Tooling setup
To prevent excess wear, tooling must be mounted
properly. Therefore, when tooling must be
replaced, take extra precautions to ensure
that mounting surfaces are clean and in good
condition. Crimp tooling must sit flush with the
base plate and applicator ram. The upper tooling,
or crimp dies, must be centered over the lower
crimp anvil.
A simple method to ensure that the upper
tooling is centered is as follows:
1. Install the lower and upper tooling and
hardware but do not completely tighten the
screws.
2. Gently install the applicator ram ensuring
the upper tooling does not contact th e lower
tooling.
3. Lay a thin strip of paper over the lower crimp
anvil.
4. Gently but firmly push the upper tooling
down over the anvil. While keeping
downward pressure on the ram, tighten the
screws to secure the upper and lower tooling.
Once you are sure that the tooling is installed
properly, ensure that the terminal feed adjustment
provides accurate terminal placement. This
applies for pneumatic, mechanical, or motorized
feeds. However, when working with a mechanical
feed applicator, consider the press it will go
into. Depending on the quality of the terminal
brake, the feed adjustment might differ between
a slower press, such as an older bench press, or
faster presses, which are common on automatic
machines.
Prevent tooling crashes
Most applicators are shipped with ram collars. The
ram collars (red piece shown in the photo) prevent
collisions between the upper and lower tooling
when the applicator is not installed in a press. Such
collisions may damage the tooling prematurely.
Tooling collision can be avoided by regularly checking presses
for proper shut height and using ram collars when applicators
are not in use
Signs of tooling damage may be:
1. Scarring or marking inside the upper crimp die.
This might also appear as consistent marking on
the crimped terminal.
2. Rounded edges on the crimp anvil. This might
reveal itself with excessive flash or burrs on the
terminal.
Whenever an applicator is installed into a press, it is
recommended to either hand-cycle or cycle the press
in jog mode two or three times to ensure the tooling
closes properly without collisions.
Presses should be checked regularly to confirm that
they are set for the proper shut height. For most
mini-style applicators, the standard shut height is
135.78mm ± 0.02 or 5.345” ± 0.0008. If the shut
height on one press is set too low, this may cause
the tooling to crash. Furthermore, when presses are
properly adjusted for shut height, consistent results
can be expected when applicators are moved between
presses. Shut heights can be confirmed using simple
shut height gauges or with press analyzers
which are readily available on the market.
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WIRE NEWS January 2018 5