Wiring harness repair: Why good crimping alone is not enough
At Automechanika Frankfurt, Jan Lepa and Hans-Jürgen Pemsel explained what it takes to create reliable electrical connections.
How can a reliable electrical connection be restored after a wiring fault in a vehicle?
Repairing a wiring harness involves more than simply reconnecting a wire. At Automechanika Frankfurt, WEZAG’s Jan Lepa and Hans-Jürgen Pemsel explained the factors that determine repair quality. Their technical presentation focused on processes and methods for repairing automotive wiring harnesses.
Matching the conductor, contact and tool
The wide variety of contact systems in vehicle wiring harnesses raises a practical question for repair workshops: Which tool is right for the contact and wire being used? This is particularly important when crimping, a process that permanently joins the conductor and contact through controlled plastic deformation. To achieve a mechanically strong, electrically safe connection that remains reliable over time, the conductor, contact and crimping tool must be correctly matched.
But repair quality depends on more than the crimping process alone. Careful fault diagnosis and proper wire preparation are just as important as making and inspecting the connection. The speakers outlined methods for assessing crimp quality, including visual inspection, crimp height and width measurements, and pull-out force testing. They also highlighted the role of documentation, manuals and training in supporting workshop teams. Alongside the right tools, these resources help workshops carry out repairs correctly.
Tooling solutions tailored to the application
WEZAG develops tooling solutions for the different stages of wiring harness repair, including cutting, stripping, contact removal and insertion, and crimping. The focus is on precise, repeatable results and tools matched to the requirements of each application.