Wire Harnesses & Cable Assemblies – The Manufacturing - Miracle Electronics

When you want to build an electrical system, you’ll need lots of wires and cables, which makes it better to replace them with fewer harnesses or assemblies. Wire harnesses or cable assemblies will hold multiple wires together, optimizing space, as well as protecting the wires against climatic and environmental conditions like heat, moisture, vibration, etc. Thus, errors and faults are eliminated, helping the functioning of the system to run smoothly.

Are wire harnesses and cable assemblies the same?

So, when we speak of having wire harnesses or cable assemblies, do you realize the difference between the two? Generally, as a layman, you may consider both of them to be the same, but when you get down into the details, you’ll notice that they are actually two different things. Let’s help you with understanding the differences.

•         Wire harnesses involve wires that are individually sealed, and then wrapped in another casing. But, these are not as durable, and are thus used in small electronic applications and internal systems.
•         Cable assemblies, on the other hand, are bundles of wires or cables in a single heavy casing. This equipment can be easily used in harsh environments because of the heavy-duty thermoplastic rubber or vinyl used for the casing, which helps hold up against outside elements like extreme temperatures, moisture, friction, abrasion, and compression/expansion.

How are harnesses and assemblies made?

•         Planning – The first and foremost step is planning, both the design and construction. Without a pre-plan, no product can be successfully made. In the case of harnesses or assemblies, the type and size of wire needs to be determined, to be used between each connection.
•        Prototyping – A test version is first created depending upon the plan. It helps engineers know how the final product will look like, while identifying any errors or gaps that need to be rectified before building the actual product.
•     Wire cutting – Once the prototype is approved, it’s time to move on to the actual product making, which involves first cutting the wires to the required length. Wire-cutting machines can be used here to automatically cut the required wires in bulk.
•       Wire stripping – After cutting, the casing is stripped back to reveal the core, which is then fed into the necessary connectors. Crimping and soldering the wires into their proper connections can be automated with the help of machines.
•        Assembling – The prepared wire-connector devices are gathered up and crafted into a harness, which is done majorly with the help of manual labour. This is because each wire needs to be fed through the harness, taped off, and measured to make sure that the distances match the design specifications.

Partnering with the right manufacturer

Manufacturing harnesses and assemblies is a time-consuming task, especially because of the intensive manual labour required in the last stage of assembling the equipment together. And, in order to not waste any more time, you need to get hold of a manufacturer who knows the job well so that there is no time wasted in making errors and rectifying them. Moreover, the manufacturer you should must have the right machines to make the process as automated as possible, and the right tools to use to speed up the processes that require manual labour invested. Some of the most basic tools that a good manufacturer must have are an injection mould machine, wire cutter, wire stripper, crimper, positioners, die sets, insertion and extraction tools, and all sorts of testers for testing the assemblies before delivering them to the customers.

Miracle Electronics is one of the best cableharness manufacturers in India you can approach to have your harnesses and assemblies made, as they have the right tools and machineries, skilled engineers, and the best testing facilities to build and test your products. Moreover, they are also skilled at manufacturing customized wire harnesses and cable assemblies  if you wish, each product being certified and approved by DGAQA and MSQAA for platform specific applications.

 

What Makes Custom Wire Harnesses Easier And Better - Miracle Electronics

When there’s an application that involves a range of electronically operated features and functions, there is certainly some or many wires and cable involved too. And, to make it easier and safer to work with, it’s certainly better to have a few wire harnesses in place, rather than having innumerous wires getting entangled amongst themselves, creating a mess and possible hazards. But, even better is using customized wire harnesses, as compared to readily available off-the-shelf ones. Why? Let’s help you know.

Quality and safety are guaranteed

You never know what kind of quality is used to make regular wire harnesses. But, when it’s customized wire harnesses, you know the kind of quality that is being used. This means there is complete guarantee here. Low quality materials, otherwise, can cause harm to either the application or operator, or both; and this risk you cannot take! With customized wire harnesses, high quality materials are used, thus increasing quality assurance and safety, while reducing risks.

