force has only a minimum specification. ForCpK
calculations,theaveragereadingisassumednominalandthe
upperspecificationlimitissetsoCPandCpKareequal.Highpull
forcereadingsthatincreasethestandarddeviationcanlowerCpK
evenifthemeanandlowestreadingareincreased.
Test Values for Pull Force Test
UL486A
Size of Conductor Pullout Force*
AWG mm2Lb. N
30 0.05 1.5 6.7
28 0.08 28.9
26 0.13 313.4
24 0.20 522.3
22 0.324 835.6
20 0.519 13 57.9
18 0.823 20 89.0
16 1.31 30 133.5
14 2.08 50 222.6
12 3.31 70 311.5
10 5.261 80 356.0
88.367 90 400.5
*Consultindividualspecifications
Crimp Height Testing
1. Completetoolset-upprocedure.
2. Crimpa minimumof fivesamples.
3. Placetheflatbladeofthecrimpmicrometeracrossthecenterof
thedualradiiof theconductor crimp.Do nottake the
measurementneartheconductor bell mouth.
4. Rotatethemicrometerdialuntilthepointcontactsthebottom
radialsurface.Ifusingacaliper,becertainnottomeasurethe
extrusionpointsofthecrimp.
5. Recordcrimp height readings. A minimum of five crimpheight
readingsisnecessaryto confirm eachset-up.A minimumof 25
readingsis necessaryto determinecapability.
6. Checkcrimpheightevery 250to500partsthroughouttherun.
Note:Crimpheightisusuallycontrolchartedbecauseitisaquick,
nondestructivemeasurementandiscritical forthetermination's
electricalandmechanicalreliability.Thereare threeprimary
purposesforcontrolcharting. One,the numberof setupsamples is
normallysmall, and its statisticalvalueis limited. Two, since special
cause/effectsonaprocessareirregularandunpredictable;itis
necessarytohaveameansofcatchingchangesintheprocessassoon
astheyoccur.Thispreventshavingtoscrapthousandsof
terminationsaftertherunisover.Three,andthisismostimportant,
thedataisnecessarytoassessandimprovethecrimpprocess.

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Figure 7-3
CALIPER
Figure 7-2
CRIMP MICROMETER
Figure 7-1
PULL TESTING

