Ferrules and tabs for terminal protection

A crimp ferrule – also known as a wire ferrule and electrical ferrule – is a soft metal tube that is crimped onto the end of a stripped wire to protect the strands inside a terminal from fraying. Most ferrules are made of copper. A crimp ferrule is typically plated with tin and the size of a ferrule – both its diameter and length – is determined by a specific wire gauge. An electrical ferrule has a flare on one end; this flare collects and bundles individual wire strands as these are placed into the ferrule. The flare is typically covered with a conical plastic cable entry sleeve, which means the flare is not immediately apparent when looking at the ferrule. This plastic sleeve provides a transition between the wire insulation and the ferrule. The plastic sleeve stays intact around the insulation, and unlike a traditional crimp connection, it is not pressed during installation. Most ferrules are color-coded for wire size.

We offer a broad selection of ferrules, pin terminals, wire crimps, shur plugs, and insulation sleeves – along with receptacles, sockets, and tabs – designed for use in a multitude of applications. Unlike uncrimped wire, an electrical crimp ferrule offers a crimped connection. It is engineered to improve wire resistance to oxidation, which helps increase a connection’s longevity and overall reliability. Wire ferrules are often installed with screw type terminal blocks and used most commonly in automotive and industrial technologies.

 

A crimp terminal pin, also called a wire pin connector, is crimped on the insulation. The pin area often has a smaller diameter than the wire. Crimp pins and tabs have the same function as the ferrule, except the wire is crimped in a wire barrel instead of the ferrule tube. The wire barrel and insulation serve the same function as any other terminal.