Why Are Wire Harnesses Assembled Manually?

Decreased installation time: Many vehicles require miles of wiring in order to operate. A wire harness assembly process greatly simplifies the manufacturing of these vehicles by integrating all the wires and cables needed into a single apparatus. The installation then becomes a simple matter of “dropping in” the harness, rather than running all of the wires individually. Security and safety: When wires and cables are bound within a single harness, the individual components are more secure against the adverse effects of vibrations,

The wires needed for the harness are first cut to the desired length and labeled appropriately. Next, the ends of the wires are stripped to expose the uninsulated conductor and fitted with any required terminals or connector housings. The wires and components are then assembled on the pin-board to the desired specification and then bound together.

A wire harness, often referred to as a cable harness or wiring assembly, is a systematic and integrated arrangement of cables within an insulated material. The purpose of the assembly is to transmit signal or electrical power. Cables are bound together with straps, cable ties, cable lacing, sleeves, electrical tape, conduit, or a combination thereof. The wire harness simplifies the connection to larger components by integrating the wiring into a single unit for “drop-in” installation.  

Wire harnesses are often confused with cable assemblies however, the two are quite different. The main difference is that a cable assembly normally has only two ends, whereas a wire harness contains multiple breakouts (ends) that run in many different directions with multiple terminations on each breakout. Wire assemblies are most commonly used in the transportation industry, including automobiles, buses, trucks, and planes. Construction machinery, industrial equipment, electronics and white goods (household appliances) will also be constructed using wire harnesses.