Equipping Workers in the Present. Digitizing Operations for the Future.

October 15, 2026 Uncategorized Comments Off on Equipping Workers in the Present. Digitizing Operations for the Future.

Why associate Equipping Workers through Training while Considering the physical process of Digitizing Operations? The answer lies in the rapid change in Manufacturing. Consider:

Automation, connected equipment, data analytics and Industry 4.0 technologies are creating opportunities to improve productivity, quality and competitiveness. Yet technology alone does not create manufacturing excellence.

People do.

For manufacturers considering the future of their operations, the challenge is therefore not simply deciding which technologies to adopt. It is developing the capabilities of the people who operate, maintain and improve manufacturing processes while creating a pathway toward increasingly connected and data-driven operations.

These two priorities complement rather than compete with each other.

Equip workers in the present. Digitize operations for the future.

For WireProcess Specialties (WPS), this idea reflects an important part of WPS 2.0 and our broader commitment to Helping Many to Achieve More.

Through Crimp Quality Solutions (CQS), training, laboratory services and practical manufacturing support can help workers strengthen the processes they manage today. At the same time, manufacturers can begin building the foundation for Industry 4.0 technologies that will increasingly influence how manufacturing operations are measured, controlled and improved.

The future of manufacturing should not be viewed simply as replacing human capability with technology.

It should be about combining knowledgeable people, capable processes and intelligent technology.

1. Manufacturing Excellence Starts with People

Manufacturers invest significant resources in equipment, tooling and technology. However, even highly capable equipment depends on people who understand the process they are controlling.

Wire processing and terminal crimping provide good examples.

Producing a reliable electrical connection involves much more than operating a crimp press. Operators, technicians and quality personnel need to understand the relationships between terminals, wire, tooling, equipment settings and process variables.

They also need to recognize when something has changed. A measurement outside specification, damaged tooling, an incorrect material combination or an improperly adjusted process may indicate a much larger quality problem.

Training helps workers move beyond simply performing a task toward understanding why the process works. That distinction matters.

A worker who understands the process is better positioned to recognize abnormalities, ask questions and participate in continuous improvement.

Equipping workers therefore becomes more than workforce development. It becomes an investment in manufacturing capability.

2. Why Training Matters

Training is sometimes viewed primarily as an operational expense or a requirement for introducing new employees and equipment. A more strategic perspective sees training as a way of strengthening the manufacturing system itself.

Well-trained employees can better understand specifications, follow standardized procedures, recognize process variation and identify potential problems before they become larger quality issues. Training can also create a common language between production, engineering and quality personnel.

Consider crimp quality.

Terms such as crimp height, pull force, conductor brush, bellmouth and insulation support represent specific characteristics of a connection. When employees understand what these characteristics mean and why they matter, quality becomes more than an inspection activity performed after production.

It becomes part of the process. This is an important principle behind Crimp Quality Solutions (CQS). CQS training and support are intended to help manufacturers develop practical knowledge that can be applied directly within their operations.

The objective is not simply to tell someone how to perform an inspection.

It is to help them understand what they are measuring, why they are measuring it and what the results tell them about their process.

3. From Training Workers to Building Organizational Capability

The value of training becomes greater when knowledge extends beyond individual employees. An organization develops capability when knowledge becomes embedded within its processes, procedures and culture.

This can include standardized work instructions, documented quality requirements, appropriate inspection methods, preventative maintenance practices, process validation and clearly defined responses when measurements fall outside acceptable limits.

Training provides the human foundation for these systems.

For smaller manufacturers in particular, this can be important because employees frequently perform multiple functions. Production, maintenance and quality responsibilities may overlap, making practical process knowledge particularly valuable.

The goal should therefore extend beyond developing skilled individuals. Manufacturers should seek to build capable organizations.

This aligns with the broader WPS 2.0 philosophy: equipment is important, but sustainable manufacturing capability comes from connecting people, knowledge, processes and technology.

4. Preparing for the Digital Manufacturing Environment

While manufacturers strengthen today’s workforce, manufacturing technology continues to evolve. Industry 4.0 represents the increasing integration of physical manufacturing processes with digital technologies.

Connected machines, sensors, manufacturing software, automated data collection and analytics can provide significantly greater visibility into what is happening on the production floor.

Instead of relying exclusively on periodic inspection or manually recorded information, manufacturers can increasingly collect process information as production occurs.

For wire processing operations, this could eventually include information such as machine parameters, production quantities, quality measurements, maintenance information, material identification and process trends.

The opportunity is significant. But collecting data is not the same as improving a process.

Manufacturers need to understand which information matters and what decisions should be made from it.

That again brings the discussion back to people.

5. Industry 4.0 Should Support Workers—not Simply Replace Them

Discussions about automation frequently focus on replacing manual work. That is only one possible application.

Digital technologies can also increase the capability of workers.

Imagine an operator being able to see process trends rather than discovering a problem only after a failed inspection. Imagine maintenance personnel receiving information indicating that tooling or equipment performance is beginning to change. Imagine quality personnel being able to review historical process information associated with a particular production batch.

These capabilities can change the relationship between workers and manufacturing equipment. The worker increasingly becomes a decision-maker supported by information.

Technology can identify patterns, collect information and automate repetitive tasks. People provide process knowledge, judgment, problem solving and context.

The strongest manufacturing systems can combine both.

6. You Cannot Digitize What You Do Not Understand

Industry 4.0 can create enormous quantities of data. But more data does not automatically mean better manufacturing. Before deciding what to digitize, manufacturers should understand the process itself.

What variables affect quality?

What should be measured?

What constitutes an acceptable process?

What indicates that the process is beginning to drift?

What action should an employee take when that happens?

Without this foundation, manufacturers risk digitizing inefficient or poorly understood processes. This is where training, process assessment and quality systems connect directly with digital transformation.

Process knowledge should come before process digitization.

A manufacturer that understands its processes is better positioned to determine which data should be collected and how that information can support operational decisions.

Equipping workers today therefore helps create the foundation for digitizing operations tomorrow.

