Mistakes to Avoid While Assembling Wire Harnesses

Assembly of wire harnesses is an intricate process where it is easy to make mistakes if you aren’t careful. It’s important to realize that even a minor error in assembling a wire harness may have disastrous consequences. To mitigate this risk, engineers must follow a well-laid-out plan while assembling a wire harness. In addition, there are certain mistakes engineers can easily avoid to make their wire harnesses fault proof. In this brief write up we will discuss some common oversights and ways to avoid them.

1. Taking assembly drawings for granted

   This is the most common mistake that engineers make while assembling a wire harness. Engineers who rely on their own creativity to assemble the harness are more likely to commit this mistake. However, if you keep in mind that any deviation from the assembly drawing can have far reaching consequences, this mistake can easily be avoided. Ignoring the assembly drawings not only increases the ‘time-to-market’ of the product but could result in the failure of the wire assembly.

2. Using the wrong hardware

   This mistake is often repeated by manufacturers who are hard pressed for time. As a result, they overlook wires that are critical for the wiring harness and eventually damage the whole assembly. Remember, all the hardware, be it a clamp, a washer or a screw, has its own place in the assembly and each has its own part to play in the proper functioning of the harness. If these are not used properly, the harness will give in sooner than later. Some manufacturers tend to use soldering equipment indiscriminately. This practice also leads to defective end-products as every soldering device has a specific temperature.

3. Deviations in tying of the wires

   This is a mistake that leads to the failure of the harness. In the process of packaging when the plastic wraps are tied excessively tight, it damages the wires and ultimately results in malfunctioning of the harness. Similarly, a loosely tied bundle is more likely to get damaged in transportation. Inexperienced manufacturers are either unaware or ignore this and eventually pay a heavy price in the form of rejections.

4. Selecting the wrong wires

   Inexperienced manufacturers do not give the due importance to the selection of the wires while assembling a harness. This proves to be a big mistake that gives you faulty wire harnesses. It is always advisable for manufacturers to choose the wires with care and precision and avoid any wires that are cut or stripped at the ends. By making use of high quality wires you can ensure the longevity and durability of your harnesses.

5. Careless Crimping

   Crimping is the process of terminating the wires in the harness. Again inexperienced manufacturers take this process lightly and end up making faulty harnesses that prove to be dangerous. This is a highly critical process that needs to be executed and verified with utmost precision so that the end product is safe and long lasting.

When choosing a manufacturing partner for wiring harnesses, be sure to look for one that has the knowledge and expertise to produce a quality end product like ACDi.