What 0.1" connector family has the cheapest/best crimp tooling? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: incf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2025, 08:09:44 pm
content: I'm looking to build a few custom cables with 0.1" pitch connectors (20 pin, 6 pin, 3 pin) for a system I am working on. Commercial projects, but only a handful of one-off cables, and the cables are only for internal engineering use (although, maybe the cables or crimp tooling might be sent with technicians out in the field).What 0.1" connector family has the cheapest/best crimp tooling?While differences in cost are obvious, are there differences in quality? For example Amphenol wants $1675 for a handheld manual crimp tool where Adam Tech wants $32. But the styles of contacts are different, and the ease of use of the tools is probably significantly different.It would be nice to find a crimp tool that supports multiple families of 0.1" connectors (shrouded/keyed vs unshrouded/unkeyed, 1 row vs 2 row, etc.)The Adam Tech MTA series and it's crimp tool on Digikey looks cheap - but only supports single row shrouded/keyed connectors.At one time I had bought a generic Asian crimp tool, and its dies didn't fit what I had on hand. Perhaps certain families/styles of 0.1" connectors and crimps are more common than others.*I really do need to crimp the custom cables myselfedit: after some searching I think that maybe Molex's C-Grid/KK254 series, which uses the same ~$170 ratcheting crimp tool (0640160201) might be as good as I can find in terms supporting many types of 0.1" connector with a cheapish tool (1 vs 2 row, unshrounded vs shouded). The electrical contact design for C-Grid series appears to be more robust than those used by Adam Tech or by the KK254 series.

author: 11mrjones
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2025, 08:33:01 pm
content: Don't know if something like this is what you're looking for, but this is not much money. I've used it with these (jst and the other style I don't recall the technical name exactly) connectors to make up cables without an issue. New to this so double check of course.

author: 11mrjones
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2025, 08:34:27 pm
content: Connectors

author: JustMeHere
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2025, 10:19:34 pm
content: When you see a company charge a crap load for a tool like that, it's because it has a set of certifications at a government level. It would cost more for the buyer to recertify it so they can sell the certified one for $1000s.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2025, 10:41:21 pm
content: IF it's for internal use only maybe you should consider IDC plugs, and standardize on a couple of header sizes (2x4, 2x5, 2x10) and use ribbon cables, you just press piece of the plug into the ribbon cable and it bites into the wires.You avoid the crimping altogether.Example2x10https://www.lcsc.com/product-detail/IDC-Connectors_BOOMELE-Boom-Precision-Elec-2-54-2-10P_C20346.htmlhttps://www.lcsc.com/product-detail/IDC-Connectors_TE-Connectivity-1658621-4_C498468.htmlhttps://www.lcsc.com/product-detail/IDC-Connectors_ZHOURI-FC-2-54-20P_C2977597.html2x8https://www.lcsc.com/product-detail/IDC-Connectors_BOOMELE-Boom-Precision-Elec-2-54-2-8P_C8372.html2x6https://www.lcsc.com/product-detail/IDC-Connectors_BOOMELE-Boom-Precision-Elec-2-54-2-6P_C21854.html2x5https://www.lcsc.com/product-detail/IDC-Connectors_BOOMELE-Boom-Precision-Elec-2-54-2-5P_C8373.html2x3https://www.lcsc.com/product-detail/IDC-Connectors_Ckmtw-Shenzhen-Cankemeng-I-1010306P-B000_C146600.htmlexample of ready made ribbon cables (10 pin, 2x5) :https://www.lcsc.com/product-detail/Dupont-wire-terminal-block-wire-electronic-wire_DEALON-IDC-265126-200-10P_C7465810.htmlribbon cables :https://www.digikey.com/short/f8jrj481