Crimp (joining)

Crimping is used extensively in metalworking, including to contain bullets in cartridge cases, for electrical connections, and for securing lids on metal food cans.

Effective crimp connections deform the metal of the connector past its yield point so that the compressed wire causes tension in the surrounding connector, and these forces counter each other to create a high degree of static friction which holds the cable in place.

Due to the elastic nature of the metal in crimped connections, they are highly resistant to vibration and thermal shock.

Typically the male connector is crimp-fitted to a cable, and the female attached, often using soldered connections, to a panel on equipment.

Wire strippers which strip outer jacket, shield braid, and inner insulation to the correct lengths in one operation[22] are used to prepare the cable for crimping.

The assembled connection is cut in cross-section, polished and washed in nitric acid to dissolve any copper dust that may be filling voids leading to a false indication of a good crimp.

Crimping is commonly used to fix bullets in their cartridge cases, for rapid but lasting electrical connections, for securing lids on metal food cans, and for many other applications.

In plumbing, there is a trend in some jurisdictions towards the use of crimped fittings to join metallic pipes, replacing the traditional soldering or "sweating" of joints.

This trend is driven in part by increased restrictions or bans of processes involving open flames, which may now require costly special permits.

When joining segments of tubular sheet metal pipe, such as for smoke pipes for wood stoves, downspouts for rain gutters, or for installation of ventilation ducting, one end of a tube is treated with a crimping tool to make a slip joint into the next section of duct.

Crimping is often used around the edges of pies and filled pasta like ravioli to seal the insides by connecting the top and bottom dough layers.