Aug. 26, 2024
Once you&#;ve decided to outsource production of your fiber optic cable assemblies and wire harnesses, the next big task is to find the right manufacturer. There are quite a few aspects to consider when conducting a search. This article provides the top ten things to look for when searching for the right custom fiber optic cable assembly and wire harness manufacturer.
For more information, please visit our website.
What Is a Custom Fiber Optic Cable Assembly and Wire Harness?
Briefly, a cable assembly is a group of wires or cables, including fiber optic and coaxial cables, encased in a single tube of heavy-duty material ranging from thermoplastic rubber to vinyl to polyurethane. It is designed for specific environmental factors, including heat, friction, moisture, and similar hazards.
A wire harness is an assembly of multiple cables and wires bundled within an insulating material. Rather than being encased like cable assemblies, the wire harness uses tie wraps, PVC, loom tubing, and other sleeving components to bundle the wires and cables. Since the harness is bound together, it provides a safe routing pattern. In addition, it further simplifies the wiring interconnections by delivering an all-in-one integrated drop-in installation across multiple connection points.
What Are the Benefits of Custom Fiber Optic Cable Assemblies and Wire Harnesses?
The significant benefits of custom cable assemblies and wire harnesses are that they can be pre-tested, manufactured in quantity, and dropped into place in the field. Not only that, but compared to field installation, pre-terminated fiber optic cables can save money and time.
Savings come from faster installation and fewer field testing requirements due to cable performance that&#;s already been measured and tested for superior performance.
The alternative is to route each wire, fiber optic, and coaxial cable by hand during product manufacturing or field installation. But, unfortunately, that multiplies by every connection the risk of misrouting, miswiring, and connector assembly faults. Then, when a problem is discovered, you have an onerous troubleshooting task that may not always have a happy outcome.
Why Is Choosing the Right Cable Assembly and Wire Harness Manufacturer Important?
Anyone you work with, from employees to suppliers to vendors, is absolutely critical to your organization&#;s performance. Anything that goes wrong has a direct impact on your business results. Moreover, things that go right from faster products to market to lower-cost projects drive the success of your business. In this way, custom fiber optic cable assembly and wire harness manufacturers directly impact your business. So finding the right one is critical.
For example, the assembly of cables and wire harnesses requires broad experience and deep expertise to take on whatever manufacturing task is required. Then there&#;s testing that needs to ensure that the fiber optic cable assembly or wire harness has been correctly wired and meets rigorous standards. Those standards include environmental factors such as vibration, heat, cold, abrasion, and even moisture.
What Should You Look for in a Fiber Optic Custom Cable Assembly and Wire Harness Manufacturer?
There are quite a few things to examine as you&#;re looking for the right manufacturer. We&#;ve assembled a list of the top things you should be looking for as you consider the best cable assembly and wire harness manufacturer for your projects.
. Any manufacturer you consider should have decades of experience in manufacturing standard cables and wire harnesses and extensive experience working with clients on custom cables and
wire harnesses
. The list of clients should be long and have several of the top names in the business.
. Every industry has its own exacting demands. That might be
military
or aerospace, or even medical applications. The right manufacturer for your requirements should have extensive experience meeting your industry&#;s and your applications&#; demands. They can&#;t just acquire it when you show up with a prototype. They need to have &#;been there and done that,&#; so you&#;re not providing them with on-the-job training with your time and money.
. Providing custom cables for a specific industry is one thing. Even so, the right manufacturer also needs extensive experience with the type of cable assemblies and wire harnesses you need. So here again, it&#;s no good helping bring them up to speed on something new with your project and resources.
. The best manufacturers provide quick prototype design, development, and rapid scaling into full-blown production. However, they must also have a never-ending drive for fast delivery backed up by extensive testing resources to ensure the highest quality.
. A custom cable manufacturer will ideally be located near your manufacturing operation. Those with
multiple locations
provide relatively nearby facilities and have a backup that can help with disruptions in one area of the country or provide expedited manufacturing and delivery to all your locations.
. Any custom fiber optic cable wire harness manufacturer will have extensive
component sourcing capabilities
. Plus, they should be able to share their insight into where you&#;re most likely to run into problems. That will also help you to respond early and often to head off those problems before they happen. In addition, the right manufacturing partner can provide real-time supply issue updates, from shortages to discontinued connectors.
. Location and sourcing, coupled with extensive design, production, and testing resources, should optimize the
speed of delivery
for your custom fiber optic cables. The manufacturer&#;s ability to collaborate with your team throughout the design and production process is a big part of that. Look for responsiveness during the selection process to choose the best manufacturer.