7. Connecting CQS with the Digital Future

Crimp Quality Solutions represents an opportunity to begin building this bridge. CQS focuses on practical manufacturing capability through areas such as training, laboratory services, process assessment and consulting. These activities help manufacturers understand their existing processes.

What are we doing?

Why are we doing it?

How are we measuring it?

Are our measurements meaningful?

Where are the risks?

Where could the process be improved?

Those questions are equally important when considering Industry 4.0. Digital transformation should begin with an understanding of the manufacturing process rather than with technology itself.

The progression can therefore be viewed as:

Understand → Standardize → Measure → Connect → Analyze → Improve

Training helps workers understand. Quality systems help standardize. Measurement establishes objective process information. Connected equipment makes information increasingly accessible. Analytics helps identify trends and relationships. People use those insights to improve the process.

That creates a practical connection between CQS today and the increasingly digital manufacturing environment of tomorrow.

8. A Practical Approach to Industry 4.0 for Smaller Manufacturers

Industry 4.0 does not have to begin with a complete factory transformation. For many small and medium-sized manufacturers, a more practical approach may be incremental.

Start by identifying an important manufacturing process. Understand how that process works. Determine the variables that influence quality and productivity. Establish appropriate measurements. Standardize the process. Train employees.

Then consider where digital technologies could improve visibility, traceability or decision-making. One machine might become connected. One quality measurement might move from a handwritten record to a digital database. One maintenance activity might begin using equipment data rather than a fixed schedule. One production metric might become visible in real time.

Individually, these improvements may appear small.

Collectively, they can begin building a digital manufacturing capability. Digital transformation does not necessarily have to start with a large capital project.

It can start with one useful piece of information connected to one better decision.

9. Equipment Is Becoming Part of an Information System

The role of manufacturing equipment is also changing. Traditionally, a machine might have been evaluated primarily by characteristics such as production speed, accuracy, reliability and cost. Those factors remain important. But increasingly another question matters:

What information can the equipment provide?

Future equipment decisions may increasingly consider connectivity, data accessibility, traceability, integration and the ability to communicate with other manufacturing systems. This changes the conversation surrounding equipment selection.

A wire processing machine is no longer necessarily an isolated production asset. It can become part of a larger information system connecting production, quality, maintenance and management.

For equipment suppliers, this also changes the responsibility.

The discussion should extend beyond: What machine should you buy?

Toward: What manufacturing capability are you trying to create?

That distinction is central to the evolution of WPS 2.0.

10. The Future Is People + Process + Technology

There can be a tendency to frame manufacturing strategy as a choice between people and automation. That creates a false choice. The more useful question is how people, processes and technology can work together.

People provide knowledge, creativity, judgment and problem-solving capability. Processes provide consistency and repeatability. Technology provides speed, precision, connectivity and information.

When these elements reinforce each other, manufacturers can create stronger operational capability. This is why workforce development and digital transformation should not be treated as separate strategies. They are connected.

Workers who understand manufacturing processes are better prepared to use digital tools. Well-defined processes are easier to measure.

Measured processes generate meaningful data.

Meaningful data supports better decisions.

Better decisions create opportunities for continuous improvement.

Equipping the Present. Preparing for the Future.

The manufacturing environment of the future will almost certainly be more connected, more automated and more data-driven. But manufacturers still need to operate successfully today. The transition, therefore, does not begin by abandoning existing processes or pursuing technology simply because it is new. It begins by strengthening the capabilities that already exist.

Train people.

Understand processes.

Measure what matters.

Improve what can be improved.

Then use digital technology to extend those capabilities.

For WPS, this represents a natural evolution of our commitment to manufacturing excellence.

Through Crimp Quality Solutions, we can help manufacturers strengthen the knowledge and quality capabilities they need today.

Through equipment, application knowledge and the continuing development of WPS 2.0, we can also help manufacturers explore how connected technologies can support the operations they will need tomorrow.

The objective is not technology for technology’s sake. It is stronger manufacturing capability.

Equipping Workers in the Present.
Digitizing Operations for the Future.

Serving in the Present. Preparing for the Future.

WireProcess Specialties — Helping Many to Achieve More.

The Strategic Importance of Quality

August 28, 2026 WPS 2.0 Comments Off on The Strategic Importance of Quality

Introduction

Ask anyone the definition of quality, and you get a range of responses. Like enduring, long-lasting and trouble-free performance. Ask someone in a manufacturing business, and responses include a departmental function, an inspection process, and a stretch goal of achieving perfection. Simply put, most of these definitions are very narrow in scope and personal opinion, based on an individual’s experience. In the case of “achieving perfection,” this is a fundamental misunderstanding of quality. This article expands on quality in an organizational and strategic framework.

To start, quality is not an either/or decision nor is it a luxury (versus a necessity). The rationale of quality being a necessity and a critical part of a company’s culture will be expanded further in this article.

Quality has always been fundamental to manufacturing. Products must meet specifications, processes must remain controlled, and customers must receive what they expect. Yet in an increasingly competitive manufacturing environment, quality needs to be viewed as something more than a technical requirement or the responsibility of a quality department.

Quality is a strategic business issue.

It influences productivity, profitability, customer confidence, employee capability, supplier relationships, and ultimately the reputation of an organization. Companies that approach quality strategically do more than identify defects. They develop people, processes, and systems that prevent problems and continuously improve performance.

For manufacturers looking toward the future, the question is no longer simply, “Does our product meet specification?” A more important question may be, “How does our commitment to quality strengthen our business?” That shift in thinking is essential to a company’s survival in the years to come.

Leadership Determines Quality Culture

Quality culture begins with leadership.

Employees quickly recognize what an organization genuinely values. If production volume consistently takes priority over quality concerns, that message becomes part of the culture. If employees are encouraged to identify problems, improve processes, and develop their skills, a very different culture develops.

Leadership commitment to quality means they acknowledge errors. Most important is how the organization responds when errors occur.