There’s enhanced durability

When you opt to use customized wire harnesses, standard materials are used with better insulation, which means the quality is enhanced, thus increasing the life expectancy. This is one big difference between regular wire harnesses and customized ones. And, this is one reason that has increased the demand for such customized wire harnesses.

Product specifications are met

Customized wire harnesses are tailored to every kind of required specification, such as the length, width, weight, and every other aspect tailored to your requirements. In addition, you could also have your cables jacketed, colour-coded, labelled, or any other feature added as required, for easy identification and better performance or protection. Such added features will certainly add some costs to the final product, but the performance and durability is definitely going to be worth it!

Reliable wire harness manufacturers are guaranteed

Not every wire harness manufacturer can work on customized products. Generally, wire harness manufacturers will be well-versed with working with regular standard wires and cables. It is only experienced and professional manufacturers who will be able to work on specially customized requirements that the products need to be tailored for. Thus, if the manufacturer is accepting your proposal for building customized wire harnesses, you know that he is an experienced one. One such manufacturer is Miracle Electronics who you can completely rely on. This is the manufacturer who is skilled at manufacturing any and every kind of customized EMI shielded harnesses, flat harnesses, ribbon harnesses, RF harnesses, power harnesses, airborne harnesses, military harnesses, and more. Each of these types can be customized based on the requirement of the client, with each product being certified and approved by DGAQA and MSQAA for platform specific applications, and every production process being certified for quality to ISO 9001 and AS9100C. Furthermore, every wire harness is tested for dimension, continuity, weight, pull test, compliance to environmental requirements, and every other test for verifying production processes.

Hence, whenever you are looking for a customized wire harness  of any type, but with no compromise on quality, you can always rely on Miracle Electronics, one of the most dependable and consistent wire harness manufacturers in India.

 

Copper Clad Cables Or Solid Copper Cables – Which Are Better - Miracle Electronics

Cables are a very tiny, yet very important parts of any electrical application. We often neglect the cables we use, but we fail to understand that it is the quality and type of cables that we use that decides on the performance of the entire application. While the quality of cables can be obtained by partnering with genuine and reliable cable harness manufacturers in India, the type of cables you need is for you to decide upon.

There are two basic types of cables you could use – copper clad and solid copper cables. So, which one of the two is better suited for your particular application? Both these kinds of cables are different from each other, and you must know what you must choose in order to maintain data integrity and have a reliable performance.

Copper clad cables – What they are

Copper clad cables are available as either copper clad aluminium or copper clad steel. This means that the conductor is made either of aluminium or steel, with a coating of copper wrapped around. So, these are not 100% copper cables.

Advantages of copper clad cables – One reason why such copper clad cables are used instead of solid copper cables is their light weight. With copper conductors being replaced with aluminium or steel, the weight of the cable reduces, which makes it apt for lightweight applications. Another benefit is that copper clad cables are less expensive because of the inner copper portion being replaced with aluminium or steel.

Disadvantages of copper clad cables – There is one drawback with copper clad cables. These cables are effective over short distances and for sending lesser amounts of data, unlike their counterparts, where data can be sent through longer distances without any kind of signal problems. When the distances are longer in the case of copper clad cables, there are issues with signal integrity, which then requires multiple signals to be sent to reach the end point.

Solid copper cables – What they are

Solid copper cables are 100% copper, with the conductor being made of copper, as well as the coating being of copper.

Advantages of solid copper cables – The two biggest benefits of using solid copper cables are durability and flexibility. Such cables easily bend back and forth, thus making it easy to shape and form them. In addition, copper conductors perform undoubtedly well. Another benefit with solid copper cables is that they are ideal for transmitting signals over long distances, with no issues in signal integrity. They excel in transmitting high levels of data over longer distances, with minimal current required to push the signals all the way through to the end.

Disadvantages of solid copper cables – There is just one drawback with solid copper cables, and that is their heavy weight. But, the performance and durability covers up for that.

So, what’s your choice?

You can determine the pros and cons of each cable to identify which one is more suited for your application. Consider the weight, cost, distance, durability, and data load of both, and decide as to which aspects you can compromise on, and which not. Accordingly, you can decide on purchasing the copper cable that you require from Miracle Electronics, the most reliable cable harness manufacturers in India, where you can have any and all kinds of cables manufactured. Whether you choose off-the-shelf products, or have your cables customized , you can rest assured to have products that are certified and approved by DGAQA and MSQAA for platform specific applications.

