For quality switching electrical wiring and cable routes with input distribution, grounding and other devices, it is important to use cable lugs. They crimp the ends of the wires. This is done not with bare hands, but with the help of a special tool.
Crimpers, or pliers for crimping wire lugs, guarantee high-quality contact and a reliable connection. They can be used for crimping tips various types- insulated and non-insulated, sleeve and sleeve. Also, the device allows you to compress automotive terminals.
Features of crimping pliers
Press tongs vary in size and shape of the matrix, but have a common purpose. A tool is used to fasten several conductors to each other or to prepare a bundle of current-carrying conductors for subsequent switching with terminals on electrical appliances.
Often the need for crimping arises when switching cables consisting of several cores. They cannot be placed in the terminals without proper preparation, because due to small vibrations during movement electric current some veins will be compacted. This will lead to the appearance of free space and, accordingly, a weakening of the contact.
This is what contributed to the fact that several decades ago, when there was no cable lugs, for the installation of power electrical wiring, only single-core wires were used. With the advent of press tongs, everything has changed significantly.
Despite the recommendation to use a single-core cable in power wiring, stranded wires were operated and crimped. Instead of pincers then (and now), the operation was carried out with the help of a powerful press that creates the required force. The principle of operation of the press resembles a car jack, and most models of equipment are equipped with a hydraulic drive. Today, bulky devices are used for high-quality crimping of thick power cable.
The crimping process is trivially simple: a special sleeve is put on the end of the stripped cable, which is placed in the crimping pliers with subsequent fixation. Remember the network cable that is inserted into the rear socket system block: it is crimped with press tongs, and the transparent RJ45 tip acts as a sleeve. This is not the only possible option: there are double-sided bushings, on both sides of which the ends of different cables are inserted. As a result, we have a better and more reliable alternative to conventional twisting or soldering wires.
The main types and varieties of ticks
Structurally, crimping pliers can be divided into two main varieties - diaphragm and those that work on the principle of pliers.
The second option is considered more common: when you press the handles, the tool squeezes the sleeve with two working planes, but, unlike pliers, there are cutouts of the desired shape on the edges that act as guides. This tool is suitable for crimping U-shaped ferrules.
The main advantage of the tool is its versatility, since it is possible to crimp the tips from any side. The versatility ends when it comes to sleeve sizes: specific pressing tongs are designed for a small range of sleeves.
If you often carry out crimping or this moment working on a major electrical wiring project, more it is likely that you will have to crimp the wires with cable lugs of both large and small sizes. Thus, on hand you need to keep several crimpers for different bushings.
There is a great alternative: crimpers with a set of removable dies mounted on a cassette. To change, the working part of the tool is inserted into the hole of the cassette, then it is pulled “toward itself”, and the matrix is inside. It remains to insert the base into the hole with the matrix of the desired shape. Remember high-quality razors with removable blades - a similar principle works.
With regard to diaphragm pressing tongs, they allow crimping from four or six sides. Exact amount depends on the diaphragm mechanism. The full circumference of the sleeve improves the quality of the connection, provides maximum crimp tightness. In addition, this device is automatic mode adapts to the thickness of the sleeve used, so there is no need to change dies.
But even such a tool has a drawback - you can crimp the end of one wire, since on the other side there is a closed "working head". Diaphragm pliers cannot crimp two wires instead of twisting them.
Application area
And now let's look at the main areas of use of press tongs for terminating wires. Depending on the specific situation, a tool of the desired shape and design is selected.
For stranded wires and thin-walled ferrules
These crimpers are used for crimping wires of small cross section (starting from 0.5 mm) with pin sleeve cable lugs. Quality equipment is produced by IEK. The crimping of the electrical cable is carried out to the maximum force so that the spring mechanism works.
The need for crimping a multi-core cable arises when it is connected to the terminals on circuit breakers, switchboards, boxes and other devices. The presence of high-quality bushings and tools eliminates the fraying of the cable cores, since reliable crimping occurs, which ensures continuous electrical connection during switching.