A strong quality culture treats problems as opportunities to learn. Instead of simply correcting the immediate defect, employees investigate why it happened and how recurrence can be prevented. Knowledge gained from one problem then strengthens the entire organization.

Over time, this approach creates an environment where quality is not something imposed by a department. It becomes a shared responsibility.

Quality Requires Skilled People

Manufacturing technology continues to advance rapidly. Automation, machine vision, digital measurement, data collection, artificial intelligence, and increasingly sophisticated production equipment can improve consistency and productivity.

Technology, however, does not eliminate the need for knowledgeable people.

Someone must understand the application. Someone must interpret the data. Someone must recognize when a process begins moving outside normal conditions. Someone must determine the root cause of a problem and decide what corrective action should be taken.

This becomes increasingly important as experienced manufacturing professionals retire and organizations face the challenge of transferring knowledge to the next generation.

Training should therefore be considered part of an organization’s quality infrastructure. Teaching employees how to perform a task is important. Teaching them why the process works, what influences the result, and how to recognize problems creates much greater capability.

Equipment provides manufacturers with capacity. Knowledge enables them to use that capacity effectively.

Quality Protects Profit

The relationship between quality and profitability is sometimes underestimated because many costs associated with poor quality are distributed throughout an organization.

Scrap and rework are relatively easy to identify. The larger costs can be much less visible. A quality problem can result in additional inspection, engineering investigations, production interruptions, expedited freight, warranty claims, customer complaints, corrective actions, and management time. In more serious situations, it can contribute to lost customers or reputational damage.

A defect that takes only seconds to produce can therefore create consequences lasting days, months, or even years.

Improving quality reverses this equation. Stable processes produce less scrap and rework. Better-trained employees solve problems more effectively. Appropriate equipment improves consistency. Preventive maintenance reduces unexpected interruptions. Effective process controls allow problems to be identified before they reach the customer.

Quality should therefore not be viewed simply as a cost of doing business. Done well, it becomes an investment in operational efficiency and profitability.

Quality Is More Than Compliance

Quality is frequently associated with standards, specifications, inspection procedures, and documentation. These are important components of an effective quality system, but compliance should represent the starting point rather than the final objective.

A product can technically meet a specification while the process producing it remains inefficient or unstable. Similarly, an organization can maintain extensive quality documentation while employees lack the practical knowledge required to recognize emerging problems.

A strategic approach to quality looks beyond compliance. It considers whether processes are capable, whether employees understand why requirements exist, whether equipment is appropriate for the application, and whether lessons learned are being incorporated into future decisions.

Customers Buy Confidence

Industrial purchasing decisions are rarely based on the physical product alone. Customers are also evaluating risk.

Will the product perform as promised? Will deliveries arrive when expected? Will specifications be consistently maintained? Will the supplier respond when assistance is required? What happens when something goes wrong?

These questions ultimately concern confidence.

A supplier that consistently delivers quality reduces uncertainty for its customers. Over time, that reliability builds trust. Customers know what to expect and can make their own production and business decisions with greater confidence.

This is particularly important in manufacturing environments where a relatively inexpensive component or process can affect the reliability of a much more valuable finished product. The purchase price represents only one part of the customer’s decision. The consequences of failure can be considerably greater.

Quality therefore creates value beyond the product itself. It gives customers confidence in the organization behind the product.

Quality Creates Competitive Advantage

Price will always be an important consideration in manufacturing, but competing primarily on price can be difficult to sustain. Another supplier can eventually offer a lower price.

A strong reputation for quality is much harder to duplicate.

Quality develops through the interaction of people, knowledge, processes, equipment, leadership, and organizational culture. Building these capabilities requires time and consistent effort. When quality becomes embedded within an organization, it can become a meaningful source of differentiation.

Customers may initially select a supplier because of price, technology, or availability. They are more likely to develop a long-term relationship when that supplier consistently delivers dependable results and provides knowledgeable support.

For smaller manufacturers and suppliers, this can be particularly powerful. They may not possess the scale of larger competitors, but they can compete through expertise, responsiveness, consistency, and a deeper understanding of customer applications.

Quality becomes part of the value proposition.

Building Quality into the Process

Inspection has an important role in manufacturing, but inspection alone cannot create quality. By the time a defective product reaches final inspection, resources have already been invested in producing it.

The better approach is to build quality into the process.

In wire processing and terminal crimping, for example, the finished connection is influenced by many interconnected factors. Wire specifications, strip length, terminal selection, tooling condition, applicator setup, crimp height, process capability, pull-force testing, operator knowledge, maintenance, and validation practices can all influence the final result.

Looking at only one measurement provides an incomplete picture.

A capable process requires understanding how these variables interact and establishing controls that maintain consistency over time. When manufacturers develop this broader perspective, quality moves upstream. Instead of primarily detecting defects, organizations become better at preventing them.

That transition—from detection to prevention—is one of the most important steps toward manufacturing excellence.

Continuous Improvement Never Ends

Manufacturing excellence is a journey, not a destination.

Processes that are considered excellent today may be inadequate tomorrow. Customer expectations evolve, technologies improve, competitors introduce new capabilities, and employees identify better ways of working.

Organizations committed to quality therefore develop a habit of asking questions. Where does unnecessary variation exist? What causes recurring problems? Can a process be simplified? Could employees benefit from additional training? Is existing equipment still appropriate? What risks are developing that have not yet created visible problems?

The individual improvements resulting from these questions may appear relatively small. Their cumulative impact can be substantial.

Continuous improvement creates organizations that are more efficient, knowledgeable, adaptable, and prepared for change. More importantly, it prevents complacency from becoming part of the culture.

Quality Builds Long-Term Partnerships

The strongest industrial relationships eventually move beyond individual transactions.

A supplier may initially provide a component or piece of equipment, but long-term value develops when the relationship expands to include knowledge, technical support, training, problem solving, and shared experience.

Quality plays an important role in creating these partnerships because trust is built through repeated performance. Customers remember suppliers who respond when problems occur. They value partners who provide useful advice rather than simply trying to make another sale. They increasingly depend on organizations that understand their processes and contribute to their success.

