As retired pro myself, I share your curiosity.
However there are pros and then there are pros - the spectrum is huge and only exceed by the spectrum of ratchet crimpers available.
I am guessing we have different workplace experiences and different concepts of acceptable
work practices; such things colour opinions.
I have spent a working lifetime of crimping zillions of wires ranging in size from 1,000MCM to 26 AWG and as sure as heck, I don't know everything about crimping tools.
However I do know that ratchet crimpers give repeatable results. Now the results may not be acceptable, but they are repeatable - this is important IMO. The only way to improve the quality of the crimp is to know why it isn't consistently good enough. A ratchet crimper removes one major aspect of poor operator technique.
Of course one can't compare a $30 multi die hand operated ratchet crimping tool to a $2,000
single die hand operated ratchet crimping tool complete with a
current calibration certificate but both will give repeatable results; at least in the short term (months).
In some work areas, the customer will accept average work as long as it works and isn't expensive. Such pros will have a viewpoint that is very different from mine.
In some of my workspaces, the
serial number (and calibration certificate) of the crimping tool along with the lot number of the crimps used were recorded in the worksheet of the work carried out and then
personally certified to a standard. The worksheet became part of the historical
maintenance log book. I'm not suggesting one's sailing
boat requires such attention to detail but it does colour one's opinion of what is best practice. It is sobering to know my signature and the tooling I used on a job I did on say a certain day in March, 1990 (or whenever) is recorded in hard copy and can be accessed if necessary.
We also calibrated crimping tools to NATA standards for outside pros. The calibration period is determined by the expected time the tool is expected to give consistent crimps. A 'no name' tool might be adjusted to meet the calibration requirements but only get a 6 month certificate whereas a top line tool might never (or more correctly - rarely) need adjustment and would get a 2 year certificate.
So I will only put a ratchet crimpers in my hands but others can do differently; they wouldn't get any work from me though....
FWIW, using a ratchet crimper is simple, right. Just for fun, test your knowledge against the manufactures way - nine pages on how to correctly use a $2,000
single die hand operated crimping tool.
http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/2313713.pdf
EDIT: There are of course, many types and styles of terminations where ratchet crimpers aren't available, in such instances the above notes don't apply.
Linear Mode
Recent Discussions