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Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-07-15 Origin: Site
Loose or faulty electrical connections can lead to frustrating malfunctions, short circuits, or even safety hazards. For both home projects and industrial systems, knowing how to crimp wires properly is essential to ensure long-lasting, secure electrical performance. Crimping offers a fast, reliable alternative to soldering—particularly in RF cable systems where signal integrity is paramount. At Otto Cable Technology, we provide high-performance cable assemblies, and crimping plays a vital role in every reliable connection we manufacture.
Whether you're working on an automobile communication system, a GPS antenna, or a distributed antenna system (DAS), proper crimping ensures that signal and power delivery remain uninterrupted. This article walks you through when crimping is necessary, the essential tools you'll need, and how to perform it like a professional, even if you're just getting started.
Crimping is a technique used to join a wire to a terminal or connector by mechanically deforming the metal so it tightly binds the conductor. It’s a widely used method in both low-voltage residential applications and high-frequency industrial systems. So, when exactly should you choose to crimp?
Soldering can be time-consuming and requires heat, which may not be ideal in environments sensitive to high temperatures or requiring high throughput. Crimping, by contrast, is clean, fast, and consistent—making it suitable for production lines and field work alike.
Automotive wiring harnesses
Home electrical installations
Industrial control systems
RF coaxial cable assemblies for GPS, DAS, and ACS systems
Especially in the RF industry, maintaining shielding integrity and impedance stability is essential. Crimping connectors to coaxial cables such as RG58, RG174, or RG316 helps ensure minimal signal loss and maximum durability—core concerns for clients served by Otto Cable Technology.
To successfully crimp wires, you’ll need specific tools that ensure safety, precision, and consistency. Let’s break down what each tool is for:
Wire strippers are used to remove the outer insulation of the wire without damaging the inner conductor. This is crucial: nicked or partially cut strands can reduce current-carrying capacity and weaken the mechanical bond. Most wire strippers have notches for different gauges, making it easy to match the tool to your wire.
Crimping tools come in different types—manual, ratcheting, hydraulic—and must be chosen based on your wire and terminal type. For precision work such as RF cable termination, ratcheting crimpers with interchangeable dies are highly recommended. They apply uniform pressure and release only when a proper crimp has been made.
You need to match the terminal size and type to your wire. Common terminals include:
Ring terminals (used for screw mounting)
Spade terminals (for slide-on connections)
Butt connectors (for joining two wires inline)
RF coaxial connectors (SMA, BNC, N-type)
Selecting the right connector ensures a snug fit, proper electrical contact, and mechanical durability.
Heat shrink tubing provides an extra layer of insulation and environmental protection. After crimping, the tubing is shrunk over the connection using a heat gun, preventing moisture ingress and mechanical strain.
At Otto Cable Technology, our precision-crimped RF cable assemblies often include heat shrink tubing to ensure high performance under demanding conditions.
A well-executed crimp involves more than just squeezing the tool. Follow these steps to create a strong, reliable connection.
Start by selecting the appropriate wire gauge on your stripper tool. Strip approximately 5–10 mm of insulation from the wire. The exposed conductor should be clean, unbroken, and free of nicks. Too short, and it won’t seat properly in the terminal; too long, and it may cause shorts.
Push the stripped wire into the terminal until it bottoms out. Ensure that all strands enter cleanly—loose or misaligned strands can cause poor connectivity or even shorts. For RF connectors, ensure that the shielding and center conductor are correctly positioned.
Place the terminal and wire into the crimping die. Use the correct size die to avoid under- or over-crimping. Squeeze the handles firmly until the ratcheting mechanism releases. A good crimp should be tight, with no play between the wire and terminal, and without visible deformation of the insulation.
Gently tug the wire to ensure it’s mechanically secure. Visually inspect the crimped area. A high-quality crimp will show no damage to the wire strands, insulation, or connector. Consistency here is critical, especially for high-frequency applications like coaxial cables.
Slide the tubing over the crimped area and apply heat evenly with a heat gun. The tubing should shrink snugly, sealing the connection and providing extra strain relief. This is especially valuable in automotive or outdoor applications where vibration and moisture are concerns.
Even experienced technicians can make mistakes that compromise crimp quality. Here’s how to get it right every time:
Always use the proper crimping tool: Pliers or makeshift tools can’t apply the correct pressure, leading to weak connections.
Don’t crimp over insulation unless designed for it: The conductor, not the insulation, should be gripped—unless using an insulation-crimp style terminal.
Avoid mixing connector and wire sizes: Use terminals designed for the exact gauge of your wire. An improper fit means poor conductivity and potential failure.
Inspect each crimp: A quick pull and visual check can prevent costly rewiring later.
Be careful not to overstrip the wire: Exposed conductor should be just long enough to fit inside the terminal barrel.
Use quality terminals: Cheap or low-grade terminals may deform or crack under pressure, even with a good crimp tool.
Otto Cable Technology adheres to strict quality assurance protocols. Our crimping procedures are certified under ISO9001 standards and verified through multiple inspection stages to ensure consistent performance across all cable assemblies.
Understanding how to crimp wires the right way is fundamental to ensuring safe, efficient, and durable electrical or RF connections. Whether you're a hobbyist or a technician installing high-frequency coaxial cables, proper crimping ensures that your connections won’t fail under stress or time. With the right tools, components, and attention to detail, anyone can achieve professional-grade results.
At Otto Cable Technology, we’ve built our reputation on precision, performance, and customer trust. Our RF cable assemblies are manufactured with expert-level crimping techniques and tested to ensure maximum reliability. If you're looking for high-quality RF cables, components, or custom solutions for GPS, DAS, or ACS systems, contact us today. Let our technical strength and service excellence power your next project.