I run a new small business and I have just went through a audit from a customer and was citied for not doing a pull test on our crimper we use. I don't have the capital right now to buy a pull tester but I do have calbrated weights that meet his pull requirement of 40 lbs can i use this instead if so what would be the best way to do it and record it?

Please advise :confused:

I would suggest crimping some specimens at periodic intervals and use the weights as a static pull. Tie the weights to the non-crimped end. Set up a check form under your document control system, and when the checks are performed then fill in the appropriate fields on the form. Keep this one nice and simple.

Hope this helps.

Hershal

What is your customer’s requirement? Do they specify a test method? I know that crimped connections on cable harness assemblies NASA specifies a minimum pull force, head travel speed the tester and frequency that the test will be performed. Whatever method you choose make sure your customer agrees with it.

Test and inspection requirements originate in the design record (the drawing and associated standards and specifications). If there's a customer specification that addresses crimp integrity, it's expected that you'll have data to support compliance with it, rather than just your own assertions that everything's OK. The customer has already told you that data is expected, so if you're not sure about acceptable test methods you need to talk to the customer.

This is all a part of contract review--when a job is quoted, you need to review the specifications and make sure that you are capable of producing parts that meet specifications, and that you are capable of verifying that you've met them. In this instance, the need for pull-testing should have been established at the outset, so that associated costs could be accounted for in your quotation.