Designing wiring harnesses is not an easy task. The wiring harness is the backbone of any car, truck, or vehicle that needs wiring to function. There are many things you need to think about when designing a wiring harness for your product, and it can be difficult understanding them all at once. That’s why you should read this guide on what you need to know about designing and manufacturing wiring harnesses.

What is a wiring harness and what does it do

A wiring harness is a wiring system that is used to connect the various components of your vehicle together. It runs between different parts of the wiring, starting with the battery and running through all of the lights on your car until it reaches the engine where it will be connected to other wiring systems such as fuel injection or ignition wiring harnesses.

The main function of this wiring system is so that these components can communicate with each other properly. For example, if you turn on your radio while driving down a bumpy road then there may be interference which would cause static in some speakers but not others depending on what part of the wiring they are connected to. This could result in an accident because something about how these wires are set up interferes with one another when certain parts of the wiring are used.

The basics of how to design a wiring harness

Designing a wiring harness is a very useful skill to have as it can save you a lot of money and time. In order to understand properly what goes into designing wiring harnesses you first need an understanding of the basics of the wiring itself. Due to the nature of wiring being used in multiple types of products from cars and aircraft all the way down to toys and household appliances, there are various standards that engineers use when designing them depending on their purpose. These include SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), and NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association). 

Another key thing to keep in mind is that wiring harnesses come in two varieties: custom and standard. Custom wiring harnesses are usually designed by engineers who work on cars, aircraft, or other large machines as they require a lot of wiring due to their size and complexity. Standard wiring harnesses on the other hand are much smaller as they only require a small amount of wiring to function properly, but this does not mean that they are any less important or complex than custom wiring harnesses!

How to manufacture a wiring harness

You first need to know what wiring components are needed and how they should be connected together. Remember that the process of wiring harness manufacturing is important and you should always be careful, so you also need to create a wiring layout before starting. This includes the planned location of each component so it can be routed appropriately for installation later on.

Here is the process of manufacturing a wiring harness:

The first step is wiring the harness. Connect wiring components together with one by one. Use wire crimping tools to join wires correctly and test whether the wiring is correct afterward.

The next step is to create wire harnesses through wiring machines. This will cut the wires and pull them together so the wiring components are kept together.

The last step is wiring harness assembly. Soldering or crimping wire ends to the wiring components, then use wiring harnesses to keep wiring components together.

Now you have the wiring assembly ready for installation! 

When wiring harnesses are completed, they need to be thoroughly inspected and tested. This is done as a quality control measure because it ensures that wiring is properly routed and wiring connections are correct.

Testing wiring harnesses requires using a wiring test generator, which can be done automatically or manually depending on how integrated the wiring is.

Most wiring harnesses are tested using a wiring test generator, but it can also be done manually by attaching wires to wiring terminals.

Types of wire harnesses

There are different types of wiring harnesses, and they are categorized based on their function. Here is a list of them:

  • for wiring
  • for power supply 
  • on trucks/vehicles/boats
  • of ships and planes
  • wiring system for manufacturing machine tools, medical devices, or appliances

Since each type has its own purpose, they are designed differently depending on their function. That’s why you need to learn about them to choose the right one.

The cost of designing and manufacturing your own wiring harness

The cost of designing and manufacturing wiring harnesses can vary significantly based on the type of wiring harness, complexity, length requirements/length of wiring harness needed for your application. It depends on the construction method (i.e. “wire-to-board” vs wire to wire), connector type, wiring termination method, wiring harnesses materials.

Designing and manufacturing a wiring harness is not easy, but very much needed. Knowing the process will make it easier and simpler for you to understand what needs to be done and what it is used for. It’s also important for you to know the types and costs so that you understand why the price is higher when you’re ordering one.