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SECTION 8
CRIMP PROCESS CONTROL
Thecrimpprocessis theinteractionofaterminal,wire,
tooling,personnel,methodsandprocedures,and
environmentalattributes.Whenthisprocessis controlled,it
willproduceaquality termination.Qualitycontrol isan
importantpartofquality crimping.Itshould nottake
excessivesetuporinspectiontimetodo,anditcansavea
harnessmanufacturerthousandsofdollarsinpotential
rework or re-manufacturing.
Variabilityistheslightchangethatoccursfromcrimpto
crimp. Therearetwotypesofvariability,commonor
special.Commoncausesofvariationaffect theprocess
uniformlyandaretheresultofmanysmallsources.
Commonvariabilityisinherenttoleranceswithinareelof
wireorterminals. Commonvariability alsois createdby the
naturaltolerancesofthestrippingandcrimpingmachines.
Reducingvariabilityatthecommonleveltypicallyhasto
comefromchangestothewire,terminal,andtooling
manufacturer.
Specialcausesofvariationoccurirregularlyand
unpredictably. Withoutchecks throughoutarun, havinga
toolbecomelooseafter thefirst hundredcrimps ora jam
resultingfromadamagedtoolmaybeundetecteduntil
thousandsofcrimpsaremade.
Process Capability
Beforeputtinganewcrimpingtoolinproduction,Molex
recommendsthateachcustomer doacapability study,using
thespecificwirethatwill beusedinits process. Acapability
study,whichisbased ontheassumptionofanormal
distribution(bell-typecurve),estimatestheprobabilityofa
measurementbeing outside ofspecification.
Capability
CpK +/-Sigma % Yield PPM*
0.67 295.45 45,500
1399.73 2,699
1.33 499.99 63
1.67 599.99+ 0.57
2699.99++ 0
*PPM-Partsper millionpotential defects.
A25 piece minimum sampleneedsto be taken from the
crimpingprocess. Calculatetheaverageandstandard
deviationfor eachspecification. A capability indexis
definedby theformula below.Cp may rangein value
fromzerotoinfinity, witha largervalue indicatinga more
capableprocess. A valuegreater than1.33 is considered
acceptablefor mostapplications. Cp iscalculated with the
followingformula. ___Tolerance___
6*StandardDeviation
TheCpKindexindicates whethertheprocess willproduce
unitswithinthetolerancelimits.CpKhasavalueequalto
Cpiftheprocessiscenteredonthe meanofspecification;
ifCpKisnegative, theprocessmean isoutsidethe
specificationlimits;ifCpKisbetween0and1thensomeof
the6sigmaspreadfallsoutsidethetolerancelimits.IfCpK
islargerthanone,the6-sigmaspread iscompletely within
thetolerancelimits.CpK iscalculated withthe lesserof the
followingformulas:
__(USL-Mean)__ __(Mean-LSL)__
3*StandardDeviation 3*StandardDeviation
USL=UpperSpecificationLimit,LSL=LowerSpecification
Limit
Sixsigmaisa goalofmanycompaniesbecauseit
representsvirtuallyzerodefects. Theabilityofacompany
toachieveasix-sigmaleveldepends ontheamountof
commonvariabilityinitsprocess. Forexample,hand
strippingthewireproducesmorevariability thana
stripping machine; crimping hand tools produce more
variabilitythanapressanddie set,and bench
terminationsproducemorevariabilitythanawire-
processingmachine.
Apartofthevariabilityincrimpingwill resultfromthe
typeofinstrumentsthat areusedtomeasuretheparts
andtheoperator'sabilitytorepeatthemeasurement. A
crimpmicrometerwillmeasuremoreaccurately thana
dialcaliper. An automatic pull force system will measure
betterthanahooktypescale. Itisimportantthatthe
measurementgaugehasenoughresolution.
Twooperatorsmaymeasurethesamepart differently,or
thesameoperatormay measurethepart differentlywhen

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usingtwo types of gauges. Molex recommends a gauge
capabilitystudytoidentifywhatpartofthevariabilityis
comingfrom measurementerror. Micro-terminals
crimpedtosmall wire sizes need a tight crimp height
rangetomaintainpullforce. Thevariabilityfrom
measurement error can keep CpKs low.
Thecapabilityofthecrimpingtoolsneedstobere-confirmed
iftheproductiondata issignificantlydifferent fromthe
capabilitystudy.
Production
Beforethetoolisreadyforproduction,thelevelof
capabilityneedsto beestablished.Manyharness
manufacturersrun onlya few hundredor few thousand
wiresatonetime.Inthiscase,itisnotpracticalor
economicalto run atwenty-five-piececapabilitywith
everyset-up.
Visual Inspection
Itneedstobe standardoperatingprocedure forthe
operatortomanuallyfan eachbundleof crimpedwires
andvisuallycheckbellmouth,conductor brush,insulation
position,cut-offtablength,andinsulationcrimp.
Control Charting
Crimpheight istypically controlcharted because itis a
quicknondestructive measurement andis critical for the
termination'selectrical and mechanical reliability. There
arethreeprimarypurposesforcontrolcharting. One, the
numberofsetupsamplesisusuallysmall,withlimited
statisticalvalue. Two,sincespecial causeeffectsona
processareirregularandunpredictable;itisnecessaryto
beabletocatchchangesintheprocessassoonasthey
occur. Thispreventsthousandsofterminationsfrombeing
scrappedafter the run isover. Three,and most important,
thisdataisnecessary toassessandimprovethecrimp
process.
Oncethetoolingprocess issetup andthe wiresize does
notchange, keep onecontrolchartforwirecolorchanges,
wirelengthchanges,terminalmaterialchanges, orsetup
adjustments. Recordthe datapoint onthechart before
makingacrimpheight adjustment.Ifdata isrecorded
aftereachadjustment,theprocessislikelytoassume
controlandprovidelittledataforimprovingtheprocess.
Theoperatorneedstomakeasmanynotes aspossibleon
thechart. Theonlytrulyeffectiveandeconomically
sensiblewaytomanageamanufacturingprocessisto
understand,monitorand reduce sources of variabilitythat
areinherenttotheprocessitself. Everyminuterequired
forsetup oradjustments isunproductive.
Whatdoesthissamplecharttellus?
X and R Chart
Controllimitforsampleof5=Avg
(Avgof5readings)+.577xAvg(Ranges)
Itindicatesthataprocessshiftoccurredbetween
measurement12and13. This typeof shiftcould occur
duetoachangeinwire,achangeinterminallots,ajam
inthemachinethat damagedthetooling,achangein
operators,oranadjustmenttothe insulationcrimp. Since
themeasurementsarestillwithinspecification, wouldyou
stopproductiontoadjustcrimpheight?
Ashiftintheprocessduetoachangeinmaterialmay
warranta crimp height adjustment. Ashiftafter a jam
wouldnotindicateanadjustment,buta closeevaluation
ofthetooling. Ashiftintheprocessbetweenoperators
wouldnotindicateanadjustment,butanevaluationof
measurementcapability. The purposeof acontrol chart is
toidentifywhatcausedtheshiftinprocesstodetermineif
anadjustmenttotheprocessisneeded.

