Abstract: A shield of a connector system includes an outer contact and a diecast disposed around the outer contact. The diecast has a first diecast half and a second diecast half that are attached together around the outer contact in a terminated position of the diecast. The first diecast half and the second diecast half deform a beam of the outer contact between the first diecast half and the second diecast half in the terminated position. A first bottoming surface of the first diecast half abuts a second bottoming surface of the second diecast half in the terminated position.

Abstract: A wire holding device comprises a base and a clamping assembly. The clamping assembly includes a first gripper attached to the base and adapted to grip a first wire of a cable, and a second gripper adapted to grip a second wire of the cable. The second gripper is movable relative to, and operable independently of, the first gripper.

Abstract: A system for separating terminals (e.g., electrical terminals) from a terminal strip includes a shear tool movably mounted to a frame for selectively shearing the terminal from the terminal strip. A primary shear depressor is provided for driving the shear tool from an initial position to an intermediate position during which the terminal is sheared from the terminal strip. A secondary shear depressor is movably mounted to the primary shear depressor for driving the shear tool from the intermediate position after the terminal has been sheared from the terminal strip, to a final position.

Abstract: A system for separating terminals (e.g., electrical terminals) from a terminal strip includes a shear tool movably mounted to a frame for selectively shearing the terminal from the terminal strip. A primary shear depressor is provided for driving the shear tool from an initial position to an intermediate position during which the terminal is sheared from the terminal strip. A secondary shear depressor is movably mounted to the primary shear depressor for driving the shear tool from the intermediate position after the terminal has been sheared from the terminal strip, to a final position.

Abstract: A device and method of positioning a component on a cable. The method includes: moving a collet into position on the component; engaging the component with the collet; moving the collet with the component positioned thereon into alignment with an end of the cable; securing the collet to the end of the cable; moving the component from the collet to the cable; and removing the collet from the end of the cable.

Abstract: A device and method of positioning a component on a cable. The method includes: moving a collet into position on the component; engaging the component with the collet; moving the collet with the component positioned thereon into alignment with an end of the cable; securing the collet to the end of the cable; moving the component from the collet to the cable; and removing the collet from the end of the cable.

Abstract: A device and method of positioning a component on a cable. The method includes: moving a collet into position on the component; engaging the component with the collet; moving the collet with the component positioned thereon into alignment with an end of the cable; securing the collet to the end of the cable; moving the component from the collet to the cable; and removing the collet from the end of the cable.

Abstract: A crimping device includes an anvil and a crimp tooling member. The anvil is configured to receive a terminal on a top surface thereof. The crimp tooling member has a forming profile recessed from a bottom side of the crimp tooling member. The forming profile is configured to engage a crimp barrel of the terminal as the crimp tooling member moves towards the anvil during a crimping operation to crimp the crimp barrel into mechanical and electrical engagement with an electrical wire disposed within the crimp barrel. The forming profile defines at least one pocket along a top-forming surface of the forming profile that extends between two side walls of the forming profile. Each pocket is configured to form a corresponding protrusion in the crimp barrel of the terminal during the crimping operation.

Abstract: An electrical wire includes a bundle of electrical conductors that has an end segment that extends to an end of the bundle. Each electrical conductor in the bundle engages at least one other electrical conductor. The electrical wire also includes conductive particles disposed between and engaging at least some of the electrical conductors in the bundle along the end segment. The conductive particles are configured to provide an electrical connection between the corresponding electrical conductors engaged by the conductive particles.

Abstract: An electrical wire includes a bundle of electrical conductors that has an end segment that extends to an end of the bundle. Each electrical conductor in the bundle engages at least one other electrical conductor. The electrical wire also includes conductive particles disposed between and engaging at least some of the electrical conductors in the bundle along the end segment. The conductive particles are configured to provide an electrical connection between the corresponding electrical conductors engaged by the conductive particles.

Abstract: A crimping device includes an anvil and a crimp tooling member. The anvil is configured to receive a terminal on a top surface thereof. The crimp tooling member has a forming profile recessed from a bottom side of the crimp tooling member. The forming profile is configured to engage a crimp barrel of the terminal as the crimp tooling member moves towards the anvil during a crimping operation to crimp the crimp barrel into mechanical and electrical engagement with an electrical wire disposed within the crimp barrel. The forming profile defines at least one pocket along a top-forming surface of the forming profile that extends between two side walls of the forming profile. Each pocket is configured to form a corresponding protrusion in the crimp barrel of the terminal during the crimping operation.