Without cable lugs and subsequent crimping, it remains to either twist or solder the wires to the terminals of distribution and switchboard devices. In that case, be prepared to frequent breakdowns veins, communication failure with subsequent short circuits and overheating of the equipment. By the way, this option is still acceptable, but for a cable with one core.
For stranded wires and thick-walled ferrules
For high-quality crimping of power multicore cables with thick tips, press tongs of other sizes are used. Each individual tool is characterized by a unique working area. For example, for press tongs PK-16 from KVT there are five of them. Zones are marked with special marks on the jaws of the crimper. For example, the crimping range can be 1.5-16mm. After crimping, a special stamp remains on the back of the bushing.
Important! Many tools, including the PC-16, use stranded cable exclusively to crimp. If you try to do this with a single-core wire, then due to excessive force, the core may be refracted.
Pressing starts with preparatory phase. First you need to strip the ends of the cable, then insert it all the way into the sleeve, excluding the free space inside. That is why the sleeves must be selected according to the diameter of the cable so that it freely enters inside, but does not hang out there like a failed cork in a glass bottle. This is very important, since the quality of the future crimping depends on this criterion.
All protruding wires need to bite off. After that, insulation is performed: for this, heat shrink tubes with a hairdryer are used. To increase reliability, the upper part is wrapped with electrical tape. But this is completely optional: the tube will be enough.
Please note that tools can be marked with the letter "U" and without it. For example, in the case of the PK-16-U, the ratchet mechanism is located inside the handle. There will also be different efforts applied during crimping using PK-16 and PK-16-U. In the second case, less force is required.
For large cable
In the case of large power wire, a large hydraulic press should be used instead of pressing tongs. Such a crimp appeared much earlier than crimpers, but, as in the case with them, what kind of high-voltage cable can be crimped depends on its dimensions. In the domestic sphere, the tool is not used, since crimped bushings, lugs and sleeves have considerable dimensions. This option, for example, is suitable for laying and switching power wires in electrical panels at the entrances of houses, etc.
To compress the matrix, you need to apply a lot of effort to the lever. If the valve is slightly ajar, then the stem begins to slowly move away. The fully open valve ensures that the stem is quickly removed all the way to the stop. During full matrix compression, blocking occurs. At the same time, there is no possibility of overpressure that could damage the mechanism.
Since matrices are selected depending on overall dimensions, then the hydraulic press is released together with a cassette of several matrices. Top part magnetized, so it automatically returns to its original position. Only the lower element of the press changes. Regardless of the position of the equipment, parts do not fly out. The tool has a rubberized handle that increases electrical safety.
Crimping two wires with a double-sided sleeve is necessary when dismantling electrical shield followed by transfer to another location. There is a need to build up copper wires with a cross section of 6-12 square meters. mm.
For serial crimping of wires
This option is excellent in that it excludes air from entering the sleeve. This is very important if you want to connect copper and aluminum wires in series, which can oxidize when exposed to oxygen.
For crimping computer cables
Crimping pliers for twisted pair cable used as a computer LAN cable are separate category. They work similarly to pliers with two jaws: instead of a metal sleeve, they use a special-shaped matrix that allows you to install an RJ 45 plug on a computer or telephone wire. Instead of crimping, such a tool displaces the contacts, cutting through the insulation on individual wires and pressing tightly to the cores.
How to work with crimping pliers
The process of crimping a cable with a sleeve or a ferrule is intuitively simple. The wire is placed inside one of the listed elements, to which a matrix of tongs is brought, the handles are squeezed and a high-quality contact is formed. In practice, everything is much more complicated than it seems. If this is your first time crimping wires, then surely the connections will be far from ideal. It is not uncommon for a seemingly well-made contact to deteriorate over time.
If the shape of the terminals is not maintained
The reason for this may be incorrect settings when squeezing the two jaws of the matrix. The forces applied and the shape are selected depending on the crimped wire and lugs. That is why, as mentioned above, two or more tools should be at hand so as not to have to constantly change the spring settings for different cables and sleeves.
The quality of the work performed depends on the material used for the production of the sleeve, and the thickness of the bushings and tips. Tight terminals are much easier to crimp: they are able to withstand the shape better than when using products made of soft material.