This represents a different view of the supplier relationship. Instead of asking only, “What can we sell this customer?” organizations can ask, “How can we help this customer become more capable?”

When customers become stronger because of the relationship, both organizations benefit.

Quality as a Long-Term Commitment

Quality is ultimately about more than inspection equipment, measurements, specifications, or documentation. Those tools are essential, but they support something larger.

Quality is about building capable organizations.

It is about developing people who understand their processes. It is about creating systems that prevent problems rather than simply reacting to them. It is about using knowledge and technology together to continually improve performance. And it is about building relationships based on confidence, integrity, and trust.

Organizations that make this commitment strengthen more than the products they manufacture. They strengthen their people, their customers, and their ability to compete.

The manufacturers that succeed in the future will not necessarily be those with the largest factories, the most expensive equipment, or the lowest prices. They will be organizations capable of learning, adapting, improving, and consistently creating value for their customers.

That is why quality should never be viewed simply as a manufacturing requirement.

Quality is a strategic investment in the future of the business.

Serving in the Present. Preparing for the Future.

Manufacturers constantly balance two responsibilities.

They must meet today’s production requirements while simultaneously developing the capabilities they will need tomorrow.

Machines still need to run. Orders need to ship. Customers need support. Problems need to be solved. These immediate responsibilities cannot be ignored.

At the same time, organizations must prepare for workforce transitions, new technologies, increasing automation, changing customer expectations, competitive pressures, and emerging quality requirements.

Quality connects these two priorities.

Improving a process solves today’s problems while creating knowledge for tomorrow. Training an employee strengthens current production while developing future capability. Investing in better measurement or validation reduces immediate risk while establishing a foundation for continuous improvement.

This is the strategic importance of quality.

It allows manufacturers to be Serving in the Present. Preparing for the Future.

Introducing WPS 2.0

August 11, 2026 Uncategorized Comments Off on Introducing WPS 2.0

Serving in the Present. Preparing for the Future.

Building Manufacturing Capability Through Character, Knowledge and Trusted Partnership

Introduction

WPS 2.0 is not about us, it’s about you. Our company always has and always will be based on true Servant Leadership. We have learned from our past experiences so we can apply them to our present and future connections to enrich those we serve.

WPS 2.0 represents the evolution of WireProcess Specialties while celebrating the continuation of the business into its second generation more than twenty years ago. It builds upon more than four decades of serving manufacturers and reflects our belief that lasting success is achieved by strengthening people, businesses, and industries.

Manufacturing has entered a period where competitive advantage is no longer created solely by faster machines or lower prices. Organizations succeed by developing knowledgeable people, building resilient quality systems, embracing innovation, and cultivating trusted partnerships.

WPS 2.0 is WireProcess Specialties’ response to this new reality.

Rather than defining success by the products it sells, WPS 2.0 defines success by the capability it creates within customer organizations. This philosophy shifts the conversation from equipment and component transactions to long-term value creation through education, laboratory services, consulting, and carefully selected technology.

Serving in the Present. Preparing for the Future.

Every customer interaction should solve today’s manufacturing challenges while helping build the people, processes, and knowledge needed for tomorrow. Rather than choosing between supporting today’s operations and investing in future capability, WPS believes the two should work together.

Every equipment recommendation, every training session, every laboratory report, and every consulting engagement should strengthen manufacturers not only for the work they perform today, but also for the challenges they will face tomorrow.

The result is a business model that helps manufacturers achieve sustainable operational excellence while strengthening relationships built on trust.

Every enduring company begins with character. Markets change, technologies evolve, and competitors emerge, but integrity and ethical leadership remain timeless competitive advantages.

A Company of Character

Every enduring company begins with character. Markets change, technologies evolve, and competitors emerge, but integrity and ethical leadership remain timeless competitive advantages.

Vision Statement

To inspire manufacturing excellence by helping people, businesses and industries to achieve more through knowledge, innovation and trusted partnership.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to serve manufacturers by equipping their people, strengthening their businesses and sharing practical knowledge and expertise that build lasting manufacturing capability and help many to achieve more.

Our Strategic Philosophy

WPS believes the strongest organizations are built by balancing immediate customer needs with long-term capability development.

We remain committed to supporting manufacturers today through technology, components, application expertise, and technical support while preparing them for tomorrow through education, innovation, quality systems, consulting, laboratory services, and workforce development.

This philosophy reflects our belief that every customer engagement should leave an organization stronger than when it began.

Ethics – The cornerstone of our business is building trust with a strong ethical foundation.

Integrity – Trust is built from a high level of integrity, matching our actions with our words.

Creativity – Constantly coming up with new ideas to help our company and our customers achieve more.

Innovation – Putting creative ideas into action.

Pillar One – Knowledge & Training

Knowledge is the most valuable asset in modern manufacturing. Processing solutions can be purchased by anyone; expertise must be developed. WPS develops people through practical technical education, customized training, workshops, mentoring, and knowledge sharing. Organizations investing in workforce capability experience improved quality, greater employee engagement, lower turnover, and stronger customer confidence. Every training engagement should not only improve today’s performance but also prepare organizations for tomorrow’s manufacturing environment. Knowledge shared today becomes the foundation for future manufacturing excellence.

Pillar Two – Laboratory & Quality Services

Quality is not inspected into products; it is designed into processes. Independent laboratory services provide objective data to support better decision-making through crimp analysis, pull testing, process validation, troubleshooting, audits, and continuous improvement. Effective quality systems do more than solve today’s problems. They establish the confidence, discipline, and data-driven decision making required for future growth and long-term operational success.

Pillar Three – Consulting & Business Improvement

Consulting should create independence rather than dependence. WPS collaborates with manufacturers to improve operational performance, quality systems, process capability, equipment strategy, workforce development, and organizational effectiveness. Every consulting engagement should leave customers stronger than when it began by transferring knowledge, developing internal capability, and preparing organizations for future.