. This is always going to be on your list for any manufacturer. But ensure cost savings don&#;t cost you more in the long run. Those costs could be delayed manufacturing, cost overruns, and even failed projects. See the rest of the list and ensure everything is taken care of before you start tallying the product costs.
. Manufacturing custom fiber optic cable assemblies and wire harnesses isn&#;t something you can set up in your garage. Instead, it takes considerable expertise backed by industry certification, recognition, and regulation compliance. You can readily tell the top manufacturers from the list of certifications. See our list below for an example of what you should seek from any manufacturer.
. When it comes down to brass tacks, many companies have all the above items, but they lack personalized customer service. The right custom cable manufacturers engage you from your first moment of contact and through every step of every project. You can almost tell on the first call whether they have your interests at heart. This aspect should be weighted highly on your assessment of the right cable harness manufacturer for your business.
Cables Unlimited Certifications and Regulation Compliance
With over 30 years of experience assisting customers with everything from basic cable assemblies to complex proprietary solutions, Cables Unlimited is prepared to manufacture and deliver the high-quality Made-in-the-USA cables you need.
We continuously make significant technology investments, keep pace with industry standards and acquire the most advanced manufacturing equipment and tooling. In addition, our highly-skilled manufacturing and engineering staff is fully committed to a zero-defect quality program and ensures the highest quality workmanship available. As a result, you can be confident that with Cables Unlimited, you will get the quality products and service you deserve from start to finish.
Here&#;s our list of certifications, recognition, and compliance.
. Cables Unlimited complies with strict business procedure guidelines set by the International Standards Organization (ISO). As a result, you can be confident in the level of service you&#;ll receive when you choose us.
. We are UL Recognized, meaning that Underwriters Laboratories has determined that Cables Unlimited, as a manufacturer, can produce components for use in UL-compliant products.
. Products are available in Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliant constructions.
. As an approved
Corning Gold Cable Assembly House
, Cables Unlimited meets the high standard of manufacturing processes and business practices required to be a member of this elite group of optical fiber cable manufacturers. This distinction allows Cables Unlimited to offer Corning&#;s 25-year Extended Warranty on certain fiber optic patch cords.
. This training and certification program, developed by IPC International, reflects excellence in wire harness and cable assembly manufacturing.
. Our highly trained installation technicians have certifications from BICSI, Molex, Corning, Tyco Electronics, Hubbell, and more.
. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) is a United States regulatory regime to restrict and control the export of defense and military-related technologies to safeguard U.S. national security and further U.S. foreign policy objectives.
. The JCP was established in to allow United States (U.S.)/Canadian contractors to apply for access to the Department of Defense/Department of National Defence (DOD/DND) unclassified export-controlled technical data/critical technology.
We Can Meet Your Custom Fiber Optic Cable Assembly and Wire Harness Manufacturing Needs
If your requirements are already specified and ready for a quote for your current projects, we are prepared to meet your deadlines and pricing targets. Our extensive in-house services and advanced manufacturing capabilities are in place to meet your requirements.
But Cables-Unlimited offers much more than state-of-the-art manufacturing &#; our dedicated team is also known for going to great lengths to meet the needs of our customers, including working round-the-clock to meet tight turnaround time requirements.
Our sales representatives are standing by to assist you with product questions and quotes Monday &#; Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern. Of course, you can also us or complete our contact form, and we&#;ll get right back to you.
We know that custom cables are better for your project than the cables you will find at the store. We&#;ve previously discussed the benefits of custom options and how they end up being more affordable in the long run despite often costing more initially.
If you ever scan the market, you will find that many sellers offer custom cable. While all manufacturers claim to be the best, the truth is that they&#;re not made equal.
In this article, we have covered the twelve questions you must ask custom cable manufacturers to gauge their efficiency and understand if they&#;re worth a try or not.
Close-up detail of electrical power cables
#1 For How Long Have You Been in The Custom Cable Manufacturers Industry
Suntex Electronics supply professional and honest service.
electrical tester wires tying cables bolt
That should be your first question, as it will help you know about the provider. Most people suggest that you choose a firm that has been working for a good few years since many of us equate the quality experience, but that may not always be true.
Some new providers can be excellent. Still, experience does come into play when you&#;re ordering a complex job.
Moreover, there appears to be a trade-off. Experienced companies tend to charge more for what they bring to the table. On the other hand, new companies may offer lower rates because they want to grow and work with more clients.
The decision is yours. If you think your job is complicated, choose someone with experience in handling similar work. Otherwise, you can opt for a new firm if it offers other benefits, such as lower quotes.
