FEATURE INTERCONNECTION
Grab and
T
hough cable assemblies are essential in many of today’s high-density electronic systems for assuring the transportation of power and data signals, they can prove problematic to implement. This is particularly true within a high-reliability (hi-rel) interconnect context (such as in applications like avionics, industrial automation, military, etc.), where the impact of interconnect failure is at its most acute. The reason for this is the complexity of the connector components. Trying to take care of this work in-house is going to pose a challenge. It is worth noting that the incorporation of a single crimp function can easily represent a tooling charge. In addition to upfront tooling costs, there will be other considerations to factor in. For instance, extra steps will need to be added into the production process. More production staff may need to be assigned to carry out the work, which might take them away from other tasks; in-house assembling also requires access to hands-on expertise. Consequently, extensive staff training will be needed – this involves a considerable financial outlay. Ultimately, the whole process is extended undesirably, made more expensive than can be accounted and accommodated for, especially when only relatively small batches are needed. When talking about low volume levels, the accompanying hardware will consist of crimp and insertion tools, and positioners. For higher volume scenarios, automated crimping equipment is likely to be the best route. This will normally
28 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 | ELECTRONICS
The growing appeal of off-the-shelf cable assemblies for designers
Chosing and integrating cables and connectors can prove costly for a product close to market. Wendy Jane Preston, marketing engineer, Harwin, argues for an alternative for designers
be complemented by an automated stripping machine, as this will deliver stripped ends that offer stronger quality and proof of consistency. This reduces the possibility of failure in the field and safeguards against product return. Once completed, the inspection and
“When applicable, it is worth looking at off- the-shelf cable assembly solutions instead. Here, everything is already in stock and waiting to go with the production...”
testing of assemblies is vital to ensuring the end product’s cabling is in an acceptable state to ship to the client. As a result, the production process must feature an assembly test step. If custom-made test rigs are needed, this will once again add to the capital costs. Faced with all these issues to address, an appealing alternative is to outsource the cable assembly work to a reputable specialist. There are several key advantages to doing this. Firstly, there are no tooling costs as the service provider will have already made the necessary investment themselves and will have experienced staff adept at performing these activities. But one thing to be aware of with custom-built assemblies is that
Harwin’s range of Gecko-SL connectors
there will still be lead times to take into account. This is because production work will need to be scheduled around other customers’ demands, and the specific materials must be procured. Then, comprehensive testing must be done prior to shipping. All of this can slow down the time to market for the OEM’s end-product or, in the case
of prototyping work, can mean that development projects take much longer to complete (with prospective windows of opportunity being missed). When applicable, it is worth looking at off-the-shelf cable assembly solutions instead. Here, everything is already in stock and waiting to go with the production: inspections and tests on respective elements are all completed beforehand. The overall cost of the assembly, and the associated lead time, will therefore be far more manageable. By leveraging its engineering capabilities in this area, Harwin is in a position to provide the industry with pre-configured, hi-rel cable assemblies for its popular Datamate and Gecko-SL connector series’. There are no minimum order quantities to worry about, so even the smallest of volume requirements can be fulfilled. Thanks to support from the company’s expansive network of distribution partners, inventory is readily and rapidly available. Fully compliant with the internationally recognised IPC-620 cable and wire harnessing standards, these assemblies are inspected and tested by trained staff. For Datamate, a 150mm cable length is offered, while for Gecko-SL lengths of 150mm, 300mm and 450mm can be selected. The wire gauges available are 10AWG or 12AWG for Datamate, and 26AWG or 28AWG for Gecko-SL. In summary, the sourcing of off-the-shelf cable assemblies direct from a connector supplier, like Harwin, makes good business sense. OEMs that follow this strategy avoid the significant financial outlay that such undertakings would otherwise entail, since all the necessary tooling has been done and inspection equipment is already at hand. In addition, it means that the lead times that come with made to-order assemblies are no longer an obstacle.
Harwin
www.harwin.com / ELECTRONICS
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