Designing Reliable & Cost-Effective Cable Assemblies – The Golden Tips - Miracle Electronics

Reliability is of utmost importance when it comes to any electrical device, because such devices may experience electrical surges, and may be highly sensitive too. This brings to us the importance of reliable cable assemblies too. It is only the cable assemblies that can help in keeping the devices protected against such surges or any other environmental issues. Moreover, reliable cable assemblies can help transfer signals effectively from one point to another. It is thus absolutely important to have reliable cable assemblies for your application.

But, the facet of reliability may also bring a surge in the costs, isn’t it? That certainly goes without saying. However, you “NEED TO” find a way to have reliability and cost-effectiveness clubbed together. And for this, you need a genuine and reliable manufacturer. Miracle Electronics is one of the most reliable cable assembly manufacturersin India you can trust to help you with genuine reliable products, without being too heavy on your pocket. Let’s help you know what makes Miracle Electronics’ products so reliable, yet cost-effective.

The factors to consider

It is important to understand that minute attention needs to paid to every facet like the type of wire, the type of connector, the type of jacketing, the placement of cable ties, the overall tolerance, etc. All these aspects play an important role in determining the material costs, manufacturing costs, and long-term reliability of a cable assembly. Below are a few things, which need to be carefully considered, or else they may add unnecessary costs and complexities to a cable assembly.

The type of insulation

PVC insulation is less expensive and also easier to work with in the manufacturing process, as compared to other materials like Teflon. Hence, whenever possible, PVC insulation should be chosen to save on costs.

The type of external protection

You may either jacket or shield your wires. Both these types provide excellent external protection, but shielding proves to be more expensive as it requires additional labour to install terminals and connectors, thus adding to the costs.

The type of contacts

Soldering contacts require a very high degree of trained operations and labour time, which makes them more expensive as compare to crimped contacts. Crimped contacts should thus be chosen when you want to save on costs.

The type of tie wrap

The type of tie wrap, and the number of tie wraps required, determine the costs involved. Tie wrap prices vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and the labour involved; so choose your tie wrap and manufacturer wisely.

The tolerances

Designers generally take the safe path of using tight tolerances on cable assemblies. But, tight tolerances are actually unnecessary. The tighter the tolerances are, the more difficult it becomes to manufacture the assembly; thus making the end product more expensive.

These are just a few things, which when considered, can significantly impact the overall cost of an assembly. But, you must make it a point to partner with genuine cable assembly manufacturers inIndia, who can help you not only save costs , but can at the same time also provide you with the right kind of product.

Preventing Water Ingress On Electrical Assemblies - Miracle Electronics

What happens when water and electricity come together? Obviously, it’s a very dangerous combination! Water is an excellent conductor of electricity, so if you’re probably in touch with water, and electricity comes in contact, you’ll probably be electrocuted!

But, you may have also seen heavy equipment used in environments where water is present. How is it that such equipment is protected against water then? What about the electrical cables and harnesses present within? Is it not affected in the case of water ingress? Obviously, when water comes in touch with the cables and harnesses, the consequences can be deadly! There could be electrical shorts, malfunctioning of the equipment, shock hazards, fire, or even death, in case of a high voltage application!

No matter what the outcomes of water ingress into the harnesses, it is absolutely important that the water ingress is prevented. But, how is this possible? Let’s take a look.

Understanding the working environment

The first step to preventing water ingress is to understand the type of working environment the equipment is to be used in. Will the equipment be completely submerged into water while in operation, or will it be rained upon? This information will help you use appropriately rated components in the design. That’s because different environments require varied levels of protection. This is where IP codes come into play, which are two-digit numbers that indicate how resistant components are to intrusion by solid particles and liquids. It is important that appropriate IP-rated components are used that meet or exceed the requirements of the working environment.

Other tools and tips

Other tools and tips that can help prevent water ingress are stated below.

ü Overmoulding can help protect small electrical components like resistors, capacitors, diodes, and PCBs.

