A professional plumber’s tool for fast and reliable piping installs

The Auspex Plumbing Crimper is a professional tool designed by Cobalt for hot water piping installations.

The rising cost of copper has seen a phenomenal growth in the use of polyethylene hot-water piping within the building industry across both domestic and commercial projects. The flexible plastic pipes are connected using a large range of brass and copper connectors. In new homes, plumbers typically use the Auspex Tool to create several hundred joints (crimps) within a standard household system. 

Crimping speed and reliability are vitally important to plumbers installing these piping systems as one failure can lead to a very expensive repair bill.

Cobalt developed a unique ratchet mechanism enabling a crimp to be made without opening the jaws wide. This allows plumbers to crimp connectors within in tight spaces (like roof-spaces or under floors).

DESIGN ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Ratchet arm to allow use in tight spaces
  • Internal ratchet & adjustment mechanisms to keep outside clean & simple
  • Simplified adjustment
  • Moulded, thick-section handle for easy/comfortable grip, gauge retention & weight reduction

COMMERCIAL IMPACT

  • Increased system/consumable sales through availability of a superior tool
  • Product is unique to Auspex in local market
  • Ability to protect intellectual property through design registration

COBALT TASKS

  • Industrial Design
  • Ratchet Mechanics
  • Product Engineering
  • Prototyping
  • Pilot production
  • Tooling management

COBALT TEAM

  • Steve Martinuzzo
  • David Lockwood
  • Rob Clifton

A more user friendly, innovative design solution

The new Crimper is a major refinement over Auspex’s original crimping tool and features a number of innovative features. To avoid the skeletal aesthetic of most scissor-action tools, much of the engineering-design effort was focused on integrating the adjustment and ratcheting mechanisms within the tool’s body.

As a precision instrument, the Auspex Crimper holds tolerances of 25 microns (or 0.025mm) to reliably crimp the piping system together.

Although the mechanical action produces over 2 tonnes of force, the action is positive and ergonomic for all-day use. The Crimper features a unique ratcheted-arm to access awkward areas, an integrated gauge to check crimp accuracy and rugged construction to survive the roughest treatment a tradesman can deliver.

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