The manufacturing process of the wire harness can vary from basic to very complex. It starts with the design process and ensures that the fixture integrates any necessary customization features for its intended application.
The next step usually includes wire cutting, stripping and termination. The wire is stripped and cut at the correct length and the metal terminals are connected to the ends of the wire using a special machine, usually called the crimp center. If needed, wires will be inserted into the connector housing, allowing the mating of male and female bundled wires. Some wires will stay outside the connector and connect to the original equipment separately. Finally, the cables or wires are bound with an outer covering using an assembly board, which guides proper breakouts and allows for final electrical testing.
Manual assembly is still the most common method for wire harness manufacturing because routing cables or wires through sleeves is an extremely delicate process. Manual operations for wire harness assembly include:
● Applying fabric tape in varying locations and amounts
● Crimping terminals onto wires, which sometimes requires multiple crimping operations
● Inserting one sleeve into another
● Fastening strands of clamps, cable ties, or tape