Crimping or Soldering: Which Is Best?
Having the best connection or cable layout for your electronics is always a plus--unless you do not have the appropriate connectors to do so. When attaching a wire or cable to a connection point without proper application, it can directly impact the relaying of signals and discourage reliability. To avoid unreliable connection within an industrial setting, methods such as soldering or crimping can be performed. While improving quality and providing long-lasting results, both applications come with their own sets of drawbacks. To best determine whether soldering or welding should be used for connecting your wires assemblies, we will go over how each works, and the differences that set them apart.
A more traditional method, soldering is not only economical, but also provides lasting and reliable results for general-duty and industrial applications. To ensure two points of contact are soldered together, an alloy composed of lead, tin, silver, or brass is melted along the wires' contact points. This process, done through the use of a soldering tool, heats up the filler metal so that the open wire can be bonded to its intended point of contact. Susceptible to heat damage, the heat source applied to the filler metal should avoid contact with the wire component to avoid degradation in quality. Once the filler has cooled, the process can be repeated for all other accompanying wires.
Unlike soldering, crimping uses the forces of pressure to connect two joining parts. A swift process as compared to soldering, this joining method is achieved through the use of a special crimping tool and connector parts. When connecting wiring through this method, the tool used can be grabbed and squeezed, effectively joining two components. During the crimping process, the connector piece is placed within the crimper while consecutively feeding a live wire into the connector's exposed end within the tool. From there, the crimp’s handles can be squeezed, successfully joining the wire to a connector component. Creating an air-tight seal, this method provides long lasting durability between joined components and protection from dirt, debris, and moisture.
Though crimping and soldering are both reliable methods for connecting cables and wires, they both have their unique sets of drawbacks. While faster than soldering, crimping can be costly, requiring the use of specific tools and contacts to get the job done. On the other hand, despite being well suited for general applications, soldering can be time-consuming, create excess heat that can damage the wire(s), and may create connections that are prone to faults if not properly soldered. Based on how crimping outperforms soldering in some aspects, this makes the former option far more favorable to some.
When deciding the solution best applicable for your wire connection needs, it is best to consider the available options and how they will apply directly to your project. For reliable solder and crimp parts, look towards Industrial Gamut. We are your trustworthy source for various crimps & solder items, wires, connectors, ethernet cables, flux, and various other industrial products and equipment. Due to our quality control and export compliance, we operate with AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015, and FAA AC 00-56B certification and accreditation. If you would like to request a quote for your comparisons, you can submit an RFQ form as provided on our website. Upon receipt, a dedicated account manager will quickly review and respond with a personalized solution to your needs in just 15 minutes or less, 24/7x365.
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