Manufacturers operate from a rule of thumb which says that any process they employ to create materials for a client will be profoundly harder if military specs are necessary, and custom cable manufacturing is no different. This isn’t to say that working with the military or the government as a whole is problematic. In fact, one could argue that such a working relationship makes a manufacturer that much more reliable when working with the private sector. However, when meeting, and exceeding, government specifications, there is a lot to work through, and not just any manufacturer can handle the work.
There are a few things to know when thinking about custom cable manufacturing and how it pertains to military applications:
MIL-SPEC — These are regulations that are top of mind when producing custom cable & cable assemblies in various military environments. They may be exposed to chemicals, abrasive materials, or extreme temperatures. Beyond the cables, all other components must also meet the right specifications.
High-Signal Integrity — Communication is of the highest importance for military applications domestically and abroad. This is most certainly the case when communication must be had in the field where any glitch in equipment could be catastrophic. There is a constant need to know that no matter the environment or conditions that may be encountered, all goods manufactured for the military will do their job.
In-Process Inspection(s) — Manufacturing can often be as simple as engineering & designing a custom product based on customer needs, following through with the manufacture, and then delivering the materials on or before a predetermined date. This, unfortunately, is of no practical use to the military. They need to know that when materials like custom cables move into the manufacturing stage, there have to be a number of inspections during the process that take place to make sure everything is tip-top. Should a problem arise, it can be addressed and remedied long before the final product is designated as complete and ready for delivery.
Custom cable manufacturing, by default, requires materials to be produced that are particular to a client’s application. Coupled with military specs, the custom materials to be produced must meet a more stringent degree of quality and accuracy simply because so much depends on how the materials are used. If the products delivered are for military and governmental use, it means these goods, used in all manner of communication & field deployment, cannot lose fidelity or fail in use because this can cost lives. Only the best manufacturers can work under that pressure and do so for many years.
Don’t settle for second best when it comes to your custom cable manufacturing. LoDan Electronics, Inc. has been an industry leader of interconnect solutions from design to final product for over 50 years.