Omega 8 series: fully automatic production of wire harnesses with twisted pairs

The increase in functionalities found in modern vehicles presents OEMs with new challenges in wire harness production: each new generation of vehicles has more sensors, control units and comfort functions, resulting in an increased number of data cables such as unshielded twisted pairs (UTP). Whereas vehicles in the 1950s could manage with just a few dozen wires, today there are often more than 1500 wires and over 300 connectors in a single vehicle. In addition, there are various terminal and clip types as well as a multitude of color variants, which originally served to maintain an overview during manual work and consequently avoid errors.

The requirements placed on precision and process reliability are on the rise. Assembly errors, which can lead to costly reworking, damaged components or even recalls at the end of the production line with the inevitable damage to the manufacturer’s reputation, increase with the density of connectors and smaller cavities.

Clear requirements for safety and quality
Manual work has its limitations in the face of this complexity, the miniaturization of components and the high density of contacts. Typical errors such as incorrect insertion or damage caused by reworking are not only expensive, but can also impair the functionality and safety of the vehicle. The demands placed on absolutely error-free processing are increasing. More and more OEMs are setting clear requirements and demanding automation in their specifications in order to reduce error rates to a minimum and ensure consistent quality control as well as stable, reproducible production. Even with an extremely high number of variants. And especially when it comes to safety-relevant applications, such as twisted pairs for airbags or data cables.

Unique and patented
The experts and specialists at the Komax Group have designed the Omega 8 series so that OEMs can ensure that their wire harnesses fulfill the increasingly stringent requirements for safety, data transmission and traceability, even in new, highly functional vehicle generations. It provides wire harness manufacturers with a highly innovative solution that produces fully assembled wire harnesses with single wires and twisted pairs fully automatically. In a continuous process, at high speed and for a wide range of wire harness variants.

The machines in the Omega 8 series make use of the mixed-mode insertion process, whereby an upstream Sigma twisting machine first produces the wires in the desired sequence. The wires are then inserted into cassettes in an Omega machine, where they are placed into the housings fully automatically and with high precision. The system continuously monitors insertion forces and the seating of the terminal during this process, guaranteeing consistently high process reliability and virtually eliminating errors.

The technology and innovative insertion process of the Omega 8 series machines are unique in the world. And, of course, patent pending. We wanted to know from the responsible product manager personally what makes this innovation in the field of highly automated wire harness production so special.

Matthias Felder, Komax's Omega 8 series provides its customers with a highly innovative solution that allows them to fulfill the current requirements of OEMs. What makes these machines so special?
The impedance rate of the data cable is crucial for good and stable data transmission. One of the ways to achieve this positively is to keep the open wire end between the twisted part of the wire and the contact as short as possible. However, since even the shortest and open, so-called untwisted wire ends have to be assembled, the assembly process poses a major challenge. For instance, if the assembly process is not performed simultaneously, the open end usually has to be longer, meaning that the requirements of OEMs in terms of impedance, i.e. transmission quality, cannot be met.

With our Omega-8 series, we ensure the simultaneous assembly of the open end of the data cable, thereby meeting the stringent requirements of OEMs regarding the maximum length of open ends of twisted pairs. We have developed various technologies within the Komax Group ourselves and have filed several patent applications, some of which have already been granted.

Would you be able to reveal which technologies Komax has further patents for in these machines?
In addition to the simultaneous assembly process, also the precise alignment and measurement of the contacts prior to assembling the data cables is covered by patent applications. Our Omega 8 series machines allow us to precisely determine the position and angle of the open ends before assembly, which is becoming increasingly important with ever smaller contacts and cavities. Small and closely spaced contacts leave an extremely small margin for the assembly process and require utmost precision. We often speak here of tolerances in the tenths of a millimeter range.

Why should wire harness manufacturers invest in automation solutions from Komax?
We do absolutely not compromise on processing quality, for example, and guarantee the very highest level of process reliability. The machines in the Omega 8 series allow wire harness manufacturers to automate an important process step that was previously performed manually. Automation will become a decisive success factor for our customers in the future. Not only for reasons of efficiency, but primarily because of the increasing requirements for safety, quality and traceability. Our automation solutions are paving the way for future-proof production for our customers, particularly in light of the opportunities and challenges posed by the next generation of vehicles.