Pillar Four – Equipment & Technology Solutions

Technology remains an essential part of manufacturing excellence, but equipment should support capability rather than define it. WPS recommends processing solutions objectively based on customer requirements while integrating technology with training, validation, quality systems, and implementation planning. In this way, today’s equipment investment becomes tomorrow’s manufacturing capability.

Why WPS 2.0 Matters

Manufacturers face unprecedented challenges, including workforce shortages, increasing quality expectations, global competition, and accelerating technological change. These challenges cannot be solved solely through equipment purchases.

WPS 2.0 provides a balanced model that combines people, processes, technology, and leadership into a single value proposition. By serving in the present while preparing for the future, manufacturers receive practical solutions for today’s operational challenges while developing the capability needed to remain competitive tomorrow.

Looking Ahead

The future belongs to organizations that continuously learn, innovate, and build trusted relationships.

For more than 40 years, WireProcess Specialties has served manufacturers by providing practical solutions, technical expertise, and trusted support.

WPS 2.0 builds upon that foundation by embracing a broader responsibility: equipping people, strengthening businesses, and building manufacturing capability.

Serving in the Present. Preparing for the Future. is more than a strategic theme. It is the philosophy that guides every recommendation we make, every partnership we build, and every investment we encourage. It reflects our commitment to helping manufacturers succeed today while preparing people, businesses, and industries for tomorrow’s opportunities.

As WireProcess Specialties continues its evolution, success will be measured not simply by products delivered, but by organizations strengthened, professionals developed, partnerships created, and manufacturing excellence inspired.

That is the promise of WPS 2.0.
Helping Many to Achieve More®.

Terminal Crimp Attributes: Conductor Crimp Width.

January 7, 2026 Application Illustrations, C&S Technologies Comments Off on Terminal Crimp Attributes: Conductor Crimp Width.

Terminal Crimp Quality is one of the most critical factors in a wire assembly. Your wire assembly has numerous connection points, and most of them have a connector to facilitate this connection. It only takes one bad connection to render an entire electrical assembly inoperable.

The wire-to-terminal crimp is composed of several elements. Each element has its own process capability. The crimp itself has physical factors which contribute to an acceptable electrical connection and mechanical strength. Crimp Physics are well established and essential to ensure an electrical connection with low electrical resistance and high tensile strength (as demonstrated by pull tests).

Conductor Crimp Height and Pull Test are the two primary measurements used in validating a crimp. Conductor Crimp Width is also an essential factor when considering overall crimp quality. But how does it fit in with these two primary measurement factors?

Crimp Tools are engineered and produced to form a terminal around a wire. Each crimp tool set (Conductor and Insulation punch and anvil) have a profile which produce the desired crimp shape. Wire is pressed into the terminal and the overall height and width assure the conductor strands are deformed at a proper compression ratio while achieving acceptable mechanical strength.

A terminal typically is designed to accommodate a few adjacent wire sizes that can be crimped without compromising electrical integrity or mechanical strength. The crimp applicator has a dial that sets the conductor and insulation crimp height to the rated wire size.

Conductor Crimp Width is not adjustable and is the same for all wire sizes within a terminal’s wire range. Where applicable, crimp height is further adjustable by a shut height adjustment on the press.

Over time, tools wear. As tools wear, the ability to maintain the height and width ratio are compromised. Small adjustments in shut height can compensate for tool wear, but the tool width is fixed. The sides of the crimp tool profile will wear to the point where the crimp height to width ratio is not met.

What are the implications of the Crimp Width being out of Spec?

  • Loss of Conductor Compaction
  • High Electrical Resistance
  • Low Tensile (Pull Test) force.

Maintaining Conductor Crimp Height and Width is critical to assuring the proper conductor compression. Replacing tooling before the crimp height and width are compromised is very important. Despite the tendency to defer to the economics of tool costs and use tooling past their ability to maintain the proper measurements. Deferring to the latter raises the risk of crimp failure in the field.

Conductor Crimp Width Measurement

Measuring conductor crimp width should be a parameter that maintenance tracks to determine when tools should be replaced. Conductor Crimp Width is measured using a dial caliper or Blade Micrometer.

A well equipped factory includes well maintained and capable processing equipment. Additionally a well equipped factory should also include validation and monitoring tools to assure repeatable quality. But even the best processing tools and quality tools are completely worthless without adequate worker training. Training is required for all levels of the organization, from management and supervisors to operators and maintenance. Crimping Solutions by WireProcess Specialties provides end to end support for the terminal crimp process. Visit Crimping Solutions or Connect to WireProcess to get started.

Terminal Crimp Attributes: Serrations

January 2, 2026 Uncategorized Comments Off on Terminal Crimp Attributes: Serrations

Crimping a wire to a terminal sounds simple, take a wire and terminal and press them together using hand or machine activated tooling. Crimping is much more than that. There is a significant amount of engineering that goes into a terminal and the termination process. The attributes that make up a terminal crimp are well established and contribute to the long term reliability of an device that uses a wire assembly.

Of course there are implications to not applying critical attributes. Implications can be minor or severe but usually mean the premature failure of the electrical device. This article focuses on one attribute that is part of the majority of terminals produced today: the serration.

What is a Serration?

Serrations are precision impressions stamped into the conductor crimp of a terminal. Although different serration designs have been used over time, typically serrations are “lines” perpendicular to the direction of the crimp. Serrations have micro-cut edges which serve a distinct purpose and function.

What is the Function of a Serration?

During the crimp process, wire is compressed into the terminal. Individual strands are compressed into the serrations. The process of compressing the strands into a serration provides a number of benefits:

  • Edges of the Serration break through the oxides in a strand, decreasing electrical resistance.
  • Wire embedded in a serration improves tensile forces.
  • Compressive forces are spread across multiple contact forces. As stress concentration is prevented, reducing the risk of strand damage or cracking of the crimp barrel under load occurs.

Did you know?

  • When comparing non-serrated crimps with serrated crimps:
    • Pull Out Force (tensile) in the serrated crimp is higher.
    • Electrical Resistance is generally reduced.