Abstract: Crimp tooling for crimping a crimp barrel of an electrical terminal to a wire includes an insulation crimper having an insulation crimp profile for crimping an insulation barrel segment of the crimp barrel to insulation of the wire, a wire crimper having a wire crimp profile for crimping a wire barrel segment of the crimp barrel to a conductor of the wire, and a transition crimper between the wire crimper and the insulation crimper. The transition crimper has a blended profile segueing from the wire crimp profile to the insulation crimp profile. The blended profile is used for crimping a transition segment of the crimp barrel between the insulation barrel segment and the wire barrel segment.

Abstract: Crimp tooling for crimping a crimp barrel of an electrical terminal to a wire includes an insulation crimper having an insulation crimp profile for crimping an insulation barrel segment of the crimp barrel to insulation of the wire, a wire crimper having a wire crimp profile for crimping a wire barrel segment of the crimp barrel to a conductor of the wire, and a transition crimper between the wire crimper and the insulation crimper. The transition crimper has a blended profile segueing from the wire crimp profile to the insulation crimp profile. The blended profile is used for crimping a transition segment of the crimp barrel between the insulation barrel segment and the wire barrel segment.

Abstract: A pressing device includes a work head having a work head body holding a tool and a mating end. The pressing device includes an actuator having an actuator body holding a hydraulic pump that is operable to drive the tool. The actuator has a mating end. The pressing device includes an interconnect assembly including a hydraulic hose having first and second couplings at both ends of the hydraulic hose for mating with the mating ends of the actuator and the work head, respectively. The interconnect assembly is removable and the work head is configured to be directly coupled to the actuator.

Abstract: A tool head assembly for a pressing device includes a tool head frame having a first die and a moving ram having a second die operatively coupled to the moving ram. The moving ram is movable along a gripping stroke between an open position and a closed position. The second die is configured to hold a work piece between the second die and the first die when the moving ram is in the closed position. The tool head assembly also includes a latch mechanism, wherein the latch mechanism is actuated to release the moving ram from the open position to the closed position to thereby hold the work piece within the tool head assembly.

Abstract: A pressing device includes a work head having a work head body holding a tool and a mating end. The pressing device includes an actuator having an actuator body holding a hydraulic pump that is operable to drive the tool. The actuator has a mating end. The pressing device includes an interconnect assembly including a hydraulic hose having first and second couplings at both ends of the hydraulic hose for mating with the mating ends of the actuator and the work head, respectively. The interconnect assembly is removable and the work head is configured to be directly coupled to the actuator.

Abstract: A tool head assembly for a pressing device includes a tool head frame having a first die and a moving ram having a second die operatively coupled to the moving ram. The moving ram is movable along a gripping stroke between an open position and a closed position. The second die is configured to hold a work piece between the second die and the first die when the moving ram is in the closed position. The tool head assembly also includes a latch mechanism, wherein the latch; mechanism is actuated to release the moving ram from the open position to the closed position to thereby hold the work piece within the tool head assembly.

Abstract: A terminator assembly for a terminal crimping machine includes a drive member and a first ram member coupled to the drive member. The drive member moves the first ram member in a first direction toward a crimping zone of the terminal crimping machine, and a second direction away from the crimping zone of the terminal crimping machine. The terminator assembly also includes a second ram member movable with respect to the first ram member to control the crimp height of the terminal crimping machine. The second ram member includes a base portion configured to engage at least one of an applicator assembly and crimp-tooling. An adjusting mechanism is coupled to each of the first and second ram members. The adjusting mechanism is configured to adjust a relative position of the first ram member with respect to the second ram member. A motor is operatively coupled to a drive shaft, and the drive shaft engages the adjusting mechanism for driving the adjusting mechanism.

Abstract: A tape feeder for precisely advancing a component-carrying tape to present sequential electronic components disposed at a pitch in the tape to a pick-and-place machine. A feed sprocket and an encoder disc are operatively associated with each other and rotatably disposed on a common axis within a housing. A motor is operatively connected to the feed sprocket to repetitively rotate the feed sprocket over an angle corresponding to the pitch of the component-carrying tape. An encoder is disposed to read the encoder disc and provide a feedback signal indicating the angular position of the feed sprocket.

Abstract: A wire stripping apparatus for stripping insulation material (48) from an insulated electrical conductor (50) includes a first stripping blade (40) having a first cutting tip configuration (44, 52, 56, 60, 64, 68, 72) and a second stripping blade (42) supported in opposing relation to the first stripping blade (40) having a second set of cutting tip configuration (46, 54, 58, 62, 66, 70, 74) different from the first set of cutting tip configuration (44, 52, 56, 60, 64, 68, 72) encompasses and uniformly strips an insulation slug from a periphery of the insulated conductor (50).