Also pay attention to important requirement, according to which you need to correctly place the tips of the U-shaped section. A certain skew of the part may go beyond the error zone.
Twisting stranded conductors before crimping
Experienced electricians who often solder and twist wires may be in the habit of doing this even before the crimping process. This action is strictly prohibited when crimping multi-wire lugs. It is very easy to check the validity of this condition: cross two stranded wires with each other, then squeeze them with pliers. You will notice how the wire is deformed, it will be interrupted, so the electrical connection on the current-carrying core will decrease.
Without twisting, the wire will be parallel, and in case of deformation, the wires will fill the voids, and there will be no squeezing.
Summing up, I want to remember a simple rule: for each job you need your own tool. This is a generalized concept, but in the case of press tongs, everything is much more complicated. If there is no desire to constantly reconfigure the spring, which is very difficult to do, then a separate device is selected depending on the type of wire being crimped. The final choice of which tool to buy and how many varieties to use, make depending on the quantity daily work associated with compression.
Content:
For high-quality connection of contacts of devices, equipment, crimping of the ends of the cable and wires that are connected to them is used in electrical engineering - this method gives an excellent connection of conductive surfaces. In order to use crimping, you need lugs or sleeves that have different kind and appointment. The crimping method requires a special tool. Consider what tips are and how they are crimped.
Types of tips for crimping
For every inhabitant, a striking example of improper wiring is the stair switchboard, many apartment owners have melted wires in the switchboard, there are twists. Crimping wire lugs can save citizens from the possibility of heating and igniting electrical wiring as a result of poor-quality wire contact, lack of cable lugs.
When there is good contact between the cable or wire being connected and the connection device, the transition resistance is minimized, and with an increase in current load on the contact group, they can heat up in case of poor contact. Sleeves and tips are intended to remove or minimize the contact resistance, in other words, to exclude poor-quality contact, for a bolt or screw.
For crimping (crimping for lugs) of wires and cables, special products are used - lugs and sleeves. Tips can be stranded wires and single-core wire, they are subdivided according to the purpose and type of wire for which they are used (copper or aluminum).
For crimping the copper conductors of the cable, lugs made of seamless copper tube, which is flattened on one side and has a hole for a screw connection. This type of tips happens:
- With different diameters for a wire and a mounting hole that does not have protective coating;
- for crimping electrolytic tinned with different holes for fastening.
The marking of this type of tips is as follows:
- uncoated, TM - X - Y, where X is the cross section of the wire, Y is the size of the hole for fastening;
- coated, TML-X-U.
There is another type of lugs with a control window, these are tinned copper products for terminating cable and wire cores. A feature of this type is the ability of the termination performer to control the correctness of crimping through the control window. This type of product is marked as TML (o), it is noteworthy that they can be installed on the ends of cables using solder and soldering, which almost completely removes the value contact resistance.
Quite often in electrical engineering there is a connection of an aluminum wire with a copper cable, in this case it is recommended to use aluminum-copper lugs for high-quality connection of an aluminum wire and a shield copper bus.
With a decrease in the overall dimensions of devices and devices, pin products have become popular tips for ending. They are used in electrical equipment and circuit breakers in protection devices. With the reduction of clamping fasteners, the pin is the most optimal solution for good contact. This species is marked as NSHP.
Tips NShVI
Cable lugs for crimping NShVI are a pin sleeve product with insulation. Electrolytic copper is the material from which it is made, insulation is installed on the back side, which is thicker than the metal part. When the terminated wire is inserted into the socket with this lug, only its insulated part remains under the clamp. In industry and in everyday life, this type of lugs is used for cables up to 35 sq. mm in cross section, they are pressed with a special tool.
There are several modifications of this tip, which differ in the number of wires connected in one tip. For two cables, the marking has the form NShVI2, there are no structural differences in this lug, the same metal part and PVC cuff, but the diameter of the sleeve (skirt) is larger, designed for two wires.
