The Crucial Role of Proper Crimping in Ensuring Electrical Safety in Tough Environments

In industries where equipment is constantly exposed to shock, vibration, and other harsh conditions, the reliability of electrical connections is key to keeping everything running smoothly. A small, often overlooked detail in the quality of crimping at cable terminations can be the deciding factor between seamless operation and expensive failures. Hence ensuring that cables are properly connected is critical to both safety and performance.

This article is about, why crimping is so important, what can go wrong when it’s done poorly, and which standards ensure your electrical systems stay strong in even the most challenging environments.

Why Crimping Matters

Crimping is the process of attaching a cable to its connector by pressing them together tightly. It may sound simple, but when done right, it creates a secure, long-lasting bond that allows electricity to flow smoothly. Proper crimping ensures:

• Consistent Power Flow: A good connection keeps electricity moving efficiently without interruptions or power loss.
• Strong Connections: Well-crimped cables are physically secure, meaning they’re less likely to loosen or disconnect, even in environments with constant movement or vibration.
• Protection from Damage: Proper crimping also seals off the cable from moisture or air, preventing rust or corrosion over time.

This might seem like a small detail, but in industries where cables are constantly shaken, bumped, or exposed to extreme conditions, poor crimping can lead to big problems.

The Risks of Poor Crimping in Tough Conditions

Imagine working in an environment where your electrical equipment is always moving or vibrating—on a construction site, in a vehicle, or on a ship at sea. Now picture a poorly crimped connection in the midst of all that activity. Here are some of the risks:

• Power Loss and Overheating: A bad crimp increases resistance, making it harder for electricity to pass through. Over time, this can lead to overheating, causing damage or even electrical fires.
• Loose Connections: In high-vibration environments, a weak crimp can cause wires to loosen or disconnect entirely, leading to sudden equipment failure, malfunctions, or system shutdowns.
• Corrosion and Rust: Gaps in a bad crimp allow moisture and air to sneak in, causing the metal to rust. In places like ships or offshore platforms, where humidity and salt are constant threats, this corrosion can cause a connection to fail entirely.
• Wire Breakage: Continuous movement or vibration can weaken a poorly crimped cable over time, causing it to break, often at the worst possible moment. This can lead to costly repairs, downtime, or dangerous situations.

When crimping isn’t done right, the entire electrical system is at risk, which can be both expensive and hazardous.

The Standards That Ensure Safe and Reliable Crimping

1. IEC 60352-2: Solderless Connections – Part 2: Crimped Connections

• Scope: This standard specifies requirements and tests for the quality and reliability of crimped electrical connections without solder.
• Key Aspects: Ensures mechanical and electrical reliability of crimped connections. Specifies the types of tools and materials suitable for crimping. Provides testing procedures for verifying crimp quality, including resistance to vibration, corrosion, and tensile strength.

2. EN 60079-14: Explosive Atmospheres – Electrical Installations Design, Selection, and Erection

• Scope: This standard applies to the installation of electrical equipment in hazardous (ATEX) environments.
• Key Aspects: Covers crimping and termination practices in explosive atmospheres. Emphasizes the importance of using properly certified components. Details proper installation techniques to avoid creating ignition sources from loose or poorly terminated connections.

3. MIL-STD-2003: Electrical Plant Installation Standard Methods for Ships and Submarines

• Scope: This military standard specifies guidelines for electrical connections, including crimping, used in naval vessels.
• Key Aspects: Provides stringent requirements for crimping in environments exposed to shock, vibration, and corrosive elements. Details approved materials, tools, and methods to prevent failures in critical environments.

4. NFPA 79: Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery

• Scope: This standard sets the requirements for electrical installations in industrial machinery, including crimped and mechanical terminations.
• Key Aspects: Specifies crimping techniques for power, control, and signal circuits. Ensures electrical safety and fire prevention in industrial settings by providing guidelines for proper termination.

5. IPC/WHMA-A-620: Requirements and Acceptance for Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies

• Scope: This standard is widely used in the electronics industry to provide criteria for crimping and wire termination for cable and wire harness assemblies.
• Key Aspects: Defines acceptance criteria for crimp height, width, and pull strength. Covers requirements for insulation support, proper tooling, and training of personnel.

6. UL 486A-486B: Wire Connectors

• Scope: This standard covers connectors used for terminating wires and making splices in electrical systems.
• Key Aspects: Provides safety requirements for wire connectors and terminations to prevent hazards such as overheating and fire. Includes tests for mechanical integrity, electrical resistance, and insulation.

7. ISO 6722: Road Vehicles – 60 V and 600 V Single-core Cables

• Scope: This standard covers the requirements for crimping and termination of cables used in automotive and road vehicles.
• Key Aspects: Ensures proper crimping techniques for automotive wiring harnesses. Addresses crimping reliability under extreme temperatures and vibrations common in road vehicle applications.

Key Best Practices for Crimping and Termination

• Use Appropriate Tools: Always use the correct crimping tools designed for the terminal and wire size. Avoid using pliers or makeshift tools.
• Follow Manufacturer’s Specifications: Adhere to the manufacturer’s guidelines regarding the conductor size, type, crimp tool, and terminal compatibility.
• Inspect Crimps: After crimping, inspect the termination for proper compression, tightness, and visual defects like frayed wires.
• Pull Test: Perform a pull test to ensure that the wire and terminal are securely bonded. This is especially critical in high-vibration environments.
• Training and Certification: Ensure that personnel responsible for crimping are trained and certified

In many cases, Engineers focus on ensuring that enough torque is applied to secure electrical terminations, believing that tight connections alone guarantee reliability. While torque is important for securing a connection, Poor crimping, even when tightly fastened, can lead to serious issues such as increased resistance, overheating, and eventually electrical failures, especially in environments exposed to shock, vibration, or harsh conditions like ATEX zones. A well-torqued but poorly crimped connection is a ticking time bomb, potentially causing system downtime or even catastrophic failures. To ensure long-term reliability and safety, engineers must focus equally on both proper crimping techniques and correct torque application, following industry standards that emphasize the importance of each step. Ignoring the quality of the crimp can render even the tightest connections vulnerable to failure.