July 10, 2015 – TE Connectivity (TE) has launched its new Copalum Lite range of sealed terminals and splices that are claimed to provide up to 60% weight savings versus copper terminal alternatives, and up to 53% weight savings versus drop-forged aluminum terminals. The new terminals feature dry crimp technology.
“Saving weight is always critical when designing interconnect solutions for aerospace applications,” said Steve McIntire, product manager, global aerospace, defense & marine, TE. “We’ve taken the time-tested Copalum design and developed a family of terminals and splices that offer even greater weight savings than previous designs.” The new terminals’ weight savings originate from aluminum base metal, an optimized wall thickness and a shorter wire barrel, according to TE.
TE says the grease-free Copalum dry crimp technology provides a reliable and clean crimp process using a single-step crimp for conductor termination and wire sealing. The terminal’s screened crimp barrel cuts through aluminum oxides to form oxide-free termination. The single-crimp process is also claimed to reduce applied cost by eliminating the need for a second crimp for wire sealing. Additional efficiency gains can be expected by an enhanced wire barrel design, making wire insertion easy with ample room for conductors.
The single- or dual-hole terminals can be customized with straight or angled tongues, and provide watertight wire sealing that TE states can withstand 500 hours of salt spray exposure and have an operating temperature rating of 175 degrees Celsius.