Features of working with NSHVI
Cable lugs of this type are intended only for multi-core cables, they cannot be used in the termination of wires with one core. For rigid (single-core) wires, crimping is used with bushings (sleeves) without insulation. Crimping of stranded wire is carried out as follows:
- the wire section is selected, the brand of the tip is selected, into which the cores must enter freely and tightly from the side of the skirt;
- in practice, the type of tip is selected with some margin. Example: PV-3 wire with a cross section of 1.25 sq. mm can be terminated with a tip from 1.5 sq. mm. Skirt section - up to 2.5 sq. mm.
Tool
Crimping of cable lugs is carried out with a special tool that is designed and manufactured for this purpose. A tool is necessary for crimping the lugs, since a person with a simple effort cannot create the necessary force for high-quality termination of the cable core. Which crimping tool to choose depends on the cross-section of the wire or cable that is being worked on. We list the most used tool:
- Press tongs of the PK2 or PK2M brand are a hand tool that is used in terminating the cores of wires and cables with a cross section of up to 10 sq. mm.
- Press tongs of the PK1 or PK1M brand are a reinforced version of hand-held tongs with long handles, they can be used to end cores up to 50 sq. mm.
- Tongs are hydraulic, manual, which without much effort can terminate the core up to 10 sq. mm.
- Hand press, which is used in industrial production for a wire with a section up to 240 sq. mm.
- Hydraulic press with electric drive or foot pedal, cable ends up to 300 sq.mm.
Crimping sleeves
Not in every device or device, switching an external circuit uses a cable lug, there is also a sleeve ending, its choice is made according to the type of wire being connected (copper, aluminum). For cables with copper conductors - marking of sleeves GML, where:
- G - product name, sleeve;
- M - the material from which it is made, copper;
- L - the product has a coating, tinned.
For aluminum wires GAO brand is selected: aluminum sleeve closed type. When it is necessary to make a connection with the transition of aluminum to copper, a product made of an alloy is selected. It is not allowed to use products for copper wires on aluminum conductors, this is a heat couple that will heat up due to an electrochemical reaction that takes place in the material of these conductors when connected.
Preparing for pressing
You can’t just put a cable tip on a core, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps:
- clean the desired length of the end of the wire or cable from insulation - you can use a special tool, a stripper;
- we twist the cores by hand and insert them from the side of the skirt into the tip;
- first, the tip is selected according to the cross section of the core, observing the conditions for free and tight entry into the tip sleeve.
Crimping of wires with tips is carried out with a special tool. On each press there is a marking of matrices and the main part according to the type of tip or the cross section of the core. Now the color standard is observed, for this reason it is easy to combine the section and the matrix in the desired position.
How to crimp a wire
In the event that you have not previously crimped cable cores, you need to practice on unnecessary pieces of wire or cable. To obtain a high-quality connection, you must adhere to the developed rules:
- The cable inserted into the sleeve (sleeve with a flare) of the tip must be held by hand in the socket.
- After making sure that the matrix matches the selected tip, you can begin to squeeze the handles of the press until the ratchet mechanism is activated and an audible click.
- The ratchet mechanism of the press simplifies the pressing process. The mechanism does not allow the press to unclench, and when the wire is crimped unsuccessfully, it must be unlocked.
- Double-circuit crimping compresses the insulated part of the ferrule and the metal contact. Such a matrix has two sockets, they are different in size, so you need to carefully look so that the cuff fits into its socket, and the metal contact of the tip into its own.
Conclusion
Each tip must correspond to the wire, most common mistake in crimping cable cores, it consists in a mismatch between the selected tip and the material of the wire; you should not put on a too loose sleeve on the wire. Do not use products large diameter for termination of conductors of a smaller cross section, this can lead to an increase in contact resistance and heating of the contact. You can not cut the sleeve into two parts in order to save products, do not use homemade tips.
For high-quality crimping of cable cores, it is necessary to use a special tool, a chisel and a hammer will not be able to make the necessary crimping, to give high-quality contact.
Various household and not only appliances require connection to the electrical wiring available in the building. And often for this you have to carry out special preparation of wires. To make this task easier, experts often use such handy tool like crimping pliers. Not all home craftsmen are aware of this, so it will be useful for them to find out what this type of press is, what types it is, and how to handle it during repair and installation work.
general information
As man created new types of technology, new types of cable connections for various purposes, power and conductivity appeared. In order to connect the equipment in accordance with the current requirements and regulations, it is necessary to prepare the contacts of the leading conductors in a special way. To do this, you need to properly crimp their tips.. This is exactly what special crimping pliers were created for.
