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Technical Cable Applications Blog

Technical Cable Blog

Cable Assembly Drawing: Physical Layout Recommendations

Sep 9, 2022 by Ian Rutherford 0 Comments

Creating an assembly drawing that’s easy to understand and interpret as a blueprint for your cable assembly needs can be pretty difficult, so here are the basics if you’re learning, and some additional pointers to help you improve your cable drawing capabilities at the end too.

What Should My Blueprint Include?

Here are the most basic components that fabrication drawings typically cover for the physical layout and dimensions of the cable assembly. This section will be most helpful if you’re completely new to the process of drawings cable assembly, and are trying to draw a custom cable assembly drawing or OEM electrical cable for the first time.

  • Specify the length of the entire cable assembly or wiring harness, and individual wire or cable lengths in exact measurements
    – Any extra electrical or cable components that will be manufactured should also have length specified
    – Branches and breakout points should also have measurements specified
  • Note the placement of all cable connectors and specifications of which mating orientation is used where for interface cable
    – It should be clear whether male or female connectors are being used along with the general type of cable connector
    – Ideally cable connectors will have exact sizing and measurements as well noted here to ensure that the right ones are used
  • Include any details about cable strength and bending needs
    – Minimum cable bend radius is a common specification as over-bending will damage many cable connectors and cable types
    – Strain relief locations, these are typically the areas that are least likely to break when the cable is under pressure

More specific components like connector pinouts, wiring details, assembly sequences, cable kits, etc. may only be needed later in prototyping, or not at all if the cable assembly is simple enough to examine and build.

Drawing Assembly Specifications: Best Practices for Cable Drawings

Here are some additional tips for how to optimize your cable assembly drawing and what is most important to include.

  • Right angles are easiest to interpret but not always necessary.
  • It should be clear where to measure dimensions from, like end of connector or back of connector (dimension lines are great!)
  • Dimensions should be measurable from places which can be measured on a completed assembly (wire cut lengths can be hard to inspect). We will 100% check these in final inspection.
  • Length tolerances should be wide enough to be easy to manufacture+/-5% is great. Use a -0 tolerance if nominal length is the shortest acceptable. (IPC has guidelines for this as well)
  • Labels and heatshrink should appear on the drawing with dimensions and tolerances (or specified as “about” or “TYP”)
  • Specifying the pinout of the connector, especially with colors, is very helpful. Best practice is 3rd angle projection of the connector face.

Technical Cable Blog

IPC Certification

Sep 6, 2022 by Jim Henderson 0 Comments

TCA has a keen focus on the best possible product quality. Our assemblies are built and inspected to IPC/WHMA-A-620 standards as required by our customers.  This training covers requirements and acceptance for wire and cable harness assemblies. “These certification programs, built around IPC standards, developed and approved by industry, are delivered in a classroom setting by IPC certified trainers. As a non-profit, member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, industry intelligence and public policy advocacy, IPC is THE global association that helps OEMs, EMS, PCB manufacturers and suppliers build electronics better. ” IPC Web site    TCA takes pride in delivering quality by focusing on standards based engineering and assembly.   



Technical Cable Blog, Uncategorized

Off-The-Shelf Cable Assemblies

Jul 15, 2022 by Ward Dutton 0 Comments

Off-The-Shelf (OTS) cable assemblies are already made cable assemblies and wiring harnesses for a variety of standard applications.  There are tremendous advantages to purchasing off the shelf product.  Most notably are lower cost and immediate delivery.  Technical Cable Applications is best known for the custom cable assemblies and wiring harnesses produced in our Auburn, Washington facility.   TCA also offers a huge variety of Off-The Shelf cable assemblies that are in stock in warehouses throughout the country.

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Business, Cable Overmolding, Custom Cable Assemblies, Custom USB Cables, Ethernet Patch Cables, Power Cable

Cable Assemblies in Arizona

Jun 20, 2022 by Dustin Twiggs 0 Comments

I mentioned in a previous post that TCA had expanded both here in Auburn, WA as well as the Southwest.  Formally, I’d like to introduce you to Jim Henderson who represents our Southwest business. Located just outside of Phoenix, AZ Jim comes with years of experience in structured cabling, wire harnesses and cable assemblies.  Jim is on the ground in Arizona and available to visit your facility for consultation and to review your requirements. He comes fully supported with a strong engineering team behind him available to help with costing, tooling, first articles, work instruction creation and eventually getting your assemblies into full scale production.  You can reach him immediately by calling our main line (253) 289-5572.

