H u d s o n M a n u a l / R e v . 1 . 2 1
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P H O N E ( 5 8 5 ) 7 8 4 - 7 4 5 4
3. Specify 100% electrical testing of all cables.
Specify that cables and harnesses be 100% electrically tested, preferably with
resistance tests. The cable shop should have automated equipment by
CableScan, DynaLab, CheckSum, or other vendors for this purpose. The
initial fixturing cost for 100% electrical testing is typically low, ranging from $0-
$200 per different cable assembly.
4. Be certain that all terminals are properly specified.
Check all your terminal specifications carefully. Research all of your drawings
and make certain that the terminals specified can accept the necessary wire
gauges. Also, look carefully at the insulation diameter range supported by
each terminal. If the insulation diameter range on the terminal is incorrect for
the wire used, the individual wire strain relief will be compromised and this
can lead to premature terminal failure. Make certain that the plating between
mating terminals is the same. Using gold is great, but not if you are mating
with tin. Always mate gold plated terminals with gold plated terminals, and tin
with tin to avoid galvanic corrosion.
5. Prepare complete, pictorial drawings.
Create drawings that are pictorial in nature (i.e. visually representative of the
subject). Include fabrication details such as jacket strip lengths, shield
termination details, cable tie locations, marking details, etc. The more call-
outs, detail views, and exploded views, the better. Visual communication is
critical here. Don’t leave the details to the cable shop as "best practices" vary
widely from shop to shop. Include the complete BOM (Bill of Materials) right
on the drawing. Finally, make the end-to-end cable length easy to modify.
This may help reduce future drawing effort if you need similar cables of
varying length at some point down the road.
Molex "Good Crimps" Guide on the Web
Good quality cables
can
be made with hand tools, provided that the terminal
manufacturer’s guidelines are closely followed. A good resource on this topic
is the Molex document
“Good Crimps and How to Recognize Them”
at:
This document describes the main parts of a Molex Mini-Fit Jr. crimp terminal,
how to identify good and bad crimps, and best practices
for cable makers.