This is one of the indispensable tools that many radio amateurs, auto mechanics and electricians must have in their arsenal. With the help of such pliers, it is possible to crimp the contacts not only of ordinary cables, but also of specific connectors for non-standard connectors. Despite the fact that in recent years the range of tools for conducting electrical work has significantly expanded, pliers for crimping tips are still one of the most popular tools for performing such an operation. This is largely facilitated by the low cost of their production, availability and high efficiency.
Such pliers have a fairly simple design, thanks to which it is possible, even without special electrical knowledge, to crimp the tips. Such a press is a very reliable device with which you can crimp cables quite well. This guarantees a strong connection between all the conductor mi and directly connecting structure.
To date, there are enough a large number of models crimping tool, which may differ not only in functionality, but also in cost. The latter may depend on several factors:
- press manufacturer;
- construction type;
- quality and material of the final product.
Tip Description
Most cable lugs are marked with four letters - NShVI. In the deciphered version, this abbreviation will sound like "insulated pin sleeve tip." To put it in a more understandable language, this is a common sleeve for a flexible stranded wire. Its main purpose- protection of the end of the cable, which is used for fastening in a screw clamp terminal. After removing the insulation, a lug is put on the end of the cable, and then it is crimped with a special device. Most often, press pliers are used for this.
The metal part of the tip is most often made of electrolytic copper. It has insulation only on the back side. The thickness of the insulator is noticeably greater than the diameter of the metal part of the tip. It looks like a cuff. The tip is attached to insulating coating wires. Its metal part is crimped, which fixes inside the cable core. When creating a connection between the handpiece and the screw clamp, the entire metal part is hidden in the socket of the device. Only the safe dielectric part of the cable is visible from the outside.
Tool types
If you go to any store that sells electrical products, you can be amazed great variety the crimping pliers offered there. Such a wide range due, among other things, to the fact that each manufacturer uses its own standard in the manufacture. This explains why such tools can have different functionality.
For example, in stores you can find highly specialized pliers designed for crimping wires only a certain kind, and a tool for a wider purpose, with which you can crimp cables when connecting and repairing not only household appliances but also production equipment. Every consumer should know about this and take this moment into account when he goes to buy a press for crimping tips.
With the help of crimping pliers, you can create a high-quality and safe connection of an electrical and mechanical nature. It is this feature that is one of the main features of the classification of the instrument in question. It should be said what is the crimping pliers represent a class of pressing equipment. In most cases, they are used when working with low current systems to ensure reliable fixation of contacts.
Crimping pliers can be classified into several types depending on the purpose.
For stripping the sheath and insulation of the cable
By using this type pliers can quickly and fairly accurately cut off a certain section of the insulation on the wire, while maintaining the integrity of the core itself. Modern crimping pliers often have the ability to adjust to a certain diameter so that you can easily remove the insulation from the core without risk of damaging it. This setting can be done in two ways:
- manually;
- automatically.
When trying to manually select suitable diameter there is a risk of error and damage to the wire. Therefore, it is best to make such a setting automatically. Then you can be sure that the removal of the braid will be carried out without negative consequences for the section of the cord. It is this type of preparation for crimping that is used when working with distribution and junction boxes. Special attention needs to be addressed to cutting edge which should be sharp. Then the outer insulation will be removed in one step without the risk of "chewing" the wire into the tool.
For end sleeve press
For this type of operation, several types of hydraulic presses are offered for sale, which may differ in the shape of their sockets and the shape of the tool. There are models in which the sockets are made with plastic flanges, but some can be made without them. They can have a trapezoidal shape or be designed for crimping square-shaped cores.
Pliers whose sockets are equipped with plastic flanges should be selected when stranded wire lugs are to be crimped. With this task, they will perfectly cope thanks to square shape, which can ensure reliable fixation of all cores. Pliers of this type are ideal for mounting, as well as centering cables of any type of section. If you need to perform a more accurate and reliable crimping of contacts, it is necessary to choose pliers with an emphasis on the diameter of the cable.
