This strategic move is aimed at meeting the growing demand for high-quality cable harness solutions across various industries and will strengthen the company’s product offering and the support provided to all its EMEA production sites.
A cable harness is an assembly of electrical or wires which are bound together to transmit signals or electrical power and are crucial connectivity systems that are integral to a wide range of products in sectors including aerospace, defence, and automotive, and construction machinery.
The ultra high-performance electronic products are purpose built for use in harsh environments where connectivity is required on a continued and consistent basis with high performance.
The expansion of Smiths Interconnect’s capabilities includes the addition of state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment and the implementation of advanced production processes. This enables customers to improve their value chain by reducing the number of suppliers required to provide connectors and cable assembly; with a one-stop-shop to deliver connectors with cable harnessed to it. This reduces lead times and supports sustainability through less movement of goods and packaging.
According to Mark Kelleher, Connectors BU Director at Smiths Interconnect, "The expansion of our cable harness capacity allows Smiths Interconnect to become a one-stop-shop for our customers, reducing their supply chain, simplifying their processes and lowering costs. By improving our cable harness and assembly capability we offer complete connectivity solutions of tested cabled connectors eliminating a double procurement process."
The full manufacturing process includes:
Cutting and Stripping: Automated cutting machines are used to ensure each wire is cut to the precise length required by the specification. Advanced stripping tools are employed to remove the insulation from the wire ends, ensuring high-quality connections in subsequent stages.
Crimping: The company’s crimping process creates solid mechanical connections between wires and contact terminations. Both semi-automatic and manual crimping machines are used to ensure high precision and quality in every crimp.
Soldering: Both automatic and manual soldering is performed to ensure strong, conductive joints, adhering strictly to IPC standards. Each solder joint undergoes a visual inspection to detect any potential defects.
Overmoulding: To protect the integrity of cable harnesses, Smiths’ offers overmoulding, which involves encapsulating the wires, terminations, and connectors with a durable material. This provides additional protection against moisture, abrasion, and environmental conditions.
Ink Printing for Marking: After production, each cable, wire, or connector is clearly marked for easy identification, traceability, and compliance with customer specifications.
Quality Testing and Inspection: All cable harnesses undergo rigorous testing and inspection at multiple stages, including electrical continuity and pull-out tests, as well as visual, mechanical, and measurement inspections.
The addition of the cable assembly department at the company’s Tunisian site enables Smiths Interconnect to specialise in manufacturing and testing cabling for signal, data transmission, hybrid, armoured and power, as well as coaxial, twinax, triax, and quadrax, Mil-Spec and D-sub connectors for aerospace, defence, transportation, and industrial applications.
In addition, for small to large volume capacities, Smiths can offer complete interconnect assemblies that leverage its high-reliability connectors with qualified cable solutions. This increased capacity enables it to better serve its global customer base and support evolving needs by providing qualified cables and connectors in a unique, integrated solution.
