Stripping Ribbon Cable

[eromlignod]

Hi guys:

I've got an application where I'd like to strip the ends of a ribbon
cable, insert them through holes in a PCB and solder them in
permanently. The holes are spaced at the same pitch as the ribbon
wires. Is there an easy way to strip the ends without using a
specialty tool?

Don A. Gilmore
Mechanical Engineer
Kansas City

 

[[email protected]]

Hi guys:

I've got an application where I'd like to strip the ends of a ribbon
cable, insert them through holes in a PCB and solder them in
permanently. The holes are spaced at the same pitch as the ribbon
wires. Is there an easy way to strip the ends without using a
specialty tool?

Don A. Gilmore
Mechanical Engineer
Kansas City

I just drag a hot soldering iron across the top and bottom of the
cable. Press hard enough to get down to the wires inside. You then yank
off the molten bits with your fingernails. Put some flux and tin the
wire ends, and make sure there are no wire strands sticking out that
can short out.
It's not pretty and it's rough on the iron, but it works. Clean and tin
the iron's tip right away.

 

[Luhan]

Hi guys:

I've got an application where I'd like to strip the ends of a ribbon
cable, insert them through holes in a PCB and solder them in
permanently. The holes are spaced at the same pitch as the ribbon
wires. Is there an easy way to strip the ends without using a
specialty tool?

I try to never do it that way. I stamp on a standard 0.1" dual row
female connector on the ribbon cable. Then lay out the board for
dual-row posts. That way the board can be removed easily for service
or modifications.

The other end of the cable is split using an exacto blade and the ends
stripped with a simple hand wire stripper. Wires are soldered to
buttons, pots, connectors or whatever making a kind of custom harness.

See photo for an example...

http://members.cox.net/berniekm/Phonebox.html

Luhan