What is a crimping tool?
Crimping is the process of pressing or compressing a casing to make a connection stronger. This is found in joining cables or connectors in lighting, including LED work lights. Other names for this tool include folding pliers, crimping pliers, or a rather unique one: 'cable shoe pliers'. The goal is to squeeze to create a connection between the components. This can be specialized work, so make sure the connection is made correctly.
In short: Crimping tool Used to strip all kinds of cables.
How to use this: By sliding the pliers over the cable and applying a strong squeezing force. This is called "crimping." In this way, you connect the crimp sleeve on the cable to the conductor material. Be careful not to damage the individual wires in the process.
Is the crimping tool exactly the same as a pressing tool?
In general, you can use this term for both. However, while crimping tools are used for connecting cable shoes and connectors, you can mainly find the pressing tool in the construction sector. This pressing tool is primarily used when you want to join pipelines together.
What does a crimping tool look like?
The crimping tool looks very much like pliers that you most likely have right next to you. Cable stripper that you have in your toolbox. This is also a type of pliers. You can recognize the handle made of rubber or other grip-holding material. The pliers itself have a different head equipped with serrations. These serrations have different depths. This way, you can easily determine which setting to use based on the sleeve of your cable. Another term for these serrations is crimp profile.
Are there alternatives to crimping?
There are alternatives to crimping, but they often involve solid connections that require some form of heating. While crimping involves pressing connections together, alternatives include soldering or welding. These methods require extreme heat, causing materials to become liquid and fuse together upon cooling. It's logical that you don't always have a soldering iron or welding machine on hand, so that's where the crimping tool comes in handy. Furthermore, heavy equipment like soldering or welding machines is often not necessary for connecting cables.