A Potential Cause of Crimp failure.

Wire Strands that are not embedded in the serration are a potential cause of terminal crimp failure. Failures can include low tensile testing and high electrical resistance.

Without the necessary tools, the source of the failure can be hard to determine. WireProcess Specialties has the resources and knowledge to support your crimping process, including longitudinal cross sections as illustrated above. We partner with you to Achieve More in your business by improving your crimp process.

Connect with us today to get started.

Helping Many to Achieve More.

January 2, 2026 Uncategorized Comments Off on Helping Many to Achieve More.

Helping Many to Achieve More

This is the collective obsession of our company. Our focus on helping companies to achieve more, defines our approach to every interaction with our customers.

What is “More”?

More is the result of achieving something greater. More in a business sense can include:

  • Higher Efficiencies
  • Better Communication between personnel
  • Better Decision Making Processes

Ultimately, Achieving More provides benefits to employees and the company in general. Benefits can include:

  • Higher moral between employees.
  • Greater Employee Retention
  • Lower Cost of Operation
  • Higher Profits

How Do We Help Many to Achieve More?

Business conditions are evolving at a speed not seen before in human history. The advent of technology like AI and business processes like Industry 4.0 require companies to pivot quickly to stay current and not get left behind. This applies to our company (we have to practice what we preach) and our customers. How we Help Many has evolved over the years and will continue to grow and change as business conditions change. Here are some ways we support our customers in our primary Wire Processing Industry:

Training

Our training support covers factory employees and management. Training can be delivered onsite or online. Training courses include:

  • Terminal Crimp Basics: Crimp Operator and Maintenance
  • Advanced Terminal Crimp
  • USCAR-21 Add on Module to Advanced Terminal Crimp

Laboratory Services

Our fully equipped lab is designed to evaluate and validate crimped and ultrasonic welded wire assemblies. Lab Services include.

  • Crimp Cross Section
    • Conductor Crimp
    • Insulation Crimp
    • Longitudinal Cross Section
    • Ultrasonic Weld Cross Section
  • Pull/Tensile Testing of Crimp and Ultrasonic Welds
  • DocuCrimp. A report containing visual images, conductor crimp cross sections and pull force curve and peak pull results.

Consulting Services

Our Consulting Services are based on four decades of real work experience with our global customer base. Examples of areas we can support our customers:

  • Industry 4.0 Factory Implementation
  • Sales Force Automation

Click Here for more information on our Lab and Consulting Services.

Crimp Performance Optimization

Crimp Performance Optimization is our exclusive program to support our customers. Crimp Performance Optimization is fully customizable to your operation and can include elements of our training, lab and consulting support tools. A few examples of customized packages include:

  • Commissioning of New Automated Wire Processing Machines
  • Crimp Force Monitoring Optimization

Helping Others Achieve is our Reward

When companies are progressively better and are on a trajectory to be even better, we find our reward. Let us help you multiply success. Join us on this journey to Achieve More. The first step is simple: Connect with us today.

DocuCrimp. A snapshot of Crimp Quality.

August 23, 2021 Uncategorized Comments Off on DocuCrimp. A snapshot of Crimp Quality.

The process of crimping a terminal to a wire is a time tested procedure used in the production of a wire harness. The physics behind a terminal crimp has been established for many decades.

Reliable terminal crimping is critical to electrical circuits that meet or exceed the performance expected from the electrical device that they power. It only takes one defective crimp to render a wire harness useless. And raise the risk of injury and/or damage to the device or operator using the device.

Although the physics of crimping is time tested, pre-production validation, in-process monitoring and quality documentation has evolved over the past number of years. Validation and Production Monitoring tools include Crimp Height Micrometers and a Pull Tester but have expanded to include:

  • Crimp Force Monitoring.
  • Crimp Cameras for automated cut, strip and crimp.
  • Cross Section Analysis.
  • Digital Imaging.
  • Networking Process Equipment.
  • Data Collection and Reporting.
C&S CFM-Lite
  • Crimp Camera Image.
  • Crimp Cross Section
  • Image with defect.
  • MPN Manual Press Network.

It is very important to use these tools to ensure repeatable crimping that meets the terminal supplier’s specifications. And to validate to the crimp specifications. Having a method to collect this information can provide the means to analyze and document the crimp process.

WireProcess Specialties is pleased to announce DocuCrimp. DocuCrimp is part of the suite of services provided through Crimp Quality Solutions. DocuCrimp is a single page report of a wire to terminal crimp and includes:

  • Terminal and Wire Data.
  • Top and Side View Images.
  • Cross Section Image.
  • Pull Test Results and a force chart.
  • Data including: Conductor Crimp Height and Width and Conductor Compression. Results can be compared to crimp specs from the supplier (if available).

DocuCrimp is a snapshot of the terminal crimp based on the equipment setup, materials and assembly methods at a point in time. As these elements change so can the results so we recommend reporting to be done on a regular basis, based on the volume of crimps processed.

DocuCrimp is priced on a single report basis but can be packaged in multiple packs and annual contracts.

For more information, please click here to start the dialogue.

Network Integration. Covering All the Bases.

April 7, 2020 Application Illustrations, C&S Technologies Comments Off on Network Integration. Covering All the Bases.

We are living in an age where communication between people is real time and instant. Now you can communicate across the globe with anyone, at any time just by picking up your favorite device.

Machines are also capable of talking to one another. What once was science fiction, is now a reality. Phrases such as IOT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) are a regular part of our vocabulary. We still have a long way to go before the Smart Factory becomes a reality across all industries. But the pieces are now available to create the factory of today and tomorrow. But like all areas of development in a company, laying out the integration starts with the right plan. And all plans require the right knowledge and the right people to ensure successful launch and operation. So where do you start? You always start with the Why.

Why Should You Network your Processes?

We are living in an area of extreme complexity. So much complexity, the average person cannot deal with the breadth of details required. So our ultimate goal should be to create simplicity out of complexity.

