Wire harnesses carry power, transmit signals, or both for various applications. Constructed using insulated wire and usually having some combination of terminals and connectors at the ends, they can have many breakouts that serve a variety of components. RPC manufactures wire harnesses for a wide variety of applications including industrial automation, medical devices, laboratory and test equipment, military, and aerospace to name a few. Whatever your application, RPC can build a wire harness to meet your specific requirements.
What Is a Wire Harness Used For?
Regardless of the specific application, a high-quality wire harness will make the final electrical assembly easier to build and maintain and offers clean and organized wiring to improve the overall appearance of the final assembly. The individual conductors within a wire harness provide transmission of power and signal to specified components without entanglement, or risk of damage to components. A well-designed wire harness protects electronic components, enables streamlined installation and connection of devices and sub-assemblies, and offers organizational efficiency within a finished product.
How Custom Electrical Wire Harnesses Are Manufactured.
To manufacture a wire harness, individual wires are cut to length and labeled according to the customer’s print. The ends of the wires are stripped to expose the conductor and terminals may be crimped or soldered in place or connectors installed, depending on the use. They are then assembled to the customer’s specification on a build board to achieve the proper routing and organization and then are neatly bound in some fashion with cable ties, lacing, or tape and may be covered in a sheathing material such as shrink tubing or braided sleeving. Finally, every wire harness is visually inspected and tested prior to final packaging and shipment.
Why Are Wire Harnesses Assembled Manually?
Machines and robotic equipment are used for many manufacturing processes, but wire harnesses are an exception. Due to several specific requirements, it is much more efficient to assemble wire harnesses by hand to ensure the highest quality and performance requirements are met:
– Wires of different lengths can be accommodated
– Different types of labeling can be applied
– Multiple crimp points can be added
– Inserting and routing cables through conduit or sleeving can be done with higher precision
– Binding with electrical tape or cable ties can be done efficiently
– Breakouts and branches can be taped depending on the need
To ensure quality, wire harnesses are manufactured to meet the IPC/WHMA-A-620 standard – assembling by hand gives RPC control over every aspect of the build process. The IPC/WHMA-A-620 standard prescribes practices and requirements for the manufacture of wire harnesses. It describes materials, methods, tests, and acceptability criteria for producing crimped, mechanically secured, and soldered interconnections, and all other related assembly activities associated with wire harness assemblies. The standard offers a “common language” for RPC and its customers to understand the expectations for what is considered acceptable quality workmanship for a wire harness. All RPC wire harnesses are manufactured to this high standard.
Why Choose RPC for Wire Harnesses?
For more than 18 years, RPC has produced wire harnesses that are IPC/WHMA-A-620 compliant and based on customer requirements, that can carry the UL Recognized Component mark. RPC manufactures wire harnesses for a wide variety of industries that rely on quality, high-performing components. Our turn-key manufacturing process encompasses all the complexities from start to finish and produces the solution you need without hassle. To receive a quote for wire harnesses for your business, contact us today.