In a ‘connected’ world, wires have become an almost indispensable part of the local infrastructure.
Common almost everywhere, they are in many ways a symbol of the modern age.
When it comes to working with wires, one of the most common issues is that of removing the insulation.
Before it can be used, wires need to have their protective outer covering of insulation removed, to access the conductive layer underneath.
With regard to stripping away the insulation, productivity issues may crop up. Removing the insulation of a few wires is one thing, but to do it in bulk is another.
When it comes to stripping away insulation from several copper wires at once, there are a few options. Given in the list below are some of the most important ones.
1. Specialized Cutting Pliers
When it comes to the removal of insulation from a small number of wires, a common strategy is the use of specialized cutting pliers.
Normally, a cutting plier has just a single cutting head, which allows for the insulation to be removed. In specialized pliers, there is the option for multiple wires to be stripped away at the same time.
This is a great way to achieve the necessary levels of productivity, where one can strip away wires in bulk, rather than one at a time. The way they are used, is very much alike to the way in which one uses a normal cutting pliers, albeit by inserting multiple wires instead of a single one.
About the only challenge to this is finding the right cutting pliers, as not many sellers keep stock of this piece of specialized hardware. Also, these are handheld devices, limiting one in terms of how much work can be accomplished in a given period of time.
2. Clamping Utilities such as a Vice
A vice is a tool used for the purpose of clamping any material that needs to be worked on.
In the case of wires, it is possible to clamp up multiple wires at the same time, and ‘crush’ the insulation in a way that allows it to be conveniently removed upon pulling from it.
Do note that this only works when the pressure of the clamp is strong enough to crush the wire’s insulation, but not the metal itself. The exact amount of force and pressure used is something that will vary based on the insulation material, thickness, etc.
3. Manual Wire Stripping Machines
These are some of the cheapest wire stripping machines available on the market.
Using a variety of insulation removal systems, they allow for large numbers of wires to be stripped of their insulating layers.
The only real limitation of the machines is that they are manual and not automatic, meaning that it will take human effort to eliminate the insulating layer on the copper wires. This need for human effort to strip the wires make it difficult for one to engage in large scale operations, due to the limitations of human endurance, such as exhaustion, fatigue, etc.
Another issue that may exist is the limitations of the wires that may be used. Quite often, the wire diameters may have limits, with the machines having limitations on the diameters of the wires being stripped. This in turn may require multiple machines in order to strip the wide range of wires that are currently available in the marketplace.
The most common places where these are used, are usually in retail, where they are preferred due to their efficiency and low cost.
4. Automatic Wire Stripping Machines
These are some of the latest in the many ways to strip copper wires.
They are fairly similar to the way that manual wire strippers work in terms of design, albeit that they are automatic in nature. In other words, the designs are all the same, but are entirely automated, meaning that they are faster and much more productive than their manual counterparts.
They are typically used in large scale industrial installations, where there is a need to strip away huge quantities of the wire within a short period of time.
One of the main limitations of these machines it the diameters of the wires that may be stripped. Just like in the case of manual stripping machines, these machines also have a limit on the kind of wire thickness that may be inserted into them.
5. Dissolving the Insulation
This is one of the more dangerous and risky methods of removing insulation.
Using a corrosive or otherwise strong substance such as an acid can help to dissolve the layer of insulation covering the wire.
When done in the right environment, with appropriate safety gear, it can be a very effective strategy. But it is often overlooked in favor of other methods that are far less risky and dangerous.
6. Incineration
Last but not the least, is what can only be described as incineration, or in simple words, the ‘burning away’ of the insulating layer.
It is not used in the case of setting up wiring, but is used in recycling operations. Although often associated with low-key and unorganized recycling operations, it is also used in large scale organized ones as well.
In simple words, the insulating layer is typically burnt away, leaving behind the clean metal underneath, albeit with ash, soot and other residue.
A major limitation of this strategy is that it may not work on certain kinds of insulating materials, which are designed to be fire resistant. They contain additives which act as a flame-retardant, in order to prevent fires in the circuits during their use and life cycle. Should this be the case, incineration will cease to be a viable option, given that there is zero chance of it being combustible; in such a case, the only real alternative would be some of the other strategies mentioned in this list.
It should be noted that this form of removing the insulating layer is rather polluting and to be discouraged. As a result, there may be laws preventing one from using this strategy, for the purpose of removing the insulating layer.
In all, the above mentioned list shows the many ways in which copper wires can be stripped of their insulation.
The exact pick however, will be up to the end user that will be engaged in the process of stripping the wires.