QualityCrimpHandbook
OrderNo63800-0029 ReleaseDate:09-04-03 UNCONTROLLED COPY Page16of24
Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
Figure 9-1
IRREGULAR INSULATION CUT
Figure 9-2
CUT STRANDS
Figure 9-3
PULLED STRANDS Figure 9-4
WIRE LENGTH VARIABILITY OR WRONG STRIP LENGTH
SECTION 9
TROUBLE SHOOTING
Wire Preparation
Symptom Cause Solution
Worn tooling Replace toolingIrregular insulation cut
(Figure 9-1) Wire cut depth too shallow Adjust cut depth
Damaged tooling Replace tooling
Cut depth too deep Adjust cut depth
Cut or nicked strands
(Figure 9-2) Conductor not on wire center Contact wire supplier
Worn tooling Replace toolingIrregular conductor cut-pulled strands
(Figure 9-3) Wire cut depth too shallow Adjust cut depth
Wire drive rollers/belts worn Replace belts/rollers
Insulation durometer too hard Increase drive pressure
Wire length variability too high
(Figure 9-4) Wire straightener too loose or tight Adjust wire straightener
Wrong strip length (Figure 9-4) Incorrect setup Re-setup tooling

QualityCrimpHandbook
OrderNo63800-0029 ReleaseDate:09-04-03 UNCONTROLLED COPY Page17of24
Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
Bell Mouth and Cut-off Tab Length
Symptom Cause Solution
Excessive bell mouth, no cut-off tab Adjust track position for small cut-off tabLow pull force
(Figure 9-6 and 9-7) Excessive bell mouth, cut-off tab alright Check for worn or incorrect punch tooling and replace
Adjust track positionCut or nicked strands
(Figure 9-8) No bell mouth and/or excessive cut-off tab Check for camber in terminal strip
Check for worn cut-off and replace if necessary
Long cut-off tab (Figure 9-9) Good bell mouth and excessive cut-off tab Check for worn punch tooling, replace, and re-adjust track
Conductor Brush and Insulation Position
Symptom Cause Solution
Insulationunder conductor crimp, good
conductor brush (Figure 9-10) Strip length too short Check specification, adjust strip length longer
Bench -Wire stop position incorrect Adjust wire stop to center of transition areaInsulation under conductor crimp, long
conductor brush length (Figure 9-11) Wire Processing –Press position incorrect Adjust press position away from wire
Check specification, adjust strip length longer
Insulation under conductor crimp,
short or no conductor brush (Figure 9-12) Strip length too short Re-adjust wire stop position for bench applications OR
re-adjust press position for wire processing applications
Check specification, adjust strip length shorter
Strip length too long Re-adjust wire stop position for bench applications OR
re-adjust press position for wire processing applications
Insulation edge centered in transition area,
conductor brush too long (Figure 9-13) Irregular wire cut-off or strands pulled
from insulation bundle Check for worn stripping tooling
Check specification, adjust strip length longer
Insulation edge centered in transition area,
conductor brush too short (Figure 9-14) Strip length too short Re-adjust wire stop position for bench applications OR
re-adjust press position for wire processing applications
Check specification, adjust strip length shorter
Insulation edge under insulation crimp,
good or long conductor brush (Figure 9-15) Strip length too long Re-adjust wire stop position for bench applications OR
re-adjust press position for wire processing applications
Bench -Wire stop position incorrect Adjust wire stop to center of transition area
Wire processing -Press position incorrect Adjust press position away from wire
Insulation edge under insulation crimp,
short or no conductor brush (Figure 9-16) Verify operators wire placement ability Operate training, reduce crimping rate
Figure 9-5
OPTIMAL CRIMP Figure 9-6
EXCESSIVE BELL MOUTH Figure 9-7
EXCESSIVE BELL MOUTH, NO CUT-OFF TAB
Figure 9-8
NO BELL MOUTH, EXCESSIVE CUT-OFF TAB Figure 9-9
EXCESSIVE CUT-OFF TAB, GOOD BELL MOUTH

