Crimp quality monitoring method and system for use with a hydraulic crimping apparatus

A method of monitoring crimp quality of a crimp terminal in a hydraulic crimping apparatus, the method comprising:

• measuring
• a) a pressure of a hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic system supplied to a hydraulic crimping head of the hydraulic crimping apparatus, or
• b) a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid supplied in the hydraulic system to the hydraulic crimping head of the hydraulic crimping apparatus, or
• c) the time required to move the hydraulic crimping head from a first position to a second position, or
• d) any combination of a), b) or c);
• analyzing the measured pressure, flow rate, time or any combination thereof to a respective pressure, flow rate or time to determine if a crimp is defective or not defective.

A system for monitoring the crimp quality for a hydraulic crimping apparatus, the system comprising:

• a hydraulic pump connected to crimp tooling;
• a pressure sensor provided between the hydraulic pump and the crimp tooling, the pressure sensor monitors the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the system;
• a flow sensor provided between the hydraulic pump and the crimp tooling, the flow sensor monitors the flow of hydraulic fluid in the system;
• a controller analyzes the pressure of the hydraulic fluid provided by the pressure sensor and the flow of the hydraulic fluid provided by the flow sensor to determine if a crimp is defective.