Method and device for the quality-assuring production of a crimp

Abstract

A method and a device for producing a crimp are described. A crimp blank is plastically deformed by a forming tool. In particular when the forming tool is retracted, the force which the forming tool exerts on the crimp blank as well as the distance x by which the forming tool is displaced are measured. A change in the distance x between a position at maximum force F max and a position that for the first time is free from forces provides an indication of an elastic recovery, i.e., a spring-back, of the crimp blank. This indication represents a measure of the quality of the produced crimp.

1 .- 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method for producing a crimp, comprising:
 providing a crimp blank;   plastically deforming the crimp blank by pressing with a forming tool;   during the pressing, displacing the forming tool by an approach path in a direction of the crimp blank with the aid of a forming machine until the crimp blank is pressed with a maximum pressing force;   subsequently displacing the forming tool by a return path away from the crimp blank;   measuring a pressing force exerted on the crimp blank by the forming tool on the return path; and   measuring a return path length by which the forming tool is to be displaced on the return path between a state having the maximum pressing force and a state that is free of pressing forces.   
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining the return path length by measuring a distance between a first reference point that correlates with a position of the crimp blank and a second reference point that correlates with a position of the forming tool.   
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the second reference point correlates with a position of a crimp shaping surface of the forming tool. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the return path length is measured in a contactless manner. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the return path length is optically measured. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 outputting information concerning a quality of the crimp on the basis of the determined return path length.   
     
     
         17 . A device for producing a crimp, comprising:
 an arrangement for providing a crimp blank;   an arrangement for plastically deforming the crimp blank by a pressing operation;   an arrangement for, during the pressing, displacing the forming tool by an approach path in a direction of the crimp blank with the aid of a forming machine until the crimp blank is pressed with a maximum pressing force;   an arrangement for subsequently displacing the forming tool by a return path away from the crimp blank;   an arrangement for measuring a pressing force exerted on the crimp blank by the forming tool on the return path; and   an arrangement for measuring a return path length by which the forming tool is to be displaced on the return path between a state having the maximum pressing force and a state that is free of pressing forces.   
     
     
         18 . The device as recited in  claim 17 , wherein:
 the arrangement for plastically deforming the crimp blank includes a forming tool for plastically deforming the crimp blank, and   the arrangement for measuring includes a force measuring device for measuring the pressing force exerted on the crimp blank by the forming tool, the device further comprising:   a crimp blank holder for accommodating the crimp blank, and   a position measuring device for measuring a position of the forming tool.   
     
     
         19 . The device as recited in  claim 18 , wherein:
 the position measuring device measures a distance between a first reference point that correlates with a position of the crimp blank holder and a second reference point that correlates with a position of the forming tool.   
     
     
         20 . The device as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the position measuring device includes a laser distance measuring device.