Feature: Interconnections
SmartCable’s tool chain encompasses a cross- discipline data model in the form of a digital twin of the actual cable harness. The model grows dynamically as its development advances
high-voltage harnesses, which must include thermal, electrical and electromagnetic simulations and essential redundancies, and keep meeting standards such as the modified ISO 26262.
Growing complexities E-mobility and automated driving systems are changing the design of cable harnesses from the ground up, linking multi- voltage electrical systems and intelligent network topologies with more complex controllers, among the many other technical developments. With growing system complexities, mutually-dependent
Developing the wiring harness of the future
By Uwe Prüfer, Head of Research and Development, SmartCable
I
n 2021 almost 356,000 new e-vehicles were registered in Germany, setting a record. In addition, the first automated drive systems have already entered European roads. For example, the Drive Pilot in the new Mercedes S-class controls the car up to 60km/h, which meets the requirements of level 3 autonomous driving.
But, alternative drives and AI-based control also pose new
challenges to the automotive industry. For example, cable harness development is undergoing major changes, and few or no automated process steps and the classic silo mentality in product development no longer meet the needs of future developments of
34 July/August 2023
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
subsectors such as wiring, geometry, components, systems and software are interacting with one another more than ever before. In turn this requires 3D and configuration data models with detailed simulations. This also means that the usual document-based procedures can no longer meet the more complex demands of simulations since they were originally designed for isolated processes. Also, when data is transferred manually, errors are easily
introduced, and any impact of errors or change can be costly to the production or functional safety. When coordinating many systems, not only are mistakes easy to make and miss, but, also, if any changes are made at geometry level, their impact on other components such as wiring or EMC management are not immediately obvious, and ultimate production costs can only be a guess at best. For efficient and targeted development, it is essential that:
changes are calculated quickly and communicated between the individual teams; simulations and validations are seamlessly incorporated into the process; and comprehensive application and product life-cycle management systems are integrated. For cable harnesses in particular, development must distance
itself from the document-based approach, which requires quite a few manual steps and a complicated data exchange between different systems and formats. Only a model-based approach can properly link the subsectors and facilitate a transparent development process.
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