Application of the finite-element analysis for the calculation of an insulation displacement process

Well known for a number of years, insulation displacement technology is a technique for connecting electrical conductors to a contact element; it represents an established alternative to crimp technology for currents up to 25 A. To this very day, dimensioning the ID slot in relation to the conductor relies on the wealth of experience of design engineers and a more-or-less developed process of 'trial and error'. As development cycles are also becoming progressively shorter in the field of connectors, traditional development stages are being increasingly supported or even replaced by modern CAE tools. The aim is to shorten the entire process chain, from the design of the article through to the dimensioning of the automatic assembly machines. Within the scope of this paper we will, following a short overview of insulation displacement technology, be putting forward and discussing general design principles and approaches to calculations based on the finite element method, with the help of which the insulation displacement process can be simulated. We will be comparing calculation results of assembly forces (forces acting in the direction of movement of the conductor) and contact: forces (forces acting between the cutting elements and the conductor) for solid and stranded conductors with and without insulation and comparing these with values determined by metrological measurements.