What is a Ratcheting Crimp Tool Used for?
It’s important to ensure that you make quality and proper connections when doing electrical work involving wires/cables and terminals/connectors. Crimping is one of the most reliable ways professionals and DIYers use to create electrical connections. One must use a unique crimp tool for this process to be effective. They are of different categories based on the type of terminals they crimp and the operational mechanism they use. The most common type of crimping tool is the ratcheting crimp tool. What exactly is it, and what is it used for?
What is a Ratcheting Crimping Tool?
A ratcheting crimping tool is a unique hand tool used to deform insulated and non-insulated terminals, butt splices, or connectors onto wires to create electrical connections. What makes this particular type of crimper unique is that it uses a ratcheting mechanism that allows a user to apply pressure consistently until a crimping cycle is complete. An ideal example of such a tool is the iCrimp ICP-125 Handy Ratchet Wire Crimping Tool and the iCrimp HSC8 6-4 KIT Ferrule Crimping Tool Kit.
How exactly does a ratcheting crimping tool work? To start with, ensure you have the right connectors/terminals/ferrules that match the cavities on the crimping tool. It is also important to strip off the insulation on the end of the wire where you’ll position your terminal for crimping. The next step is to squeeze the crimper’s handles to open it fully. Then, position the terminals in the suitable crimping cavity (crimping cavities are often color-coded or marked to help users identify or match the right terminals to use).
You should then squeeze the handles to fixate the terminals into the crimping cavity. Proceed and insert the wire, ensuring all the wire strands enter the terminal. Once all this is set up, you can start crimping by applying more pressure on the handles until the crimping cycle is done (when the crimping cycle is completed, the handles move no further or automatically release). The ratcheting mechanism should make this process pretty easy and fast. The result should be tight and uniform joints that allow great electrical conductivity.
Read more: The Difference between Ratchet Crimper and Non-ratchet Crimper
Applications of a Ratcheting Crimping Tool
Ratchet crimping tools are pretty useful and find application in a wide range of industries. Common applications include:
1. Electronic manufacturing and repairs
Ratchet crimp tools have a lot of applications and use in the electronic industry. First, these tools are used to crimp connectors onto cables, wires, and harnesses of electrical systems and components of electronics such as fridges, stereo systems, servers, TVs, and monitors, among other appliances.
Technicians also use these ratchet crimping tools to repair and maintain electronic devices to create new electrical connections using different types of terminals/connectors and wires. A good example of a versatile ratcheting crimping tool used in electronic applications is the iCrimp IWS-3220M Micro Connector Pin Crimping Tool.
2. Electrical installations
Ratchet crimping tools are quite useful in most electrical works, whereby they’re used to terminate wires/cables with various types of connectors through the crimping process. With this type of tool, electricians and DIY enthusiasts can create reliable electrical connections efficiently and consistently. The iCrimp KIT-0535 Ratcheting Crimping Tool is ideal for this kind of application.
Briefly, ratcheting crimping tools are indispensable when it comes to electrical work, especially installation and repair.
3. Automotive wiring
Crimp connections are quite common in most automotive electrical systems, such as the lighting, audio, and sensors. Professionals in this field use ratchet crimpers to repair wiring harnesses, create terminal electrical components, and install aftermarket accessories.
For instance, a ratchet crimper such as the iCrimp HD-2612D Deutsch Crimping Tool to crimp DT, DTP, DTM, DTHD, and DRC series connectors used in cars and heavy-duty equipment. Also, tools such as the iCrimp IWS-QC Kit Crimper are used to crimp battery cable terminal lugs.
Note: Ratcheting crimping tools are also used for similar purposes in related industries such as aerospace and marine. These tools are also quite useful in the renewable energy industry, as they’re used to create electrical connections and terminate battery cables.
Read more: Top 10 Essential Tools for Electricians
Bottom line
Ratcheting crimping tools are useful in most industries where crimping electrical connections or termination is needed. They also offer consistency and efficiency when creating crimp connections. However, you must invest in a quality ratchet crimp tool regardless of the type of project you’re working on. It helps you create quality and reliable crimp connections. iCrimp is one of the leading retail platforms for all types of crimping tools. All our crimping tools feature ergonomic designs, and excellent build quality and are affordable. Above all, most of iCrimp’s crimpers are enhanced with a ratcheting mechanism that makes crimping much easier.
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