10 Step Electronic Product Development & Design Guide
If you are looking to design and develop a product that requires a wire harness, there are several factors that should be determined before committing to an exact manufacturing process. Whether you have worked in design and development for years, or this is your first electronic product manufacturing project, we believe this guide will assist you in properly working through the design and development process.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the wire harness design and development process, get in touch with our sales team and we will work with you in determining the most appropriate solutions based on your project requirements.
Step 1: Design Product
During the initial design process, we can speak with your engineering team to provide innovation, design, and thought leadership to develop a preliminary design structure that is feasible and makes structural sense.
Step 2: Design Circuit Board & Determine Control
Since the circuit board is the brain of your electronic product, it must be designed and manufactured to the precise capabilities of your product. We can work with your engineering team to help you determine what type of control and printed circuit board is right based on your project’s specifications.
Step 3: Develop Product Drawing
Both the internal and external schematics of an electronic product need to be clearly articulated before manufacturing begins. Our experienced wire harness assembly technicians can assist you in producing an accurate product drawing that incorporates necessary elements such as bend radius, which can impact how much cord is needed and whether a harness will fit in the product.
Step 4: Connect with Wire Harness Manufacturer
Whether you are looking for more information regarding harness insulation properties, heat and abrasion resistance, or stranding requirements, Custom Cord & Harness Assemblies can help you through the process. We can provide several types of stranding options including up to 25 strands down to 9 strands. The 25 strand option provides enhanced flexibility, while the standard 9 strand provides the least amount of flexibility.
Step 5: Troubleshoot Links
There are multiple issues that can occur with wire harness linking. This includes connector to connector problems or branch link breakouts that can cause malfunctions if not properly executed. At Custom Cord & Harness Assemblies, we will work with you to troubleshoot any sort of wire harness linking that you may be experiencing.
Step 6: Determine Terminals
At Custom Cord & Harness Assemblies, we work with hundreds of thousands of terminal types. We can assist you in determining if a specific terminal is interchangeable with another brand, which may be the same quality but less expensive. We also understand what types of terminals are used for specific applications, which can save, time, money, and vast amounts of frustration.
Also, by reviewing the electronic product drawings we can assess which types of terminals will work for your application. Some of the technical errors that we continually see within the terminal include:
- Excess number of wires
- Wrong cord material
- Excess cords
Step 7: Prototype
Prototypes are important in the manufacturing process of equipment, and we are dedicated to meeting your request with the design specifications you need. When we receive a prototype request, we work closely with our customer to provide design assistance and to help determine the most cost-efficient methods of production.
For larger or long-term orders, a blanket order may be the ideal solution for securing a quoted cost. Blanket orders can ensure the quoted cost will remain the same for the length of the order, as well as ensure that hard to get material can be secured for the length of the production order.
Step 8: Prototype Testing
Following the prototype build, we will test the prototype for harness issues relating to faulty bend radii or wire lengths. It is important to work out all wire harness technical issues through the prototyping process before moving on to production.
Step 9: Prototype Revisions
Ideally you will get the product prototype right on the first try, however Custom Cord & Harness Assemblies is willing to work with companies that may need more than one prototype or have extensive issues with the first prototype. Our typical prototype production sequence consists of two to three prototype designs, allowing for minor adjustments and tweaks to the design.
Step 10: Manufacturing
Once all the kinks have been worked out through the first nine steps, production can begin. We will continue to work with you through the manufacturing process and answer any questions that you may have.
With over 20 years of experience, Custom Cord & Harness Assemblies has established relationships with major connector manufacturers throughout the industry. We maintain excellent working relationships with the three major connector manufacturers in the industry. With our ongoing working relationship with each connector manufacturer, we can secure tooling for lease or purchase options depending on customer needs per job requirements.
Contact Custom Cord & Harness Assemblies for Proven Wire Harness Production Capabilities Today
Custom Cord & Harness Assemblies is a U.S. based custom components manufacturer of both commercial and industrial based OEMs. If you have a job that requires PCB Assembly and Wire Harness expertise, we provide rapid response, low total cost of ownership, and top quality products.
If you need assistance with a design that requires expert PCB Assembly and Wire Harness production, speak with Custom Cord & Harness Assemblies today!