QualityCrimpHandbook
OrderNo63800-0029 ReleaseDate:09-04-03 UNCONTROLLED COPY Page18of24
Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
Figure 9-10
INSULATION UNDER CONDUCTOR
CRIMP, GOOD CONDUCTOR BRUSH
Figure 9-11
INSULATION UNDER CONDUCTOR CRIMP,
CONDUCTOR BRUSH TOO LONG
Figure 9-12
INSULATION UNDER CONDUCTOR CRIMP,
SHORT OR NO CONDUCTOR BRUSH Figure 9-13
CONDUCTOR BRUSH TOO LONG
Figure 9-14
CONDUCTOR BRUSH TOO SHORT
Figure 9-15
INSULATION UNDER INSULATION CRIMP,
CONDUCTOR BRUSH TOO LONG
Figure 9-16
INSULATION UNDER INSULATION CRIMP,
CONDUCTOR BRUSH TOO SHORT
Conductor Brush and Insulation Position
Insulation Crimp
Symptom Cause Solution
Tighten insulation crimp heightTerminal surrounds less than 88% of a large
diameter wire (Figure 9-21) Crimp too loose, not enough terminal insulation barrel Evaluate terminal
Terminal contacts less than 50% of a small
diameter wire (Figure 9-22) Too much terminal insulation barrel Evaluate terminal
Insulation crimp barrels cut through insulation
into conductor strands (Figure 9-23) Crimp too tight Adjust insulation crimp height*
Insulation not firmly gripping insulation,
fails bend test (Figure 9-24) Crimp too loose Adjust insulation crimp height tighter
* Inexpensivehandtoolsprovidenoadjustmentfortheinsulationcrimp. Ahandtoolisintendedforlowvolumeapplications.Although
youarenot abletoadjusttheinsulation crimpon ahandtool,aninsulation crimp,which piercestheinsulation,maystill be
consideredacceptableformany applications. Thiscriterion onlyapplies tohand toolsduetotheirlow speedcrimp cycle.If the
insulationcrimppiercestheinsulation,thewirestrandstendtomoveasidewithoutdamage.

QualityCrimpHandbook
OrderNo63800-0029 ReleaseDate:09-04-03 UNCONTROLLED COPY Page19of24
Revision:B RevisionDate:10-07-05
Figure 9-17
PREFFERRED INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-18 PREFFERRED INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-19 ACCEPTABLE INSULATION CRIMP
Figure 9-20
ACCEPTABLE INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-21 MARGINAL INSULATION CRIMP
Figure 9-22
MARGINAL INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-23
MARGINAL INSULATION CRIMP Figure 9-24
MARGINAL INSULATION CRIMP
Insulation Crimps