When it comes to the world of custom cable manufacturing, there are no real surprises to speak of. Those involved in certain industries have been working with proprietary materials for a number of years, and for the most part, it’s a case of “if you’re around long enough, you’ll see just about everything”.
But the very language of custom cable manufacturing allows us to understand that nearly every job that comes in is a ‘custom’ order. This means that every bit of material that is put out by a cable manufacturer has the potential to be singularly made to the specs of one customer’s application. This customization can be applied to everything from shielding, wire preparation, markings, and the type of connectors used.
From the customer side of things, the surprises aren’t really all that significant. Technically, companies expect the manufacturers with whom they work to be able to design, build, and deliver materials that meet the specs they provided. However, from the manufacturing side of things, that’s where things can get interesting.
Here are just some of the things you need to know when it comes to working in custom cable manufacturing:
Knowledge of Applications Across Industries ⏤ Manufacturers need to understand how the industries with which they work use their products. Only by understanding how their cables will be used can they gain a better understanding of how best to improve upon it.
Knowledge of Industry Standards ⏤ Of course, any manufacturer understands that they need to maintain the only industry standard that matters for most companies ⏤ IPC/WHMA-A-620 Revision C.
Expertise With Materials ⏤ Manufacturers have to know how to work with the materials in their facility, as well as be familiar with materials they may run into elsewhere such as their customer’s facility.
Planning Ahead ⏤ As much work as is being done to improve the functionality of a customer’s facility, it’s important for a determination to be made about their future needs. It not only saves the customer another step, but it allows you to think critically about the best way to problem-solve the situation at hand.
Protecting Ideas ⏤ The manufacturer is sometimes privy to sensitive information from a customer due to the customization of their materials. As such, it’s important to show the customer that discretion is a top priority.
To some, custom cable manufacturing may not come across as very exciting, but this is only because they aren’t aware of just how much their lives are affected by these materials in various industries day after day. In many respects, however, this rather lackadaisical feeling about cable manufacturing is quite the testament to how well manufacturers have done their job. It’s only by making sound, durable products that meet customer & industry standards that the lives of everyday citizens are allowed to move along without interruption.
Choose to work with LoDan Electronics, Inc., the industry leaders in custom cable manufacturing and other custom-engineered interconnect solutions for the last five decades.