Our ultimate goal should be to create simplicity out of complexity.

Most tasks have some repeatable components to them. Components that can be automated so the main task can be completed with more efficiency.

Every process has its human element. When workers process their assigned task, two things can occur: errors and simple bias. Removing as many points where errors can occur is a critical factor in network and automation. Considering the following points:

  • Selecting raw materials and processing tools. Have the right tools and materials have been selected?
  • Are the processing instructions clearly laid out?
  • Is Quality data available and as important, is it the current revision?

When a process has been in place for many years, workers become comfortable with that process. So much that bias can enter in. In the case of product quality, who makes a decision what is  an acceptable quality component? Who decides whether to place the component in the good or reject pile? And how can you be assured that the rejects are not placed as part of good production?

Removing simple bias and reducing causes of error are reasons for Network Integration.

What about process tool capability? You depend on machines to process your materials into a quality component. These machines require routine maintenance and parts replacement. Some considerations:

  • Are your machines capable of repeatable processing? Is there a process in place to ensure process capability?
  • What is the life span of consumable tools (cutters, punches, forming tools etc.). Do you have a process in place to replace consumable tools to ensure process capability?
  • Do you have a system to enforce routine machine maintenance and consumable tool replacement?

All of these factors are why you need to consider Network Integration. Let’s consider the critical factors in your planning and integration process.

Identifying the Processes to Integrate.

Integrating as many factory processes is important. Most processes are different so a common system of communication between machine processes is key,

In the case of a typical wire harness factory, here are a few examples of processing systems:

  • Bench Top Terminal Crimp Machines.

  • Ultrasonic Welders (Wire Splice and Terminal to Wire Welders). Telsonic TS3 pictured below.

  • Wire Twisters.
  • Automated Wire Processing Machines.

A common system of communication between machine processes is key.

Platform Independence

Your factory will not only have different processes being used, often you have machines of the same processing type from different vendors. When you introduce a new vendor solution, you don’t simply throw out what you have used in the past. So in reality, you can have older process machines operating next to newer technology from the same and often different companies.

Competing companies may have their own solution. But does that solution talk to machines from other companies? Communication Systems must cover all machines whether they are older legacy systems or newer systems from different vendors.

Platform independence is critical.

Connecting Processing Machines and Quality Validation/Monitoring Systems.

You should be considering networking not just your processing machines for communicating process instructions and collecting valuable processing data .But also connecting quality validation and monitoring processes. In the case of Wire Harness Processing and the critical process of terminal crimping:

    • Crimp Height Micrometers (Conductor Crimp Height).
    • Blade Micrometers or Calipers (Conductor Crimp Width and Insulation Crimp).
    • Crimp Cross Section Analysis.
    • Crimp Force Monitoring.
    • Crimp Cameras.

C&S MPN100 Network for Benchtop Crimp Presses

These and other tools are important to ensure production starts with a validated process. And to monitor the production process for good output and to remove defects from the production stream.

Let’s face it, you don’t have all the answers. That’s why you need external support. Selecting the right companies to partner with is an important first step. Companies who are able to consider your unique requirements. Companies that have highly knowledgeable and experienced personnel to provide guidance. Along the full journey of your plan.

Connect Your Way with WireProcess Specialties to hear how our Global Technology Partners are your answer to your processing problems. We specialize in WireProcessing Solutions and Crimping Solutions.

Crimp Force Monitors: Factors When Implementing In-Process Monitoring.

November 12, 2019 Application Illustrations, C&S Technologies Comments Off on Crimp Force Monitors: Factors When Implementing In-Process Monitoring.

We have written about Crimp Force Monitors (CFM) many times over the past few years. The Crimp Force Monitor is a critical tool that provides real time monitoring of the crimp process.

Crimp Monitors can detect quality issues with upstream processes such as wire. Also Crimp Monitors provide valuable information on equipment conditions and variability in Crimp Tool Setup.

In this article we are going to discuss some of the important considerations for implementing a Crimp Monitoring Program. Whether it is on an automated cutter like the Megomat 600 or a benchtop crimp press, getting started properly will better ensure a successful implementation.

The first and most important point when implementing a CFM program is to understand what CFM’s are not.

Crimp Force Monitors do not solve your crimping problems. They will bring quality problems to the surface, problems you might not know actually exist. Awareness of issues in crimping is the first step to a consistent and repeatable crimp process. It is common when using Crimp Monitors for the first time to blame the Monitor when a crimp application experiences frequent CFM alarms.

Crimp Monitors do not solve your crimping problems, that is your job.

Culture Change. Consider this fact: things will be different after implementation. How you approached crimp quality before will change. This is a whole company effort not just the domain of a few quality people. Workers on the plant floor will need to be trained. Attitudes will need to change. Consistency is king. No more adapting to make it work, CFM’s require consistency in order to separate process noise (external variables) with the consistent factors and you need to work to eliminate those variables.

No Crimp Set up is identical.  Treating all crimp application as equal will lead to problems. Wire/Terminal match, crimp tool shape and condition are variables that differ from application to application. Some are naturally more sensitive than others.

Understanding the five elements of a crimp. A typical terminal crimp is comprised of five elements: Wire, Terminal, Operator, Applicator and Crimp Press. The match between the wire and terminal is critical. Mismatched terminals and wire can cause piece to piece variation due to the movement of the wire in the terminal during the crimp process. Crimp presses that are not maintained with loose ram movement and worn ram adapters/base plates is also a source of piece to piece variation.

Constantly improving the process. Identifying problem applications and prioritizing them for process improvement is important. Employing analysis tools can help to uncover core issues that cause inconsistencies. Cross Section Analysis is an essential part of quality improvement efforts. Headroom Analysis identifies the sensitivity of the crimp process based on the force to crimp the terminal with and without the wire. The C&S CFM-Lite includes built in Headroom Analysis.