For insulated cable lugs
If the wiring has insulated contacts, then a hydraulic press for crimping oval-shaped cable lugs should be selected. According to the standard, their matrix has three forms for the press, each of which corresponds to specific color: red, blue and yellow. And for each of these colors, there is a tip, sleeves and other connectors for sale that are designed to be used with it.
About to crimp insulated wiring using a terminal press of this type, care must be taken to ensure that the joint edge is correctly positioned. It should be strictly in the middle of the upper profile of the pincers. Compliance with this condition is great importance, since when placing the edge on the side, the reliability and tightness of fixing the electric core will suffer.
Such pliers are designed to work with a cable without insulation, as well as open-type conductors made of brass. In the design of such a tool, a special rod is provided. Crimping is carried out strictly in the center, while the rod must be planted directly on the separation seam. A slightly different design has pliers for crimping open lugs made of brass.
They have two types of clamps, among which one is for wire, and the second is for insulation. To perform the most reliable crimping of open contacts, it is recommended to attach a locator to them . This is very convenient fixture , with which you can ensure the exact position of the contacts. If the task is to crimp the terminals, then it is best to do this with special tongs for pressing plugs.
Principle of use
Understanding the principle of operation of pliers for crimping insulated lugs in wiring is not so difficult. To do this, it is enough to know the nuances of the workflow itself, during which it may be necessary to use them. In addition to the wire whose contacts need to be crimped, you will need a crimping tool and a connecting element that is attached to the end of the contacts.
During the installation and repair of various home appliances often have to work with wires. And for their quality performance, often reliable and secure connections are required. It is impossible to solve such a problem without a specialized tool. Most often, crimping pliers are used for this. Today, such a tool is on sale in a wide range, so you can choose the most suitable option taking into account the task facing the specialist.
However, the choice of pliers for crimping cable lugs is not simple task as it might seem at first. Even though you can find universal pliers in stores to perform such work, it is still recommended to choose a highly specialized tool that can guarantee the highest quality crimping of contacts. Accordingly, the crimping of the tips itself must be performed by a specialist, since for the quality of such work, it is necessary to have experience and knowledge.
Professional handpiece pressing pliers are presented in the form of a mechanical tool that allows you to ensure a reliable connection of two elements. Outwardly, their design most of all resembles ordinary pliers, but instead of even sponges, specific relief matrices are used. Them functionality calculated under different forms and crimp diameters.
Short description
The long-term operation of electrical networks largely depends on how well all the connections between the conductors were made. That is why crimping products are widely used, with which you can achieve the most reliable connections non-detachable type. During this procedure, the cores of the prepared wires are carefully compressed in special sleeves made of aluminum or copper. In order for the result to be of high quality, the master must apply a large compressive force provided by crimping tongs.
Such a tool is often called a crimper, since many manufacturers equip the unit with interchangeable dies with profiles that are combined with both cores and insulation. On sale you can find quite large sets of such devices, where each master will find everything necessary for high-quality work.
Most often, modern professionals use a mechanically driven crimping tool. Such units are equally effective in both industrial and domestic industries. Of course, if necessary, more powerful pressing tongs can be purchased, where the main work is performed by a hydraulic drive. With their help, cables with a large diameter and a cross-sectional area from 120 mm² can be processed.
Universal press pliers for crimping sleeves and tips consist of two basic parts:
- The fixed element is a matrix, which is presented in the form of a curly bracket, providing the necessary deformation of the material.
- The moving part is a specific punch, without which high-quality extrusion on the sleeve cannot occur.
Matrices are selected in strict accordance with the diameter of the tip. Depending on the model used, all settings are made via fine adjustment or replacement of the part itself. The standard household installation of such a tool is made in the form of non-removable curly sponges, which are designed for quick crimping of different-caliber sleeves.
