An apparatus comprising: a wire guide configured to receive and position a wire ; a pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) associated with the wire guide , wherein each solder sleeve pincher (1604A/1604B) comprises a pinching portion (1620A/1620B) configured to hold the wire and/or a solder sleeve , and wherein the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) are configured to move between at least a first pincher position, a second pincher position, and a third pincher position to hold and/or move the wire and/or the solder sleeve ; a pincher sensor (1606A/1606B) coupled to at least one of the solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) and configured to output sensor data associated with a position of the solder sleeve pincher (1604A/1604B); and a controller communicatively connected to the pincher sensor (1606A/1606B) and configured to receive sensor data from the pincher sensor (1606A/1606B) and determine, from the sensor data, that the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) are holding the solder sleeve and/or the wire; wherein the controller is further communicatively connected to the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) and is further configured to: provide instructions to move the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) between the first and second pincher positions after detecting that the solder sleeve pinchers are holding the wire; and provide instructions to the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B), after detecting that the solder sleeve pincher (1604A/1604B) are holding the solder sleeve , to move to the third pincher position while holding the solder sleeve . a wire guide configured to receive and position a wire ; a pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) associated with the wire guide , wherein each solder sleeve pincher (1604A/1604B) comprises a pinching portion (1620A/1620B) configured to hold the wire and/or a solder sleeve , and wherein the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) are configured to move between at least a first pincher position, a second pincher position, and a third pincher position to hold and/or move the wire and/or the solder sleeve ; a pincher sensor (1606A/1606B) coupled to at least one of the solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) and configured to output sensor data associated with a position of the solder sleeve pincher (1604A/1604B); and a controller communicatively connected to the pincher sensor (1606A/1606B) and configured to receive sensor data from the pincher sensor (1606A/1606B) and determine, from the sensor data, that the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) are holding the solder sleeve and/or the wire; wherein the controller is further communicatively connected to the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) and is further configured to: provide instructions to move the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) between the first and second pincher positions after detecting that the solder sleeve pinchers are holding the wire; and provide instructions to the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B), after detecting that the solder sleeve pincher (1604A/1604B) are holding the solder sleeve , to move to the third pincher position while holding the solder sleeve . provide instructions to move the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B) between the first and second pincher positions after detecting that the solder sleeve pinchers are holding the wire; and provide instructions to the pair of solder sleeve pinchers (1604A/1604B), after detecting that the solder sleeve pincher (1604A/1604B) are holding the solder sleeve , to move to the third pincher position while holding the solder sleeve . <EOS>