Cable manufacturing processes

Depending on the product requirements, our cables will go through various production departments and manufacturing processes before we arrive at your finished product.

With the following overview of the individual work steps involved, we hope to clearly set out our processes for you.

Cutting to length

Cutting to length, in other words cutting cables into sections, is done on our semi-automatic and fully automatic machines. Our extensive fleet of modern machinery enables us to cut wires and cables with an outer diameter of up to 16 millimetres to length.

Our machine capacity for “cutting to length”:

  • Cross-sections of 0.08 mm² to 75.0 mm²
  • Ribbon cables up to a maximum width of 80 mm
  • Cable lengths of 15 mm to 5000 mm
  • Heat-shrinkable tubing
  • Braided sleeves (hot cutting)
  • Corrugated tubes (cutting of peaks and troughs possible)

Removal of insulation

During the removal of insulation, part of the insulating sleeve, also known as the insulation, of a wire is removed to a certain length as subsequently required to connect and assemble the wire.

Integrated machine-assisted removal of insulation from 0.08 mm² to 25,0 mm²

Conventional in prototyping in cross-sections up to 75.0 mm²

Crimping

During crimping, a contact is pressed onto the wire by means of mechanical compression. This enables us to achieve a solid mechanical connection between the wire and contact.
Crimping is an alternative to soldering or welding.

Monitoring of the entire crimping process is documented in our Quality department by monitoring the crimping force and crimp height/width and carrying out pull-off force tests, visual inspections and microsections.

There are other tests that also ensure the quality of a crimp: Tensile force tests, electrical tests, visual inspections and microsections.

With more than 1500 extremely wide-ranging contacts, we have a broad spectrum of crimping options at our disposal in series production and prototyping.

We produce the following ranges of contacts, among others, on fully automatic machines:

  • MQS – Micro Quadlok System (TE)
  • MCP – Multiple Contact Point (TE)
  • JPT – Junior Power Timer (TE)
  • SPT – Standard Power Timer (TE)
  • UNML – Universal-Mate-N-Lok (TE)
  • SLK – Sensor-Lamellen-Kontakt (Kostal)
  • MLK – Mini-Lamellen-Kontakt (Kostal)
  • Mini-Fit (Molex)
  • Micro-Fit (Molex)
  • PA-Serie (JST)
  • DT-Serie (Deutsch)
  • DTM-Serie (Deutsch)
  • AT-Serie (Amphenol)
  • SuperSeal (TE)
  • Bosch Kompakt Serie
  • PH-Serie (JST)

Soldering

In line with our responsibility towards the environment and our quality standards, we use halogen- and lead-free solder. Our soldering and tin plating process is therefore 100% halogen- and lead-free.

Soldering is a purely manual thermal joining process.

The simplest soldering process is soft-soldering, which is performed manually. Here the parts to be soldered and joined are heated with a soldering iron.

Traditional manual work is therefore unavoidable even in the latest cable manufacturing processes.

We solder all standard connectors and wires on our soldering stations. For small series, we also assemble PCBs or SMD components by hand.

We outsource large quantities of PCBs to a partner who produces them for us by machine.

Ultrasonic welding

Ultrasonic welding connects stranded wires by means of electrical pulses. Up to 20 strands with a cross-section of 0.25 mm² to 30 mm² can be welded together.

Tin plating

With tin-plating, a layer of tin is created on the wire to solder electrical components (connectors, resistors, diodes, etc.) to the wire.
The stripped conductors are first immersed in a soldering bath, and thus tin-plated. We do this in series production using fully automated machines, and also in prototyping using the more traditional manual method.

Bandaging

Whether it is flexible, abrasion-proof, heat-resistant noise-absorbing or wet room solutions that are required, we bandage in record time on machines using only bandages of certified, high-quality brands.

Tubing

We produce corrugated tubes, glass silk tubes, braided sleeves and PVC tubes, including in long lengths.

Bundling

Your finished goods will be bundled, sorted into bundles or packaged individually according to your specific requirements and specification.

The bundles will generally be cut to an exact length and be fitted with the required contacts.

An exact marking with the connection designation, direction, source etc. will also be carried out according to customer requirement.

Module assembly

The layout and assembly of terminal boxes, compact switch cabinets, break-out boxes, panels, control boxes or other components is an important aspect alongside traditional cable manufacture.

Twisting

Twisting two, three or four wires is a key EMC issue. We achieve perfect, reproducible twisting with the correct and above all uniform length of lay across the entire length of drilled cable.

Printing

We can produce individual markings with our printing systems.

We print lettering on single conductors, light plastic-sheathed cables or even ribbon cables.

Direct printing with an inkjet printing system takes place during the cutting process in our cable cutting shop.

The options for printing are virtually limitless and suitable even for small cable diameters.

We also print heat-shrinkable tubing, self-laminating wrap-around labels, connectors and open or closed marking sleeves, also colour-coded.

3D printing, additive manufacturing

3D printing, also referred to as Rapid Technology, is an umbrella designation for all manufacturing processes in which material is applied layer by layer, resulting in three-dimensional workpieces (connector cases, fuse holders, special components, etc.).
We use computers to build up the layers on ABS plastic.

Particularly in prototyping, our 3D printer provides us with development parts from customised and application-specific developments extremely quickly.