Visual crimp monitoring

A method for ensuring and/or checking the quality of a crimp making use of a crimping machine for crimping a cable with a contact sleeve and making use of a second optical sensor, distinct from a first optical sensor, for detecting and/or recording second image data of the cable, distinct from first image data, and making use of evaluation electronics, the method comprising:

• acquiring the second image data of the cable by the second optical sensor;
• carrying out, via the evaluation electronics, a second comparison of the second image data of the second optical sensor with second reference data of a predetermined cable;
• checking the second comparison for the presence of a predetermined second criterion;
• and
• if the predetermined second criterion is satisfied, outputting a second signal, and
• wherein the acquiring of the second image data and the carrying out of the second comparison and the checking of the second comparison for the presence of the predetermined second criterion and the outputting of the second signal are carried out before the cable is crimped with the contact sleeve.

A method for ensuring and/or checking the quality of a crimp making use of a crimping machine for crimping a cable with a contact sleeve, making use of a first optical sensor for detecting and/or recording first image data of the contact sleeve, making use of a second optical sensor for detecting and/or recording second image data of the cable, making use of at least one third optical sensor for the acquisition and/or recording of third image data of the contact sleeve and of the cable, and making use of evaluation electronics, the method comprising:

• acquiring the first image data of the contact sleeve by the first optical sensor;
• carrying out, via the evaluation electronics, a first comparison of the first image data of the first optical sensor with first reference data of a predetermined contact sleeve;
• checking the first comparison for the presence of a predetermined first criterion;
• and
• if the predetermined first criterion is satisfied, outputting a first signal, and
• wherein the acquiring of the first image data and the carrying out of the first comparison and the checking of the first comparison for the presence of the predetermined first criterion and the outputting of the first signal are carried out before the cable is crimped with the contact sleeve:
• acquiring the second image data of the cable by the second optical sensor;
• carrying out, via the evaluation electronics, a second comparison of the second image data of the second optical sensor with second reference data of a predetermined cable;
• checking the second comparison for the presence of a predetermined second criterion;
• and
• if the predetermined second criterion is satisfied, outputting a second signal, and
• wherein the acquiring of the second image data and the carrying out of the second comparison and the checking of the second comparison for the presence of the predetermined second criterion and the outputting of the second signal are carried out before the cable is crimped with the contact sleeve;
• acquiring the third image data of the contact sleeve and of the cable by the at least one third optical sensor;
• carrying out, via the evaluation electronics, a third comparison of the third image data of the third optical sensor with third reference data;
• checking the third comparison for the presence of a predetermined third criterion;
• and
• if the predetermined third criterion is satisfied, outputting a third signal, and
• wherein the acquiring of the third image data and the carrying out of the third comparison and the checking of the third comparison for the presence of the predetermined third criterion and the outputting of the third signal are carried out after the cable is crimped with the contact sleeve.

A method for ensuring and/or checking the quality of a crimp making use of a crimping machine for crimping a cable with a contact sleeve and making use of a first optical sensor for detecting and/or recording first image data of the contact sleeve and making use of evaluation electronics, the method comprising:

• selecting a predetermined cable and a predetermined contact sleeve for a predetermined crimping;
• setting a predetermined suitable crimping height;
• setting a predetermined suitable insulation stripping of the cable;
• programming the evaluation electronics for the predetermined cable and the predetermined contact sleeve, wherein first reference data is selected by the evaluation electronics from a large number of predetermined first reference data;
• acquiring the first image data of the contact sleeve by the first optical sensor;
• carrying out, via the evaluation electronics, a first comparison of the first image data of the first optical sensor with the first reference data of a predetermined contact sleeve;
• checking the first comparison for the presence of a predetermined first criterion;
• and
• if the predetermined first criterion is satisfied, outputting a first signal,
• wherein the acquiring of the first image data and the carrying out of the first comparison and the checking of the first comparison for the presence of the predetermined first criterion and the outputting of the first signal are carried out before the cable is crimped with the contact sleeve.

A crimping machine with a spiral conveyor for feeding a plurality of contact sleeves provided for crimping with a cable, wherein the spiral conveyor comprises a feed rail, by which the contact sleeves of the crimping machine are fed in a predetermined orientation, and wherein a first optical sensor is provided for acquiring first image data of a contact sleeve at the feed rail;

• and/or
• a second optical sensor is provided for acquiring second image data of a cable, wherein
• the crimping machine comprises an insulation-stripping device for stripping the insulation of the cable provided for crimping with the contact sleeve and an opening for manually feeding the cable for insulation stripping and subsequent crimping of the cable, wherein the second optical sensor is provided at the opening;
• and wherein
• at least one third optical sensor is provided at the opening for acquiring image data of a cable crimped with a contact sleeve.