AT removable models ticks are of great importance right choice working area, which necessarily includes a matrix, as well as a punch. If the master made some mistake, then the final connection will turn out to be extremely low, and normal contact will simply be unavailable. In addition, the compressive force must also be able to measure. After all, excessive pressure will tear the sleeve, which will make it unsuitable for further operation. But a weak crimp, on the contrary, will not be able to provide high-quality contact, the final contact will be extremely unreliable.
It is worth noting that in recent times craftsmen actively use manual pressing tongs of the PK-16 brand, which are manufactured by the KBT company. The thing is that such devices have the simplest design, a high degree of endurance, and they are also very convenient to use. The tool completely lacks unnecessary auxiliary functions, due to which it is included in the list of the most popular budget options.
Applications
Crimping pliers are actively used by both beginners and more experienced radio amateurs, as well as electricians and auto mechanics. Such units are simply indispensable in situations where you need to process the contacts of standard cables and professional connectors with an unusual connector (this category includes a network cable for a PC).
Light and simple design such crimpers gives each master the opportunity to complete the task as quickly and efficiently as possible. The device is guaranteed to provide reliable and tight crimping of the workpiece, due to which the highest degree of contact between the connecting element and the conductor is achieved. The price of the unit directly depends on the manufacturer, the type of design and quality.
It is worth noting that crimping pliers do an excellent job of crimping insulated wires:
- NShKI - pin round tips.
- GSI - connecting sleeves.
- NCI - ring type tips.
- RPI-P, RSHI-P, RPI-M, RSHI-M - flat and plug connectors.
- OV - piercing type couplers.
Crimping units are actively used for flexible conductors of wires in the process of connecting circuit breakers, chandeliers, sockets and lamps. Professional crimping of connector sleeves in the industrial sector is carried out using universal pliers hydraulic type. Such units are designed for cable cores with a cross section of 16 to 240 square meters. mm.
Design differences
Universal pressing tongs are designed to work with sleeves and tips, the cross section of which can vary over a wide range. In the domestic and industrial sectors, the most common are parts with an indicator from 1.5 to 16 mm². The special design allows you to precisely press the metal of the tip (sleeve) into conductive wires conductor. The final result depends on the required depth and application profile.
Some models are equipped with a ratchet mechanism, due to which the handle of the unit is in a compressed state until the crimp is completed. At the final stage, the pawl is triggered and the inverter mode is turned off. In such a situation, the master simply will not be able to squeeze the handle, since the tool's jaws are not fully open. In addition, the unit can be equipped with a side swivel wheel that disables the lock if necessary.
Each tool jaw is equipped with working areas with the most different profiles. This technical solution allows craftsmen to crimp any type of lugs and sleeves with a standard section. For more comfortable work, each zone is marked with its own number or a special stamp, which prevents errors associated with the wrong choice of size.
PK-16 products do not differ at all from their counterparts in any way. design features. But the presence of longer handles allows you to comfortably work for a long period of time without making much effort.
If the master decides to use the production area with numbers 1.5 and 6.0, then he will need a little onslaught of one hand to make the result as high quality as possible. But for zones 10 and 16 it is necessary to use the power of two hands. It is worth noting that if a specialist most often works with large tips and sleeves, then it is better for him to buy a more powerful and larger unit.
Varieties of pressing units
Many modern manufacturers engaged in the manufacture of crimping pliers based on various standards. The buyer can always buy available tool with a narrow scope (pressing a certain type of cable) or universal models. That is why even before buying it is necessary to determine what work the unit will perform.
Rules for using the tool
Despite the fact that many novice craftsmen consider crimping a fairly simple type of work, even in this business there are some specifications on which the quality of this procedure depends. The correct choice of the unit is of great importance, since it must have an optimal compression force, which will be quite sufficient for the sleeve used.
Between those wires that are interconnected due to crimping, the most high-quality and reliable contact is created. In order for the result to meet all the requirements, certain rules must be followed:
Larger sleeves with a section of 10 or 16 mm² can only be crimped at certain intervals. Otherwise, frequent exposure to excessive loads can deform the tool, due to which it will become unsuitable for further use.
