My workshop bid on a job to make 250 cables. The stripping I have been using is great, except I think maybe there is a more modern tool, something more precise. (pictured below).
I'm doing 20-26 gauge wires and would like to strip exactly the same off each of these delicate wires. Also, I tend to twist the ends with my fingers so the tiny angle-air wire does not fray and snare into the crimp terminal/tool when I insert to crimp the terminal down. I do not know if there is an automatic tool that can do this, but if there is I would like to see it - or know of a method to make my crimping operation more easy flowing.
I know there is a better tool, so I was wondering if anyone with any experience with production stripping can give me advice to explore a better option, please. Thank you.
We used electric wire stripping machines. A Google of wire striping machines should get you a few dozen hits. We even used rotating blade strippers to remove the enamel off magnet wire without so much as a nick in the copper. What you need to do is figure budget. Good machines to do this and do it accurately less any wire nicks are available but the good stuff includes a hefty price tag depending on investment and where you break even and profit.
All our production stripping was done using automated equipment. But in the lab we used these (see photo). The one I have covers 20 to 26 gauge pvc wire. You can get different "jaws" for teflon an likely metric.
They make a nice clean cut. The only issue is one has to get the wire in the right part of the cutter (i.e. #20 in the #24 slot won't work too well.
Another feature of this crimper is the jaws open while the cutter and the clamp are still separated, you remove the wire without crushing the newly stripped wire.
With a little practice one can strip the wire but still leave the insulation on the end of the stripped wire. Easier to handle without bending the stripped strands.
MY automated stripper could be set to just cut the insulation and separate it from the the rest, leaving the wire strands still covered. For a small quantity of wire stripping, we used "crocodile" strippers. I don't have a picture.
Have you discovered that much wire made in Asia has the opposite twist to what we do in the West?
Paul
This is what I use (every day)
(never been a big fan of automated strippers even though all the companies I worked for had them . they're just
too bulky for my taste but some techs swear by them...)
At our shop we needed to make a few hundred wiring harnesses and since I had a couple month's lead time I built a automatic wire stripping machine based on this project from element14: Arduino Automatic Wire Cutter and Stripper - YouTube
Of course I upgraded it to be more robust and have run more than 8k ft. of wire through it so far. I am currently working on v2 of the code adding features to make it usable by others besides myself. Wire cutter and stripper - YouTube
This has been my most successful Arduino based project to date. It has not only paid for itself but it also paid for my Siglent SDS 1104 X-E oscilloscope.
I went with a pair similar to LarryD's tool. I found this also on Adam Sandler's (from Mythbusters) youTube video explaining his favorite wire strippers. I saw the pads that hold the wire were wide, so they will not score delicate 26 gauge wires. It has a depth set which is also important.
Ideally, I would like these mounted on a clamp with a foot-peddle. Possibly add a bracket to the benchtop pneumatic crimp machine I have, so it would activate the stripper all on the same machine, for a 2-step operation with my hands free to hold only the wires.
Paired up with a slightly used pneumatic bench crimp machine, I got for a reduced cost under $150. I'll just modify the dies from my Paladin hand-crimp tool and fit those in the jaw. I rather have an electric driven bench-crimp machine, but could not find one that was reasonably priced. Probably a few hours labor to retro fit the pneumatic cylinder with a motor, but finding the right torque and gear ratio could be tricky and time consuming.
Now the only thing left to automate would be figure out how to reel-load the terminals into the die, that clips the flash. I have never seen a machine that actually does this, and curious to see how that works.
Id there any requirement to meet any standards? There are actually standards for wire strippers, several as I recall. I am guessing not since your bid has been submitted.
The spec's on the job are not written clear and precise. Just a db-15 with a dupont header on the other end. A cable for a handheld control panel. No mention of wire gauge, insulation, not specifying contact material plating, etc. He kind of just gave a sample cable, say make 250 more of them.
DocStein99:
The spec's on the job are not written clear and precise. Just a db-15 with a dupont header on the other end. A cable for a handheld control panel. No mention of wire gauge, insulation, not specifying contact material plating, etc. He kind of just gave a sample cable, say make 250 more of them.
Well alrighty then. Parts and time, nothing fancy.
Ron
Parts and time, nothing fancy.