Ergonomic Evaluations of Crimping Tools
Besides their obvious functional similarities, all crimping tools share a set of basic ergonomic characteristics. Recognizing and addressing these factors can result in effective tool design, while disregarding them will lead to failures.
The four cardinal ergonomic characteristics are (Pheasant & Haslegrave, 2006)5:
• Strength—The manual force necessary to effectively use the tool
• Reach—The amount of extension or distance between touch points on a tool, particularly grip span
• Clearance—The space within and around the tool to accommodate hand movement and provide adequate working space
• Posture—The degree of deviation from neutral, comfortable body joint angles required to use the tool with maximum effectiveness and comfort
An ideal crimping tool would optimize each