Main advantages
Many people think that crimping pliers are not needed at all to connect lugs and wires of a small cross section, because they can be replaced with ordinary pliers. Of course, such a way out of the situation is quite accessible, but to achieve such High Quality as with ticks it will no longer work. And all because the matrices of the tongs provide a too tight fit of the tip to the core, which prevents the penetration of water and air. Due to this, metal oxidation can be excluded, which is especially important when working with copper parts.
During the use of pliers, gaps are formed where dust, moisture and any debris can easily enter. The quality of the contact will be reduced several times, and this is fraught with an increase in current resistance. The cores receive too much clamping, which violates their cross section. Over time, some of them will thin out or simply fall off, which will reduce the conductivity of the signal.
What to do if you don’t have special crimping tools at hand or just don’t want to buy them if you only need to crimp one or two tips?
Many faced with this problem resort to wrong ways, which further only worsen the contact, not providing a reliable connection.
They begin to flatten the tip with hammers, simply squeeze it in a bench vise, crush it with pliers, and press it in with a chisel. All these methods are not correct and do not bring the desired result. 
After such amateur performance, poor contact is obtained with its further heating during operation. 
True, some manage to compress the tip with a hydraulic press so that the wire quietly crawls out of it, it is worth pulling with a little effort.
There are other ways to crimp power wires with tips using improvised tools that can be found in almost everyone in a garage or at home.
Pressing with a center punch
The easiest and fastest way is to press in with a center punch. For this you will need:
The process is very simple and uncomplicated:
In this case, it is not necessary, as many do, to pre-flatten the tip with a hammer. In the process of strikes, this will happen anyway.
The number of cores, that is, holes from impact on the metal, depends on the length of the tip.
At the same time, on the reverse side of the tip, the crimping points should not be symmetrical with those on the front, but shifted by a couple of millimeters.
The most important thing is not to make a hole through the tip and control the impact force. Therefore, if you use a 200mm nail for this, you should first of all blunt it.
As a result, you will get sufficient contact, which of course cannot be compared with crimping. professional tool PGR-70, but in the absence of super-rated loads, it will last a long time. 
The most important thing in this method is to correctly select the cross section of the wire and tip. The declared cross section is very often less than the actual one.
For reliable contact, the wire must fit snugly inside the sleeve without any slack. Therefore, this moment is always checked manually, you should not blindly trust the numbers on the cable sheath and on the tip blade. 
Connecting the wire and the tip by soldering
There are other simple ways to connect ferrules to wires without using a press. For radio amateurs who do not have problems with solders and other devices, ordinary soldering is suitable.
This is not exactly a crimp, but it is still a connection method without the use of a special crimping tool.
- The wire is tinned, the tip inside too. At the same time, in its upper part, where the blade is, a small hole must be drilled in the sleeve.
- The stripped end of the cable is brought in, after which the entire structure (cable + tip) is wrapped with fiberglass tape.
- It is heated by a gas burner and molten tin begins to be poured into the hole from above.
- With constant heating with a burner, it will easily penetrate between the wire strands and the walls of the sleeve. The fiberglass will prevent the tin from flowing out.
Some do it even easier. They put tin inside the tip, heat the whole thing with a burner or even on gas stove and then insert the tinned cable there. 
In order not to damage the insulation at the end of the wire, you can use a building hair dryer to warm up: 
Pressing with screw and vise
If you do not have soldering accessories, and you consider crimping with a dot using a center punch not reliable enough, then the third method remains.
Pick up a long enough threaded screw so that it overlaps the pressed part of the sleeve. The diameter of the screw should not be large, so as not to push through and crush the tip itself. 
Position this screw along the tip. Then you compress the entire structure in a vice. As a result, you should get something like this form of pressing. 
If one screw is not enough, a second screw is applied over the depressed one and compressed again.
Can initially use 2 screws, only installed with different parties sleeves. The main thing is not to overdo it and not break the sleeve. 
To prevent the screw from moving, you can fix it with electrical tape.
In general, summing up, we can say that these three methods have the right to life, and many only connect the power cable wires and lugs in this way.
However, only factory specialized tool you can create a reliable and durable contact, which you will forget about immediately after crimping and it will not disturb you during the entire period of work. 
