Wire Tensile Testing Standards: Crimp, Solder, and Lug Wire Connections

Applications that use wire with a required connection strength need to be tested to guarantee a safe a reliable product. Determining how to test your wire connection and what equipment to use is an important part of the testing process. There are a few important considerations that must be made before testing. What are the wire connection strength requirements that must be met? What are the standards that need to be followed for your customers or industry? Are there recommendations from the manufacturers of the lugs, crimps or solder connections? From your experience, what particular problems should be addressed during testing? In general, wire connection lug testing can be broken into two categories; destructive pull testing and non-destructive pull testing. These tests both aim to determine a tensile force that the test wire can withstand. To meet the requirements of specific standard specifications, the tensile force that a wire can withstand must be greater than the minimum tensile strength defined by the standard.

For your convenience, TestResources has compiled a list of ASTM, Automotive and Aerospace standards that apply to tensile testing of lugs. These standards apply to pull testing wire, pull testing lugs, and pull testing electrical connections. Also included are TestResources grips for lug testing, grips for tensile testing, and grips for pull testing crimps and machines for wire testing. TestResources universal material testing machines are effectively used for determining the strength of wire connections. TestResources test machines meet the requirements specified in many standard test procedures for constant-rate-of-extension and constant-rate-of-load machines. This allows the machines to be programmed to perform many unique testing procedures. Load cells are fitted to specific load applications to ensure the highest resolution of tests.

Applicable Testing Standards

• ASTM B913 Testing Crimped Wire Connections
• ASTM F458 Pull Testing Equipment for Wire Bonds
• EIA-364-08B Crimp Tensile Strength Test
• SAE/AS 7928 Terminal, Lug, Splice, and Crimp Copper Strength Specifications

Recommended Test Machine

100 Series Universal Test Machines

Forces up to 10 kN (2,250 lbf)
Low force tabletop systems
Modular series of five frame options with adjustable test space
Affordable testing option for tension, compression, bend, peel and much more

200 Series Electromechanical Universal Test Machines

Forces up to 5 kN (1,125 lbf)
Low force tabletop systems
Tests at speeds up to 2,500 mm/min (100 in/min)
Best for high travel or high elongation test requirements

Recommended Testing Accessories

G314 Wire Terminal Grip

Rated to 20 kN (4,500 lbf)
Designed to strip electrical wire from electrical terminals
Standard units include twelve slots of diameters ranging from 1 mm to 6 mm (0.04 in. to 0.24 in.)