In the automotive industry, wiring harnesses are considered one of the most expensive items. A wire harness functions as the nervous system. It distributes electricity and signals to all automotive points, modules, and devices. The number of wires in a contemporary car’s harness has increased enormously due to system digitalization, multiple features, and computer control.
Why are cable/wire harness assembly products so expensive?
As a result, the prices have increased, making wiring harnesses the third most expensive item after the engine and transmission in an automobile.
These wiring harnesses are very complicated and time-consuming to develop. Reducing the cost of wire harness manufacturing is sometimes a complex process that necessitates OEM (Original equipment manufacturer) wire harness manufacturers to evaluate costs in numerous areas and then look for ways to reduce them.
Wire harness design, documentation, wire and components, labor, equipment, assembly, and testing are the primary cost categories associated with any wiring harness.
In most industrial projects, custom wire harness cable assemblies are vital. Since custom cable assemblies frequently demand sophisticated, unique designs, engineers who are primarily concerned with functionality often disregard cost concerns for the sake of ease of the design process.
This, in turn, might result in high costs and have a significant impact on the overall budget.
It becomes essential to know ways to cut costs wherever possible without jeopardizing the quality of the harness. Today, I will walk you through some of the best know-hows of reducing costs in automotive wiring harnesses. Without further ado, jump right into it.
*Tip 1: Adopting advanced software technologies for resource planning and resource shceduling
It is crucial to start the assembly process with absolute clarity in terms of client requirements, raw materials needed, labor required, and project duration.
Using enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions can make it easier for engineers to access and track a bill of materials (BOM), labor pricing, CAD (Computer-aided design) files, and equipment efficiency from start to end making it an effective tool.
Resource scheduling allows you to efficiently assign your available resources to jobs, tasks, or projects, as well as set start and finish dates for each work or project depending on resource availability. This ensures no wastage of resources like equipment, labor, capital, etc.
From an economic standpoint, it is suboptimal if one resource is overworked or over-utilized while some other help of the same category is idle. Uniform resource allocation ensures efficient, fast, and cost-effective production.
*Tip 2: Selecting the most appropriate raw materials
It is paramount to intelligently plan the list of all raw materials and components needed in the construction of the harness before the beginning of the production. Instead of obtaining supplies first and then deciding what can be utilized for the project, it is advisable to make a healthy choice on the materials before arranging a shipment or freight.
The assembly maker frequently orders raw materials in bulk, such as labels, connections, and shrink tubes. He must then determine the most appropriate raw material combination to support the performance.
The certifications that the wiring complies with are used to choose it (UL, CSA, AWM, etc.). It will be easier to discover the necessary wires if the certification is valid, and therefore you will be able to save some money.
Costs for wire and components are also driven by the type of wire (parallel, flat, or ribbon), the material (copper, fiber, or cable), the type of insulation (foam, nylon, or Teflon), the size of the wire and the amount of wire used, and the number of components used. Reducing the cost of wire and components is usually achieved by using a different type of wire and other types of insulation.
Connectors of various sorts are used in cable assemblies. How the connections are put in the assembly will affect the cost, whether crimped or hand soldered. Recognize the transmission characteristics that the assembly must deal with. This will enable you to select the appropriate connections and so save money.
When it comes to conductors, a general guideline is that the smaller the connection, the less expensive it will be. On the other hand, the modest size should not obstruct electrical transmission. The conductor strands should also be chosen based on the requirements. The number might be tiny, but it must fulfill the application’s needs. As a result, the entire cost will be reduced.
Striking the right combination of components that produce high-quality but low-cost harnesses is one of the most crucial and daunting tasks for engineers.
* Tip 3: Choosing the suitable suppliers
A systematic approach to finding the most cost-effective components from suitable suppliers will serve you well. Here is a list of factors to consider while choosing qualified suppliers:
- Before buying, just make sure exactly what you need
- Look at the available documentation, the quality of the documentation, and the vendor’s track record.
- Make sure that you test the product thoroughly to ensure that it meets your requirements before going into production.
- Make sure you have the correct support in place—at a minimum, spare parts, customer support, and training.
- Ensure that you understand the contract terms, including any guarantees and warranties.
- Check if the company has a good track record in delivering the component you are buying.
- Ensure you know what you need to do if you need to return the goods for repair or replacement.
- Ensure that you know what you need to do if the company goes out of business.
- Find out who is responsible for paying import duties or taxes.
- Find out how you can get help if you have problems with the goods.
- Make sure the company is located in a country with which you are happy to do business.
Once you have done thorough research about the potential vendors and the quality of products they sell, choose the one which checks the most metaphorical boxes.
* Tip 4: Automation is the answer!
Automation in the production of automotive wiring harnesses can be tremendously helpful because it eliminates the need for operators to perform high-fidelity tasks.
It also eliminates the need for heavy equipment, expensive material handling systems, and significant overhead space. Automation also reduces error rates.
Automation of cable assembly can be beneficial in a variety of ways. The key advantages of automating cable assembly and wire harnessing procedures are as follows:
- Connecting terminals to wires
- The wire ends are soldered or tinned.
- Wires are plugged into connector housings.
- Checking the electrical performance of a wire harness
- Crimping wires on one or both sides with terminals
- Individual wire ends are chopped and stripped using specialized cutting equipment.
It is estimated that a small-scale cable/wire harness company can approximately save anywhere between $30,000 to $50,000 annually by automation.
Thus, though cutting costs can be quite a complex task for automotive wiring harnesses, it is undoubtedly attainable if you put your mind to it and apply the knowledge you gathered from this post successfully. We hope you’ve found this helpful read.
