Flat Cable Harness Lamination for Automated Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cable harnesses are cumbersome for automated laying due to their limp nature and high production costs, as they often consist of numerous individual wires manually combined into a round bundle, making them unsuitable for sustainable and cost-effective manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A flat cable harness with bare conductors laminated between two insulating layers, allowing for a simpler and faster production process through a lamination method that eliminates the need for extrusion, enabling automated assembly and reducing material complexity by using prefabricated insulating layers and avoiding intermediate layers or components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional cable harnesses are made from numerous individual wires manually bundled into a round package, then flexibility is improved, but automated installation capability deteriorates and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable harness is segmented into a flat cable structure where individual conductors are arranged side-by-side in parallel rows between insulating layers, rather than bundled as a round package. This segmentation enables automated processing while maintaining flexibility through the flat configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable harness transitions from a traditional round cross-section to a flat cross-section with conductors arranged in parallel rows. This dimensional change from circular to rectangular geometry enables automated laying processes while preserving the flexibility needed for installation.
2Ease of operation
If conventional cable harnesses are made from numerous individual wires manually bundled, then flexibility is improved, but manufacturing cost deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual wire manufacturing processes are merged into a single lamination process where all conductors are simultaneously placed between insulating layers and bonded together. This consolidation eliminates repetitive manual operations and reduces production cost while maintaining cable flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical bundling of individual wires is replaced by a lamination process using heat and pressure to bond conductors between insulating layers. This substitution automates the manufacturing process, reducing labor costs and improving manufacturing efficiency.
3Reliability
If an extrusion process is used to insulate individual conductors and create a flat cable, then insulation is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Insulating layers are prepared in advance as separate components before the lamination process. These pre-fabricated insulating layers are then bonded to the conductors in a single operation, simplifying the manufacturing process while ensuring reliable insulation without requiring complex extrusion equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation function is extracted from the conductor manufacturing process and implemented as separate insulating layers that are laminated onto the conductors. This separation simplifies the overall manufacturing process by eliminating the need for extrusion while maintaining insulation quality.
4Strength
If the two insulating layers are bonded together by material bond through gluing or welding, then structural integrity is improved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating layers and conductors are bonded through phase transition during lamination, where heat causes thermoplastic materials to soften and fuse together. This phase change enables rapid bonding that maintains structural integrity while reducing production time compared to traditional gluing or welding methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables a cost-effective, automated, and efficient production of branched cable harnesses with improved flexibility and reduced material usage, facilitating direct attachment to vehicle components via welding, thus enhancing manufacturing efficiency and sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
the two insulating layers are generally bonded together by a material bond, for example, by gluing or welding
Implementation Method 2
the two insulating layers are generally bonded together by a material bond, for example, by gluing or welding
Implementation Method 3
the individual conductors are fed in parallel to each other together with and between the two insulating layers, whereby subsequently, e.g. by rolling, the two insulating layers with the conductors arranged between them are pressed against each other and bonded together in a material-bonded manner
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The cable assembly (2) serves for the electrical connection of two components and, according to the invention, comprises a flat cable (8) with several conductors (4) surrounded by insulation, wherein the conductors (4) are laminated between two insulating layers (6). The conductors (4) are in particular round conductors, and the flat cable (8) is further preferably divided into a main strand (24) and at least one branch strand (26) to form a branch line (22). This enables cost-effective and automated production of a cable assembly (2), even one with branches.