Smiths Interconnect announced expansion of its cable harness production capacity at its facility in Tunisia. This strategic move is aimed at meeting the growing demand for high-quality cable harness solutions across various industries, including commercial aerospace, defense, high power, high-speed data, medical cable assemblies, PCB, rectangular, test & measurement, and transportation.
A cable harness is an assembly of electrical cables or wires bound together to transmit signals or electrical power. These crucial connectivity systems are integral to a wide range of products in sectors such as aerospace, defense, automotive, and construction machinery.
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 approach reduces lead times and supports sustainability through less movement of goods and packaging.
Mark Kelleher, Connectors BU Director at Smiths Interconnect, stated: "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 ensure each wire is cut to the precise length required by the specification. Advanced stripping tools remove the insulation from the wire ends, ensuring high-quality connections in subsequent stages.
Crimping: The crimping process creates solid mechanical connections between wires and contact terminations using both semi-automatic and manual crimping machines to ensure high precision and quality in every crimp.
Soldering: Both automatic and manual soldering are performed to ensure strong, conductive joints, adhering strictly to IPC standards. Each solder joint undergoes a visual inspection to detect any potential defects.
Overmoulding: Overmoulding encapsulates the wires, terminations, and connectors with a durable material, providing 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: 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.
Smiths Interconnect has specialized personnel certified according to IPC A-620 for cable assembly and IPC J-STD-001 for soldering procedures. The addition of the cable assembly department at the Tunisian site enables Smiths Interconnect to specialize in manufacturing and testing cabling for signal, data transmission, hybrid, armored and power, as well as coaxial, twinax, triax, and quadrax, Mil-Spec and D-sub connectors for aerospace, defense, transportation, and industrial applications.
For more information, Visit https://www.smithsinterconnect.com
