Wiring Harness
ECE 539
Automotive Wiring Harness
Manufacturing Process
Prepared by: Carlos Ayala Date: February 5 1999
Introduction
This report describes the manufacture and assembly process for an automotive wiring harness. The main function of a harness is to transmit power to the different components and modules in the automotive. The range of complexity for a wiring harness depends by the quantity of wires and components required for complete its assembly. I will use a medium size harness for illustrations and examples. This report will follow the sequence that the operations occur in the actual manufacturing process. This sequence is not strictly followed in all the cases, in fact there are many operations that can be perform at the same time and the particular sequence will depend in the specific wiring harness design. Storage, incoming inspection and packaging will not be included in this report.
Contents
1)
• • • •
Cutting and crimping Preparation of circuits and subassemblies Assembly Process (manufacturing strategies) Testing (Electrical Continuity and visual inspection)
2)
3) 4) 5) 6) 7)
Cutting and Crimp Termination
The first part of the wiring harness manufacturing process is the preparation of the “circuits”. Circuit is a wire cut at the required length and with terminals in one or both ends, in other words is the raw material converted useful component for the wiring harness assembly. The parameters that define a circuit are the color, insulation material, gage, strands and terminals. Other characteristics often used are wire seal and shrinking tubes. About 100 circuits compound a typical medium size harness. The document that encloses all characteristics for particular circuit is the Cut sheet. The information required to develop the cutsheet comes from the wiring harness blue print and translated in manufacturing terms.
Samples of different circuits
The typical equipment that is required during this phase is an automatic
Automotive Wiring Harness
Manufacturing Process
Prepared by: Carlos Ayala Date: February 5 1999
Introduction
This report describes the manufacture and assembly process for an automotive wiring harness. The main function of a harness is to transmit power to the different components and modules in the automotive. The range of complexity for a wiring harness depends by the quantity of wires and components required for complete its assembly. I will use a medium size harness for illustrations and examples. This report will follow the sequence that the operations occur in the actual manufacturing process. This sequence is not strictly followed in all the cases, in fact there are many operations that can be perform at the same time and the particular sequence will depend in the specific wiring harness design. Storage, incoming inspection and packaging will not be included in this report.
Contents
1)
• • • •
Cutting and crimping Preparation of circuits and subassemblies Assembly Process (manufacturing strategies) Testing (Electrical Continuity and visual inspection)
2)
3) 4) 5) 6) 7)
Cutting and Crimp Termination
The first part of the wiring harness manufacturing process is the preparation of the “circuits”. Circuit is a wire cut at the required length and with terminals in one or both ends, in other words is the raw material converted useful component for the wiring harness assembly. The parameters that define a circuit are the color, insulation material, gage, strands and terminals. Other characteristics often used are wire seal and shrinking tubes. About 100 circuits compound a typical medium size harness. The document that encloses all characteristics for particular circuit is the Cut sheet. The information required to develop the cutsheet comes from the wiring harness blue print and translated in manufacturing terms.
Samples of different circuits
The typical equipment that is required during this phase is an automatic