Electrical systems, either in the industry or automotive, require the distribution of the electrical power. The mainly used carrier in this perspective are copper or copper alloy based parts, connecting the power source like batteries (battery eyelet) to distribution units (busbars).
The battery eyelet parts are stamped parts with specific requirements for a safe and stable crimping of the cable to guarantee the durability of the power distribution cable assembly.
For these parts it is possible to implement single, but also multiple shapes into one mother progression tool. Depending on the required annual volumes this results in an optimum chosen balance between tool investment and part price.
For specific power distribution parts, KeyTec realized a process for the economic stamping of the busbars, considering the optimum between tolerances and minimal use of the expensive copper material. In addition, as for the use of more or less standard catalogue designed bolts, a specific shape was created to use standard steel bolts in the much softer copper material. This special shape allows to create the required torque and press out force without unnecessary material deformation.
The bolts were initially pressed in by a manual operation, following the increase of the volumes, this operation was automated by robot, which results in an independent assembly saving costs and increasing the process stability.
