Modelling the insulation displacement process-Results of a Finite-Element Model study-

When considering the atmosphere of continuously growing pressure on time and costs in all areas of industry, it is clear that numerical simulations will increasingly dominate the development phase. In the final analysis, numerical methods will increase product and development quality and reduce the time and costs associated with testing. This trend has also become established in the field of connector design - and in this field in particular. The classic problems with regard to mechanical and thermal stability of contact carriers, the electrical and thermal stability of contact elements as well as their mutual coupling (multiphysics) are successfully processed with the help of the finite element method (FEM). This method has also lately been used to influence both the insulation displacement process as well as the design of the cutting elements (for the corresponding connectors). Within the context of this contribution to the conference, we will first offer a short overview of insulation displacement technology before we will discuss methods to predict the properties of IDT- connections during the development and the pre-production phase. The work presented here was focussed on the application of reasonable simulation approaches. The simulation results gained will be summarised and discussed comprehensively, including the general problems arising, in order to better understand the insulation displacement process and to deduce improved modelling approaches, which will be necessary to simulate IDT-connections both qualitatively and quantitatively in a correct manner. The simulation results will be compared with the metrologically determined values in order to describe the possibilities as well as the limits that the various model approaches have to offer. Furthermore first approaches for stranded wires and an example of use will be presented.