vex 1.0 © carnegie mellon robotics academy inc. crimping introduction this presentation is the...
TRANSCRIPT
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
CRIMPING Introduction
• This presentation is the companion to “Background / Resources / Crimping Guide” slide show
• For more detailed instructions, watch the slide show
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
CRIMPING Overview
In this presentation you will learn:
• How to use crimping pliers
• How to create custom cables and connectors for Vex
• How to determine your cable / connector needs
In this presentation you will make:
• A 7½ foot motor extension cable
• Will connect a motor to the Vex microcontroller
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
Why?
• Standard Vex cables are limited
• Might need different lengths
• Might need more extension wires than included in your kit
How?
• Manufacturing your own cable is simple!
• You will use a crimping tool
CRIMPING Making custom cables
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
Ask yourself:
• What are you trying to do?
• What materials do you have or need?
• What is the configuration of the cable needed to complete your task?
• What length of cable do you need?
CRIMPING Determine your needs
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
You will need:
• Crimping tool
> Molex 11-01-0208 Hand Crimper
> Supports 22 – 24 and 30 – 36 AWG
• Wire strippers
• Tape measure
CRIMPING Gather tools
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
Vex cable parts:
• 22 AWG wire, 3 conductor cable
• Male Molex pins
• Female Molex pins
• Crimp housing
CRIMPING Gather materials
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
More on your cable:
• AWG (American Wire Gauge) is simply a measure of the wire’s thickness
• Notice the conductor cable has 3 wires inside (all 22 AWG)
• This type of cable is used for input and output in the Vex system
• If you do not have this wire available, substitute with 3 (22 AWG) differently colored wires
CRIMPING Gather materials
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
Measure the length of cable you need
• Make sure to leave yourself 6” of extra length, in case of a mistake
• For this example, we need a cable 7½ feet long; so it should be 8 feet total after adding the 6 inches
• If your cable needs to be a more exact length, be very accurate; once the pins have been locked into position, they cannot be removed
CRIMPING Prepare the cable
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
Cut the length of cable you measured
• Wire strippers usually double as wire cutters; look for a cutting edge on the blade
CRIMPING Cut cable
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
CRIMPING Separate wires
Use wire strippers to remove 1/8” of insulation from each conductor (wire)
• Make sure to leave 1½ inches from the end so that you can strip them
• This cable has PVC tubing around the three wires (the grey covering)
• Trim this PVC covering 1½ inches around the three wires
• After trimming the covering, separate the three wires manually
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
Use wire strippers to remove 1/8” of insulation from each conductor (wire)
• Make sure to place the wire into the proper gauge hole in your wire strippers
• Squeeze handles until the wire strippers bite through the insulation
• Slide insulation off the end of the wire, leaving the metal conductor exposed
CRIMPING Strip wires
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
We will now begin making the Vex connector
• Become familiar with your crimper
• Make sure you know how to squeeze the handles until the crimper unlocks
CRIMPING Step 1
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Use the gauge guide (shown at right) to determine which site to use for your gauge of wire
• In our case, we must use site A (because we have been using 22 AWG wire)
CRIMPING Step 1 continued
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• The crimper holds the pin in place for you during crimping
• Locate the spring loaded clamp below the jaw of the crimper
• Raise the clamp with your finger, as shown
CRIMPING Step 2
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Male pins plug into female pins
• For our example, we want our wire to connect the Vex microcontroller and a motor
CRIMPING Pins
Female
Connects wire to motorConnects wire to Vex microcontroller
Male
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Choose a gender of pin for this connector
• Place the pin into the open slot on the crimper while the clamp is raised
- The male or female end goes in first
- The pin cradle should face up or open upward
CRIMPING Step 3
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• The pin should move forward until the front of the pin cradle is against the spring loaded clamp
properly loaded pin
CRIMPING Step 3 continued
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Release the spring loaded clamp
• This will lock the pin in position
• The pin is designed to fit into this crimper
- If your pin is crooked, or if the clamp does not clamp down properly, simply lift up the clamp and try again
CRIMPING Step 4
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Notice that there are “teeth” on both male and female pins
• The wire must be positioned using these teeth as guides
- Inner set of teeth should be over exposed metal wire
- Outer set of teeth should be over insulation
CRIMPING Step 5
Outer teeth: close around insulation
Inner teeth: close around
bare wire
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Using the guides in the first part of step 5, place the wire in pin cradle, as shown
- The bare wire should touch the clamp
CRIMPING Step 5 continued
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Squeeze the crimper’s handles to secure the wire into the pin
- Make sure to hold the wire steady so that does not move while crimping
- Squeeze the handles until you feel them release
CRIMPING Step 6
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Remove the wire from the crimper
- Push on the bottom of the clamp to release the pin
- Once you have reached this state, you cannot separate the wire from the pin without cutting the wire
CRIMPING Step 7
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Repeat the steps 1 through 7 for each of the two remaining wires, as shown
- Use the same gender pins on all three wires
CRIMPING Step 8
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• A crimping housing unit is shown at the right
- Once the pins have been inserted into the housing, they cannot be removed
- Pins only fit one way into this particular housing unit
- Both male and female pins can fit into this particular housing unit
CRIMPING Housing
Insert pins here
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Place the wires in the crimping housing
- The wires must go in order by color, as shown: black, red, and white
- Once you complete this step, you will not be able to remove the wires from the crimping housing without cutting them
CRIMPING Step 9
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Line up the wire with the housing
- Make sure the locking tab on the pin cradle is facing up, as shown
CRIMPING Step 10
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Slide the pin into the housing, as shown, until the pin is locked into position
- Do not force the wire
- The pin might make a clicking sound when it has locked into position
CRIMPING Step 10 continued
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• To test if your pin is locked into the crimp housing, gently tug on the wire, as shown
CRIMPING Step 10 continued
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Insert the remaining pins into the housing
- Remember the order of colors: black, red, white
CRIMPING Step 11
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Repeat steps 1 through 12 for the other side of the wire
• Check your completed connector against the official Vex connector
CRIMPING Step 12
Vex 1.0 © Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Inc.
• Connect the female connector to the motor
• Connect the male connector to the Vex microcontroller
• Be sure not to insert these wires backwards; refer to the pictures at the right
• Turn on your robot and test the motor with your radio control transmitter
CRIMPING Testing