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CRIMP RISK
What sourcing can do to prevent burr-induced field failures.
Issue 095
⚡ One Bad Crimp = One Bad Quarter
You’ve probably seen this play out before: A low-voltage harness makes it through testing, only to trigger field complaints six months later. Maybe it’s a torque spec that didn’t hold. Maybe it’s a thermal issue traced back to inconsistent terminal contact. Whatever the failure mode, the conversation often loops back to the same place — the crimped interface.
And suddenly, procurement is being asked:
“Did this pass inspection? Why didn’t the spec catch this?”
Let’s break that cycle — before the part hits the press.
🛠️ Why Crimp Failures Often Start in the Tooling
Stamped terminals do more than just connect wires. They need to maintain tight electrical contact and mechanical strength — under load, over time, and through environmental stress.
But here’s where it usually breaks down:
The print covers dimensions and material but doesn’t call out burr control, edge finish, or flatness near the crimp zone. The part passes dimensional checks — but with inconsistent surface quality or slight deformation. Crimp performance drops. Torque varies. And the field issue gets traced to “part variation” with no clear supplier fault.
This is where sourcing gets stuck holding the bag — even though the root issue started before tooling was cut.
🔍 What Sourcing Teams Can Do Upstream
Smart sourcing professionals are now asking more of their terminal suppliers — not just price and lead time, but process-specific questions tied to functional performance.
Start by asking:
How is burr height managed during production and over die wear cycles?
What controls are in place to preserve crimp zone flatness?
Can your supplier inspect for functional flatness — not just overall profile?
Because the reality is: even when a part “meets print,” it might not meet performance — unless that print was built with real-world function in mind.
📏 Why Flatness Has to Be More Than a Box on the Drawing
“Flat” sounds simple — but in crimped electrical parts, what matters most is where the flatness is held. A terminal that bows slightly outside the crimp area may still work fine. But if the zone between the contact blade and wire barrel isn’t flat or clean, you’ll see torque slippage and micro-resistance build up.
Suppliers that understand this nuance tend to ask better questions early — like how the terminal interfaces with your crimping process, or whether you’re seeing variability in pull tests.
Even if your print doesn’t call it out, your field data probably is.
✅ What Success Looks Like When Spec and Tooling Align
When sourcing brings these issues forward — instead of backward after a complaint — you reduce the chance of field failures and the finger-pointing that follows.
You get:
Better tooling decisions that account for burr control and material springback
Fewer surprises during terminal validation or mating cycles
Consistent crimp integrity across production runs
Fewer “supplier performance” escalations tied to spec ambiguity
Because your job isn’t just hitting price targets — it’s protecting product performance from square one.
Ask About Our Terminal Review
Gromax Precision Die & Mfg., Inc. specializes in designing and manufacturing precision metal stamped parts and tooling, including progressive stamping dies and custom equipment. With an on-time delivery rate of 99.68% and a defect rate of just 0.066%, the company ensures exceptional reliability and quality.
Gromax is ISO 9001:2015 certified and ITAR registered, serving industries such as medical, defense, aerospace, industrial automation, and automotive with high-quality, innovative solutions.