Cable Harnesses – Insulators, Connectors, And Terminals – Miracle Electronics

When you’re looking to protect your wires and cables against environmental conditions like moisture, temperature, and friction, you’ll need to install cable harnesses in your application. Depending upon the intended environment, there are multiple types of cable harnesses available to choose from. 

You may opt for standard readily available harnesses, or have your harnesses customized by proficient cable harness manufacturers in India.

When you’re planning to have your cable harnesses customized, you may either tell the manufacturer all about your requirements, or sit with them to design your specialized assemblies. If you choose the latter, you need to first have a basic understanding about the product, before you can sit down to decide on what you want. Considering this, we’ll let you know about the three main components that comprise a cable harness, which are insulators, connectors, and terminals.

Insulator types

The cables or the insulation that covers the wires can be of two types, depending upon the kind of environment or application the harnesses are to be used in. they could either be thermoplastics or thermosets.

•     Thermoplastics are the materials that soften or melt when exposed to a sufficiently high temperature, but also easily harden when cooled. They can be repeatedly softened and hardened by heating and cooling, without affecting the performance of the material. This quality enables recycling of the components, which also proves to be economical. Some common thermoplastic insulations include PE, PVC, PVDF, ECTFE, and nylon.
•          Thermosets are the materials that don’t soften even at high temperatures, but they’re rubbery and retain their properties at all times. However, once moulded or cast, these materials cannot be reshaped, because the moulding results in a permanent chemical change within the material’s structure. Some common thermoset insulations include CPE, EPR, and XLPE.

Connector types

Connectors are the electromechanical devices used to form a continuous electrical signal between the cable harness and power source. Basically, connectors consist of male plugs and female jacks that are joint together to relay an electronic signal. Such connectors broadly differ in materials, sizes, shapes, and dimensions, which can be chosen from or customized as per the intended application. The mating type, the insulation requirement, the power contacts, and the signal contacts are all the different factors that determine the kind of connector required by the application. When selecting a connector, it is also very crucial to know the wire size, circuit size, circuit density, operating voltage, current rating, and other such important numbers.

Terminal types

Terminals are the electromechanical devices that terminates a conductor to a fixed post, stud, chassis, etc. in order to establish a connection. Available in a variety of designs, shapes, and sizes, terminals may be crimped, soldered, press-fitted, or wire-wrapped. They are available in ring, spade, hook, bullet, butt, and flagged forms. The type of terminals to be used can depend on the requirements of the intended application. The terminals could be insulated or non-insulated. Insulated terminals are better used in harsh environmental conditions to protect the device and components from moisture and temperature extremes. If no such protection is required, non-insulated terminals are an economical choice.

Determining the type of insulator, connector, and terminal is of prime importance to come up with the best performing cable harness. They harness should be very carefully designed while keeping the specific application needs and environmental conditions in mind. The correct materials, sizes, and shapes are vital to ensure that the harnesses are properly placed and appropriately routed, while being completely protected. Professional cable harness manufacturers in India like Miracle Electronics can take care of every such aspect that affects the quality of the end product , so as to come up with a harness that’ll extend the life of the wires, without requiring early replacements or repairs. It’s thus always better to partner with a professional for even the smallest electrical or electronic build.