Understanding the ins and outs of one’s industry can mean many things. That said, one area that can sometimes be overlooked is wire harnessing. More specifically, it’s about understanding whether or not wire harnessing is of great consequence or just another unnecessary expense. Every industry, no matter the size of the operation, must work within the limitations of a budget. Wire harnessing, while an important yet unseen element in all industries, must also fall under the same scrutiny.
There are a few things to consider when making decisions like this. For example:
Time Spent Routing & Re-routing Wires
When a facility has a truly talented personnel on the floor, many of the smaller repairs & quick fixes can be done on the fly. However, if there is one thing that does ultimately bring an operation to a grinding halt, it’s time wasted doing something inane. High on the list of inane tasks is moving & shifting wires in different ways to try and get the best result. The longer the repair takes, the longer production stops. Unfortunately, if repairs are contracted to an outside source, labor costs quickly add up.
Losing Sight of Wires
Few things are as frustrating as installing new electronics & having to keep track of which wire goes where. As noted, the constant re-doing of the same work wastes time and money. However, depending on the equipment being worked on, an improperly installed wire or set of wires can cause irreparable damage to major components, the likes of which will be costly to replace.
Application & Importance of Wire Length
Not all applications are the same, but many share some of the same pitfalls. High temperatures, significant vibrations, and environmental contamination through dirt & dust can all cause issues with wiring. More often than not, space inside of a machine is misused and poorly designed to house what some may consider secondary components like wires.
Ease of Retrofitting & Future Upgrades
Many operations, small & large, take proactive measures to stay with the times regarding technology. This usually means a major retrofit to current components. If current wiring is a tangled mess, the cost of the retrofit, purely in labor costs, can be quite high. What’s more, if the retrofit is done to meet today’s standards, a valuable opportunity to plan ahead for future changes has also been lost.
But what is the best way for any operation to determine if wire harnessing is worth investing in? It starts with getting input from personnel who work directly with machinery on the floor. Their day-to-day work gives them great insight into understanding a better way to do things. It also means working with a top-tier wire harness manufacturer. It’s important to look for a company that has vast experience with an array of industries and has a phenomenal design & engineering staff that can put together a wire harnessing design that will meet, and exceed, industry standards.
LoDan Electronics, Inc. has taken wire harnessing in Chicago & taken industries all over the world to new heights in efficiency and performance. See what they can do for you today.