Simon Knibbs Simon has been working at EPLAN UK for 3 years as an EPLAN Applications Engineer. He started his career in building, services, and moved on to designing and programming early robotics. He then became involved in mechatronic design and PCB layout. Since joining the CAD industry he has always been at the forefront assisting customers. He is a great advocate of value for money and hates to see customers’ investments underutilised through lack of knowledge, configuration skills or investment. He is a firm believer that a consultant’s role is to aid the customer in doing things better, easier and faster. So automation, standardisation and integration into other workflows are his interests. Knibbs.S@eplan.co.uk Simon Knibbs auf LinkedIn

19/09/23

Why is electrical wiring harness design software becoming increasingly popular?

Author: Simon Knibbs Time to read: minute minutes

Wire or cable harnesses (also known as wiring or cable assemblies) are a way of organising wires between components in an electrical system. They are commonly used in server arrays and other computer or AV equipment, as well as HVAC systems, transportation, and a wide range of industrial applications. Cable harnesses typically insulate related groups of wiring, binding them together between common endpoints.

As the digital market expands, behind the scenes, computer equipment is proliferating and with it the need for cabling. That's why the market for wiring harnesses is predicted to expand with a compound annual growth rate of 3.95% until at least 2032. In such circumstances, electrical wiring harness design software becomes increasingly vital to optimise routing, maintain system performance and reduce costs.

Increased Efficiency

A wire harness can simplify electrical installations, but without proper design, it's impossible to get the most efficient results. Electrical harness software helps to streamline design and manufacture, resulting in faster installation times. For example, the use of a digital twin removes the need for physical-mechanical prototypes and is more flexible where revisions are required.

Design Check Rules

Design check rules allow engineers to validate models before production. Wire harness software facilitates adherence to such rules, offering feedback and info on correct terminal sizing, wire protection sizes, cavity seals and required accessories.

Routing

Using a 3D digital twin, wire harness routes can be determined with full accuracy during the software phase of system design and before finalisation in prototypes or production. An established catalogue of parts provides accurate reporting data for BOM, connection and manufacturing documents.

Improved Quality

The development of wire harnesses simplifies assembly and mitigates the risk of costly errors. Product reliability and efficiency are improved, and maintenance becomes more manageable, with less clutter and uncertainty over routing. Furthermore, the risk of disconnections and short circuits is lessened, as wire harnesses help to protect against vibrations and abrasions, and fire hazards can also be mitigated by the use of flame-retardant sleeves.

Cost Reduction

By simplifying assembly, wire harness development is able to save time throughout the process of complex installations. Rather than routing wires separately, the combined harness is simply dropped in. It is often possible to eliminate unneeded components, further rationalising the system, and because of the ease of setup, labour costs are reduced too.

Find Out More

EPLAN Harness proD helps users design fast and efficient cable harnessing solutions. To discover more about EPLAN's software solutions, please contact us today.

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