Fiber Optic Cable Harnesses with Guided Furcation Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable harness designs are inefficient and time-consuming, requiring extensive skilled manual labor and manufacturing is limited, with existing cable harnesses not addressing the waste created by current designs.
Innovation Solution
A cable harness is designed with a multifiber cable, a multifiber cable, and a furcation housing that includes a primary fanout tube and secondary fanout tubes, with a furcation housing that guides optical fibers during assembly, reducing manufacturing lead time and material waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional manual assembly methods are used for cable harnesses, then flexibility in handling complex configurations is maintained, but manufacturing lead time and labor costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cable backbone is pre-assembled with connectors and organized into a structured configuration before final assembly. This preliminary preparation allows for faster integration during manufacturing while maintaining the ability to handle complex configurations, thereby reducing manufacturing lead time without sacrificing assembly flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable harness is divided into modular segments including the cable backbone, fanout cables, and connectors. This segmentation allows each component to be prepared independently and assembled systematically, reducing overall assembly complexity while enabling parallel manufacturing processes that improve productivity.
2Reliability
If existing cable harness designs are used, then compatibility with current equipment racks is maintained, but material waste increases due to inefficient designs
Solution Approach 1:
The cable backbone utilizes a standardized connector spacing parameter that is compatible with existing equipment rack configurations. This parameter optimization allows for more efficient material utilization while maintaining compatibility with current equipment, thereby reducing material waste without compromising reliability.
3Productivity
If pre-made furcation assemblies are used, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but assembly precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment features and registration mechanisms serve as intermediaries between the pre-made furcation assemblies and the cable backbone. These features facilitate precise fiber alignment during assembly without requiring extremely tight tolerances in the pre-made components, thus maintaining production efficiency while achieving the necessary manufacturing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A furcation subassembly for carrying optical fibers includes a primary fanout tube configured to receive a connector. The subassembly includes a plurality of secondary fanout tubes to carry at least one optical fiber and configured to receive a connector. The furcation subassembly further includes a furcation housing having a body with opposing ends. The ends receive the primary fanout tube and the secondary fanout tubes. The body includes a first stop and a second stop. The stops define a predetermined distance between ends of the primary fanout tube and each second end of each secondary fanout tubes. A method of manufacturing a cable harness includes stripping the primary fanout tube and inserting the primary fanout tube into the furcation housing. The method includes stripping the secondary fanout tubes and bundling each of the secondary fanout tubes. The method includes inserting the plurality of secondary fanout tubes into the furcation housing.