ü Gaskets can seal the junction where multiple surfaces meet, used typically to help make something that wasn’t designed to be watertight.

ü Sealed connectors and cord grips can protect electrical enclosures from water ingress.

ü Installing hinges outside the gasket of an enclosure can prevent compromising the gasket’s integrity.

ü Leaving a small gap between the conduit and connectors can help liquid/water to escape.

ü Using braided looms on wire harnesses can help liquids flow through, instead of getting trapped inside the conduit.

ü RTV silicone can be used as a seal for small volumes.

Preventing water ingress on wire harnesses is important to protect the equipment from failure, and humans against shock or other serious consequences. Getting in touch with professional wire harness manufacturers in India, like Miracle Electronics, can help take care of all of the above, thus bringing to you protected and safe wire harnesses for all your equipment and environments. Every wire harness manufactured here is certified for quality to ISO 9001, AS9100C; and the quality of the cable looms and harnesses are certified and approved by DGAQA and MSQAA for platform specific applications. Moreover, ever wire harness manufactured here is tested for dimension, weight, continuity, pull test, and many other verifying processes that ensure compliance to environmental requirements.

 

Important Considerations While Manufacturing A PCB Assembly - Miracle Electronics

PCBs are the integral part of almost every electronic device that we use on a day to day basis, which tells electricity where to head to, so that our electronics are brought to life. But, have you ever thought about how these tiny boards are made to function so effectively at such high levels?

Direct plating

Plating is an electrochemical process that involves depositing metal onto the surface of the PCB, and inside the plated through holes. Direct plating is an environment-friendly low-cost process, which eliminates the use of heavy metals, against the alternative electrochemical plating.

Etching

When a copper layer is applied onto the board, etching out the unwanted copper from the prefabricated laminate is an important step, which is done using various kinds of materials, the two most common ones being Ferric Chloride and Ammonium Persulphate.

Photographic processing

Photographic processing is another important process, which involves covering the copper on the bare board with a thin lining of photo-resist, after which it is exposed to light through a photographic film, which details all the relevant tracks that will now be on the new board.

Screen printing

Screen printing is where a silkscreen layer is added onto a PCB, in order to identify all the components of a board, along with the logos, warning symbols, test points, and other marks. Silkscreen can be applied using a variety of ways, like manual screen printing, direct legend printing, and liquid photo imaging.

Reflow Soldering Technology

Reflow soldering technology is the process of applying solder paste as a means of temporarily attaching thousands of small electrical parts to the contact pads, which is then subjected to controlled heat for reliable soldering.

Selection of PCB assembly equipment

You need the right PCB equipment suitable for every job. Using substandard tools and equipment might bring to you faulty products. Some of the best equipment that you must use include –

•    Solder paste printing machine for screen printing of solder paste to the PCB
•     Dispenser for dispensing adhesives on the PCB
•     Pick and place machine for picking and placing components onto the PCB
•     Reflow soldering machine and wave soldering machine for soldering
•     Functional Verification Test device for verifying the device under test functions
•     In-Circuit Test fixture for checking shorts, opens, resistance, and capacitance
•    Solder Paste Inspection machine for quickly and efficiently inspecting the         accuracy of the solder paste on the PCB

Selection of photographic tools

PCB assembling is a very long process that involves a number of steps like fabrication, material inspection, solder paste printing, reflow soldering, X-ray inspection, wave soldering, manual soldering, and more. All these steps require the use of the right photographic tools such as milling machines, paper slitting cutting machines, and post-press equipment.

PCB testing procedures

PCB testing is absolutely essential to prevent any errors or mishaps in the future, and ensure that the manufactured products won’t fail or experience a shortened shelf life. While the selection of a test depends upon what the designer wants to achieve, some example of functional tests include X-ray inspection, micro-sectioning analysis, PCB solderability test, solder float test, peel test, and PCB contamination test.

With all such processes in place, a reliable PCB assembly manufacturer from India like Miracle Electronics can bring up PCB assemblies that are of the best quality, meeting the highest benchmarks, following RoHS and REACH compliance, and meeting standard ISO certification criteria.