Machine for cuttingstrippingcrimping cable harnesses for your company.

The machine is built on a steel frame. Transparent fixed panels and doors are mounted on the frame to allow access and visual control of the ongoing production process. Control of the device is based on Siemens components. For safety assurance, components from Pilz and Sick are used. The pneumatic system is built using Festo components. Most sensors are supplied by Balluff. Terminal feeding is carried out using vibratory feeders. All linear guides are supplied by Hiwin. To ensure a reliable terminal crimping process, drives from Nord are used. These drives meet the demands of high switching frequency and significant load irregularity during the crimping cycle. Wire marking is handled by a Leibinger Jet3up PI printer. The use of components from the mentioned manufacturers ensures long-term and reliable operation of the machine.

The machine can be adapted to a wide range of wire types. It automatically straightens the wire, ensuring high repeatability in measured harness lengths. The use of an automatic spool unwinder has significantly reduced the frequency of retooling and machine preparation.

Thanks to length measurement using an encoder, the cutting accuracy is ±3 mm for cable sections up to 1 meter.

The wire is fed into a rotary positioner, which consistently delivers both ends of the harness for positioning and terminal crimping. The cutting and crimping processes are configured to provide the most time-efficient cycle.

Main components for the machine are supplied by: Siemens, Pilz, Balluff, Sick, Festo.

The wires used in the device are supplied on spools. To ensure cutting accuracy within ±3 mm, a cable unwinder equipped with a compensator and a two-plane straightening system is used.

Cable feeding for each technological operation is handled by a belt drive combined with a servo drive and an autonomous encoder for length measurement.

Terminal feeding is carried out using vibratory feeders and specially designed applicators tailored to the specific terminal types.

When designing the crimping tools, we relied on our decades of experience in crimping technology and tool production. This ensures process stability, repeatability, and the highest crimping quality.

Cable marking is performed using the Leibinger Jet3up PI printer. This device allows for inline marking, which does not affect the machine’s cycle time.

The machine is compatible with terminals produced by ERKO. Using high-quality terminals guarantees full machine efficiency and jam-free operation. The machine can also work with terminals from other manufacturers, provided their quality matches that of ERKO products.

The proprietary machine software allows the creation of custom programs for wire production. Programs can be uploaded locally on the machine’s panel or remotely. By default, the device can store up to 300 programs. When creating a program, the following parameters are defined: wire length, cross-section, type of terminals to be crimped, and labeling.

To start production of a selected batch, the operator retools the machine and sets the batch size. Once started, the machine only requires supervision and periodic refilling of terminal feeders. Feeders can be refilled without interrupting the operation.

Our goal when designing the interface was to make it as intuitive as possible. Program creation is done using graphical selection fields. The only data entered manually are wire length and marking. During retooling, the operator is guided by visual cues, allowing fast and error-free retooling in under 15 minutes.

The machine has several access levels. Depending on the user’s level, they may operate the machine or edit production recipes. There is also a service access level that allows full control over machine parameters.

Remote access allows machine diagnostics and event history preview. It also enables sharing of current and historical process data with external systems, and allows remote service without the need for an on-site visit.

The machine is designed for a capacity of up to 10,000 wires produced within 24 hours, equivalent to the output of four manual workstations. This solution significantly reduces production costs and greatly improves production planning flexibility. The fully automated operations ensure high product repeatability and eliminate manufacturing errors.

The device requires only occasional operator supervision. All events and the machine’s status are displayed on the control panel and indicated via the signal tower.

Refilling the terminal feeders does not require stopping the machine. The operator is notified in advance when feeder refilling is needed.

All components necessary for retooling are stored in designated containers located near the tooling station. Each part used for retooling is clearly marked, which significantly shortens changeover time.

The cable harness machine project includes potential future upgrades allowing for:
– feeding a wide range of terminals and wires
– custom cable marking options
– crimping quality control
– heat shrink application
– bundling cables into harnesses
– automation of the retooling process
– configuration of additional modules according to customer needs
– adaptation to other customer-specific requirements

• Increased production efficiency through accelerated wire harness preparation — reduced harness assembly time
• Optimal use of human resources by replacing manual operator work with an automated station for cutting, stripping, and crimping
• High repeatability and accuracy in wire harness preparation
• High performance compared to traditional methods
• The station eliminates time spent on manual wire cutting, stripping, and terminal crimping
• Replaces manual operator work and requires no constant supervision
• Significantly increases harness production capacity
• Requires minimal technical support, reducing service costs and improving process efficiency
• Stable production output facilitates planning and minimizes unexpected delays
• Improves collaboration with purchasing departments and minimizes delays caused by waiting for new parts to be produced
• Ensures production continuity and increases efficiency without the need for additional hires

• Simple and intuitive operation allows quick onboarding of new employees
• Capable of producing harnesses with larger cross-sections
• Significantly improves market competitiveness

Possible crimps performed by the machine