#2 What Kind of Payment Options Do You Offer
using mobile smartphone online payment
Assuming you will be dealing online, you will have to make payments using one of the many available tools, such as PayPal, Skrill, and credit cards. All these options have perks, and some may be more costly than others.
Credit cards, for example, levy an additional charge of 3% when you make international payments, which can run into thousands when you&#;re making huge payments. On the other hand, there may also be currency conversion fees.
Other options, in some cases, may turn out to be cheaper. Hence, it&#;s essential to ask this question because it can make a lot of difference to how much you&#;ll end up paying at the end of the day.
#3 Do You Offer Any Warranties or Guarantees?
large copper power cable
This pointer will keep you safe in case things go wrong. Warranties help you stay assured that you&#;ll be covered if the company fails to make good on the promise, so inquire about this factor and be aware of all relevant conditions. For example, the warranty/guarantee may go void if you request a refund after a certain period. Go through the document that explains these terms and conditions.
Moreover, it is pretty standard for no warranties in this industry. If such is the case, you can opt to get a demo or prototype and then give a bulk order once you&#;re satisfied with what you got.
#4 What Kind of Timeline Do You Provide?
multicolored
We know that most companies need wires to install in products to create an end-product for the market. If the shipment is delayed, the entire order can get delayed putting the whole business at risk. Since deadlines are essential, being clear about this factor will ensure you get your hands on the product right when you need it.
Cable manufacturers will generally provide you with a timeline that&#;s often negotiable. Also, you may have to pay more if you opt for a very short deadline.
#5 What Materials Will You Use?
The electrician technician at work prepares the cable.
The quality will largely depend on the materials used to clarify this factor from the beginning. Consider sending your specifics to the manufacturer. Some sellers entertain such requests and let buyers decide what material to use during manufacturing.
#6 Cable Manufacturers&#;What Kind of Companies Do You Work With?
Control panel wiring
Wires are used worldwide, from the health industry to the manufacturing industry. Different companies have different requirements, and working with a manufacturer with experience in the same niche is best to understand and deliver what you need quickly.
#7 Cable Manufacturers&#;Can You Share Your Portfolio and Client Details?
measure the current power of electrical components
This question is linked to the previous question, so consider asking them together for clarity. Some manufacturers will have these details on the official website under the portfolio or testimonial section. Hence you may not have to ask this one. However, there&#;s no harm if you cannot find such information on the web.
The company will most probably share the names, but they may not give out other information as that may be confidential.
#8 Cable Manufacturers&#;What Is Your Medium of Communication?
electrical installation network cable system
Communication is essential whether you&#;re giving a big or small order, especially when you have never met your supplier in a face-to-face meeting.
Ask them how they communicate and do they prefer emails or calls, or the traditional fax method. Believe it or not, some companies still stick to it.
You can use this information to determine if they&#;re in sync with your business. In addition, working hours need to be paid attention to because if you are in the US working with a company in China or Australia, the difference can be over 10 hours.
It is best to choose a provider that offers 24/7 support, not to change your schedule to discuss with an agent.
#9 Are You a Licensed and Registered Custom Cable Manufacturer?
Once again, this information will usually be available on the website, but if it isn&#;t, you can inquire. Never make the mistake of choosing a company that isn&#;t registered or licensed because such firms are usually spam and fail to deliver.
Moreover, do not trust blindfold what they tell you. Make it a point to do your research and verify the information. It may be a good idea to go to the official website of the licensing body and verify the license so that you can rest assured you&#;re in safe hands.
#10 Cable Manufacturers&#;Do You Offer International Shipping?
International cable shipping
What&#;s the point of speaking to an agent for hours and negotiating everything to realize they do not deliver in your country of residence? So, be clear about this point if you&#;re working with an off-shore firm.
#11 Cable Manufacturers&#;Are There Any Extra Charges?
Custom cable manufacturers may add additional charges for services such as expedited shipping. These charges can cost a fortune and make the gig more expensive than you originally envisioned. So, emphasize this point and insist on getting a full and final quote to know exactly how much you&#;ll have to pay.
#12 Cable Manufacturers&#;Do You Offer Discounts?
Discount offers CLOOM
Some companies offer discounted rates when you give bulk orders or promise to return for more work. However, some companies are stringent about prices and work on fixed rates. Add this question when you inquire about extra charges.
Conclusion
That is all you need to know about selecting custom cable manufacturers. Remember that the key lies in knowing what you&#;re looking for, carefully communicating your requirements, and asking questions to ensure they can at least meet &#; if not exceed &#; your expectations.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Wire Harness Manufacturers. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
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