 

Cable Overmolding, Custom Cable Assemblies, Custom USB Cables, Ethernet Patch Cables

Custom USB Cables and Other Relics

Jun 17, 2022 by Dustin Twiggs 0 Comments

One day I may just up and open up a museum dedicated to TCA antiquities.  Does anyone out there still have one of our original 2002 logo style hats? I can’t even begin to count how many variations of t-shirts, hats, pens, golfballs, catalogs, fliers or other paraphernalia we’ve had over 2 decades.  As we get closer to getting back into trade show mode, it’s fun to review our old displays made eons ago.  When our staff was less than 25% of what we are today, we were already pounding out more than 50,000 cat5e and cat6 network cables per month, all custom made to the inch.

 

We have custom display boards for all types of assemblies but what caught my eye today was the molded USB we created years ago.  Using a common base USB A connector from a trusted manufacturer we were able to build an overmold that created protection, strain relief, and not one but THREE exit holes.  This old display model may be showing some dust and age but the innovation is beautiful and what goes into it is still impressive to me. Multiple solder joints and splices lie under that tiny mold. I told you custom molds get me excited!

 

 

 

Power Cable

Large Gauge Locomotive Cable

Jun 16, 2022 by Dustin Twiggs 0 Comments

In 20 years of business there have been countless experiences that excited me, and anyone who’s worked with me has heard me say “we sell solutions”. I feel strongly about that because we do. Many businesses sell cable assemblies and wire harnesses but our aim is to create additional value in providing those cable assemblies.  Often times the additional value our customers come to us for is looking for ways to manufacture an assembly more cost effectively or help improve a failing product to increase the integrity of the assembly in it’s specific application.  These days the number one value we hear of course is “lead time reduction”.  With supply chain issues running amok across all industries we have bolstered capacity across the board to ensure that our lead times are equal to pre-pandemic levels.  When it comes to cable assemblies there are always three immediate applications that excite me:

  • Molded assemblies. Anytime we get to mold something new there is a fun creative journey involved.
  • Large complex wire harnesses. When an assembly starts to reach 200+ points of inspection, harness boards, and hours of assembly time you really take a moment to appreciate both the engineering involved as well as the skillset of the technicians actually creating the final assembly
  • Large gauge wire assemblies.  Everything about it is big. Big spools, big connectors, BIG crimpers!

One specific application where we are seeing growth due to time constraints is in the very large gauge power cable.  Take for example something like AWC’s DLO-4/0 wire.  Tinned copper, 405A rating, 551 strands, and a whopping OD of nearly a full inch.  Pair that with the Panduit Pan-Lug LCA4/0-38-X 4/0 Lug and you have a whopper of an assembly most of our customers are not equipped to properly crimp.   Luckily, we are.  One such tool is the CT-3001/CCP Li+ Cut / Crimp / Punch tool.   It simply blows my mind that a tool weighing in at only 7.1lbs is equipped with a staggering 6.7 ton crimp capacity..

 

Business

2022 Company Updates

Jun 1, 2022 by Dustin Twiggs 0 Comments

Custom Cable Manufacturers Auburn, WA

As the world returns to some level of post-pandemic normalcy, I’d like to reflect upon the past two years of accomplishments at TCA.  2022 marks our 20 year anniversary as a company and yet we continue to maintain that “start-up” level of excitement and energy around the office. All of the sudden opportunities to gather in group settings, meet with customers face to face, travel, and attend trade shows again are popping up daily and what was old is new again.  The pandemic no doubt created new challenges and hurdles for every individual, company, school, and organization in the world, but I’m extremely grateful for how blessed we have been throughout the experience. In the past two years, TCA has:

  • Expanded real estate by 50%. Taking on new warehousing space for inventory management, production process development, and administrative offices.
  • Expanded our domestic molding capabilities by 50% with additional molding equipment and new dies.
  • Vastly expanded wire cut, crimp, strip, and tin capacity by utilizing Schleunigers automated crimp centers.
  • Began the journey of ISO certification, and achieved that certification the same year.
  • Launched our new website
  • Expanded our sales office into the southwest
  • Grew our staff by nearly double, with over 80 folks in our family here at TCA now.
  • Implemented a fantastic digital work instruction system with many custom modifications thanks to our partners at Scout Systems.
  • Implemented a new MRP system to further improve our efficiencies in inventory management, purchasing, and production work flow.

I am sure I am forgetting a lot, but I’m even more excited about the future.  We are once again looking at visiting trade shows, travelling to customer sites, spending more time together as co-workers at company BBQ’s, celebrating birthdays, and planning our first annual golf tournament.

So thank you to all of our amazing customers and suppliers that have worked together through these past 2 years to create such a fantastic foundation for the future.

power cables