C&S CFM-Lite

Creating a repeatable validation process. Validating your crimp process is a critical step. Considerations:

  • The right terminal and wire for the circuits being produced.
  • The right applicator tooling and just as important, well maintained and production ready tooling.
  • A Crimp Press that provides repeatable shut height and crimp force. Maintained and free of debris.
  • Calibrated Measuring Tools including:
    • Crimp Height Micrometers (Conductor Crimp Height)
    • Blade Micrometers (Conductor Width and Insulation Height and Width).
    • Pull (Tensile)Tester.
    • Cross Section.
    • Bend Angle (if applicable).

A system to record and maintain validation and in process measurements. This could include a manual record keeping system. Although cost effective, there are risks in workers transposing numbers incorrectly. Also pulling the wrong materials and tooling. In an age of the connected factory, consider network connected equipment and measurement tools that force critical validation elements to be checked.

Quality Parameters. Who makes the decisions?  Crimp Monitors use tolerances which are applied around a teach-in value (average of test pieces measured prior to production). These tolerances can be adjusted to suit each crimp application. Which can make the measurement of crimp force more or less sensitive. Access to the tolerance setting can be open or restricted.

When tolerance setting is left open, there is a risk of un-trained workers making adjustments that can allow for defective crimps to pass undetected. This can create a behavior we call the CFM Cycle.

Avoid the CFM Cycle. Restrict access to the tolerance setting to trained personnel. Address problem applications with analysis tools such as Headroom and Cross Section.

Summary. Creating an implementation process at the start prevents problems on the factory floor and with Crimp Quality.

Crimp Quality Solutions is a great place to start. With end to end support for the terminal process, we provide the knowledge and resources you need. Connect with WireProcess to start the conversation.

Upstream Quality Factors: Wire

April 7, 2018 Application Illustrations, C&S Technologies Comments Off on Upstream Quality Factors: Wire

A wire termination is a very simple process: take a wire and terminal, force them together using a range of crimping tools and voila, a crimped wire.

A quality crimp is altogether different. Not so much in the crimp process, it is is somewhat the same. But ensuring the wire performs well over the life of the product and the process to assemble that wire with repeatable quality requires specialized knowledge. And application of that knowledge to the crimp process. This is very critical in electrical assembly today with the cost of failure (rejects, re-work, loss of customer confidence, liability) being so high. Which is precisely why we publish this technical blog: to arm you with the knowledge and processing tools needed.

We have covered a number of topics directly related to crimp quality. Such as Headroom, wire to crimp process sensitivity. Also Crimp Tool Setup Variability. Using tools such as Crimp Cross Section Analysis and Crimp Monitors to validate and monitor crimp quality.

In this post, we are going to move “upstream” and consider the effect of the wire itself to the crimp process. Considering the elements of the wire and the effect on process variation. Also the process (cut and strip) to prepare the wire for crimping.

Reviewing and controlling all factors in the crimp process makes for more consistent results. And a level higher sensitivity to allow for a CFM to pick up small differences in the crimp process.

It all starts with quality wire. Consistent and repeatable material is critical to consistent crimp quality. And by extension, the ability of a crimp monitor to detect other defects related to the wire to terminal crimp process. Lot by lot and supplier to supplier consistency is important. Some of the factors in process variation:

  • Wire Stranding
    • Dimensions and Material.
    • Wire Twist.
    • Strand Count.
  • Insulation dimensions and material.
  • Wire Concentricity. Concentric wire allows for closer stripping of the insulation and ultimately better strip quality. Non-Concentric wire means the strip blades must be positioned farther away from the wire stranding to ensure the wire is not contacted by the blades, causing nicks and scrapes to the strands. Plus strip quality if affected.

Non-Concentric Wire

It continues with consistent processing methods. Wire Cut and Strip methods contribute to crimp quality in a positive or negative manner. Today’s technology motorized processing machines handle wire in a precision far better than previous generation machines. But they are far from infallible. In addition no matter how precise they are, external forces can introduce process variation that can affect the crimp process. Here are primary variables in wire cut and strip processing:

  • Strip Length. Length variation can be random or consistently high or low. Random strip length variation can be affected by the back pressure from the wire source. Consistently high or low strip lengths are typically programming errors from the process setup. Strip length variation can come from the processing equipment itself but is more of a rare condition than the conditions mentioned above.
    • Strip length variation whether random or consistent directly affects crimp quality. The conditions are the same whether an operator presents the wire to a “wire stop” in the terminal applicator or a swing arm on an automatic cutter presents the wire to the applicator. A strip length that is too short presents a high insulation condition where insulation is embedded in the wire crimp. Low insulation means the insulation is partly or completely out of the insulation barrel.

Example of Normal Crimp Curve

Example of Crimp with High Insulation

  • Strip Quality. A few conditions can affect strip quality:
    • Wire Concentricity. See above.
    • Blade Type or condition. Dull blades can cause residual insulation to enter the wire crimp. Universal V blades are good for most applications. But in some cases, no matter how much the blade setup is tweaked, the strip quality is not good. This could be due to the wire type. An alternate blade profile might be a better option. Such as a radius V style which cuts around the full periphery of the insulation.
  • Dirty Wire. This condition does not show up in a visual condition or as an error condition with a crimp monitor. It can affect the electrical properties of the wire. High electrical resistance is possible where contamination is severe. Contamination can be oxidation from wire that has been stored for a long time. In addition, residual oils or chemicals used in the wire production can be present.

Awareness of processing variables is critical. Applying this knowledge is even more critical. Employee training is important and could be considered one of your last lines of defense in detecting crimp defects. Good validation and monitoring tools are invaluable to assist in process control and improvement. Especially when your production depends on automation systems with high production rates. A lot of wires can be produced that are not possible to detect fast enough by a human.

Automate your setup validation to improve production efficiency and reduce the chance of setup error from the wrong information.

Crimp Quality Solutions is your end to end support for the terminal crimp process. We have the tools in your drive to take your crimp process to the next level. Do you have Crimp Monitors installed but do not use them? You are in the CFM Cycle. Crimp Performance Optimization is our solution to reactivate the crimp monitors to monitor your crimp process. Connect with WPS.

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