Automatic 5-Station Number Tube Inserting & Crimping Machine

This 5-station automatic number tube inserting and terminal crimping machine is engineered for the high-efficiency processing of complex wire harnesses involving up to 8 wires of varying gauges. It is ideal for applications in electrical panels, control cabinets, and automation systems where customization, speed, and precision are essential.

The system integrates a comprehensive automation workflow, including wire feeding, cutting, dual-end stripping, number tube ribbon printing, tube expansion and insertion, wire twisting, and terminal crimping. All production parameters—such as wire length, labeling content, wire types, and terminal configurations—can be batch-configured via a Windows 11 interface with Excel import, enabling seamless mixed-model processing in a single run.

Operators can define marking content and print direction for each wire directly in Excel, supporting multiple orientations like forward and reverse (as shown in the diagram). This flexible software-driven approach enables advanced customization without hardware modifications, significantly boosting production adaptability for varied wiring specifications.

The workflow begins with U-shaped wire bending, aligning both ends of the wire to the same side so that head and tail crimping can be completed at a shared station. This design minimizes the number of crimping stations required and maximizes layout flexibility. Each process—wire feeding, stripping, tube printing and inserting, twisting, and multi-end crimping—is precisely coordinated, with all parameters batch-imported through Excel.

The machine is equipped with five fully independent crimping stations. Two stations support loose terminals and are each paired with three vibration feeders, allowing up to six types of loose terminals to be crimped without tooling changes. The remaining three stations handle reel-type terminals, with the entire system capable of assigning up to 9 terminal types across 8 wire types. Same-end and cross-end terminal crimping can be freely configured via software without mechanical adjustments.

To ensure output quality, a dual CCD vision inspection system is built in. One camera verifies correct insertion of flat number tubes, while the second inspects terminal crimp quality immediately after crimping. Real-time defect detection ensures that only qualified assemblies advance to the final stage, while a dedicated NG rejection mechanism automatically removes non-compliant units.

For enhanced quality assurance, an integrated pressure monitoring system captures the full crimp force curve of each terminal. If the force exceeds the preset tolerance range, the system automatically triggers an alarm and halts production to prevent defect propagation. This intelligent pressure detection significantly increases yield and reduces the need for manual inspection or rework.