Are your cable assemblies over-engineered?
An over-engineered cable assembly can increase lead times and drive up costs unnecessarily. How do you tell if this is your situation? In this article, we share some common things we see in the industry where cables are over-engineered, and how to avoid this with your order.
You want your project to be a success; you have come up with a robust cable assembly design and selected components that meet (or exceed) your requirements. Now you are ready to find a manufacturer to build it for you. There is a problem however. You have very little time to get this cable assembly made, and every manufacturer is telling you that the lead time for your design is going to take 3-6 months to source the components. You find one manufacturer who can do the job for you on time, but it is more than what you budgeted for. What do you do now?
Don’t worry, there two important steps you can look at to try to bring the lead time and cost into line with your goals.
The first step to a cost effective, quality cable harness with an attractive lead time is looking at the design itself.
What are the performance requirements? Will it actually be exposed to harsh conditions? What are the true requirements of the cable.
Often times, cable assemblies are designed for types of scenarios that are not needed. Understanding the parameters that you truly need your cable to operate in is key in determining the complexity and features truly needed for that cable. Scaling back your design to fit closer to the needs of your application can go a long way towards reducing lead times and lowering product life-cycle costs. Your electronic solutions manufacturer should be able to help analyze your design and look for opportunities to help you achieve your applications goals without over-engineering.
Working with experts allows you to gain valuable input in cost saving and lead time improvement measures.
The second step to avoid over-engineered harnesses is to utilize substitute components when able.
Design engineers like to use electronic components that they are familiar with, either by design or by brand. This makes sense—you want to avoid having to do lengthy research into new components, or take risks on something unproven. The downside is that brand name components cost more and typically have longer lead times to produce.
How do you explore alternative electronic components without impacting your bottom line or lead times?
Let’s look at an example:
Mil-Spec connectors are used in applications that have nothing to do with military or defense work because they are rugged and high performing. These connectors could be substituted for Amphenol’s Industrial PT Series Connectors. They provide the same fit and function as your Mil-Spec connectors, but they are almost always more readily available and have lower costs.
When you select a custom manufacturer, you should ask them if they can provide substitution suggestions—if they cannot do that, this is an indicator that it is time to find a new manufacturing partner that can. Alternative components are important considerations for many assemblies. We discuss more about how to explore alternative components in our article here.
As electronic solutions experts, we at MRO qualify all of our vendors before allowing them into our supply chain. This means we can provide quality substitutions that will still perform as needed but with a lower cost and lead time. We also offer a collaborative, hands-on consultancy approach prior to accepting any job with every client, providing design evaluations, making recommendations, and offering a supportive review to improve your lead time, lower your costs, and ensure you have the most effective electronic solution for your needs.
For more support on your project or upcoming needs, please contact us at [email protected]. We are grateful to be considered and look forward to supporting your organization. Alternatively, you can reach us through our contact form: