Dynamic finite element analysis simulation of the terminal crimping process

The lead time in order to develop the ideal terminal crimp, for low energy applications, is quite extensive. The terminal grip must first be designed, prototype tooled and the crimp specification developed and tested prior to approval and release. The factors of grip design, terminal material and crimp tooling, that govern the formation of a "good" crimp are also not clearly understood. In this study finite element analysis was used to simulate the crimping process, in order to better understand the underlying factors that govern crimp formation. FEA models were created using the ABAQUS program. In order to simplify the study, this work was conducted using two (2) and three (3) dimensional models. The terminal grip cross section, the punch tooling and the wire strands were modeled. In the FEA simulation, the grip was forced into the punch while sitting on the anvil. This mimics the real life application. The initial results of the study have shown that the friction between the grip surface and the punch surface is crucial to the formation of a "good" crimp. The models also showed that the crimping process is a combination of both the plane stress and plane strain conditions.