409-35011
Rev D
20
of 83
Airlock valve
The airlock valve (Figure 7) is designed to improve the performance of the machine by maintaining the
grip pressure at all times. If the incoming air supply volume is inadequate, the cable grip force can be
reduced during the vacuum cycle. It also allows the cable grip to be released, if the guard door is opened
and the red button on top of the airlock valve is pressed.
Cutting mechanism
The cutting mechanism is based on relative movement on plates controlled by pulleys and independent
motors. The mechanism has two sets of cutting tools: the contour blades and the cutting wheels (see
Figure 17).
Quick-change cutting arms:
Three arms on the rotating mechanism of the machine hold the contour
blades and cutting wheels. These arms rotate to place the blades and wheels for the cutting depth
designated in the program.
Contour blades:
Three contour blades are used for cutting the insulation and foil layers of the cable.
Each blade set is designed for a specific cable size (see Table 4 for tooling specifications). The blades are
connected to the cutting arms by a pin and machine screw for easy changeover.
Cutting wheels:
Three cutting wheels are used for opening and cutting the braid. The same wheel set
can be used for any cable size.
Blade guides (optional):
Blade guides are used to limit the cutting depth of the contour blades on certain
types of cable that are difficult to process due to insulation hardness or other factors. Blade guides are
installed beneath each contour blade. They are generally not required and should only be installed after
consulting with TE Connectivity engineering. When using blade guides, the
Blade Guides Installed
selection on the article screen must be set to
YES
to maintain accurate strip lengths. See step 4 on page
Figure 17: Cutting mechanism
1
Calibration hole
2
Cutting wheel
3
Quick change cutting arm
4
Contour blade
