Case Study

Innovative Solutions for Custom Cable Harness Assembly: A Case Study in Efficiency and Ergonomics

In an increasingly competitive manufacturing landscape, businesses are continuously seeking ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency. This case study focuses on a customer who needed to reduce the cost of manufacturing conduit assemblies while also addressing the ergonomic challenges faced by workers. The original process was labor-intensive, taking 30 minutes per assembly and causing strain on workers' wrists and fingers.

Problem faced:

High manufacturing cost due to a time-consuming assembly process.

Ergonomic issues, leading to potential long-term health issues for workers.

The need for a waterproof conduit assembly.

AFI Systems solution:

Our team collaborated closely with the customer to identify areas of improvement within the existing process. We developed an innovative approach that addressed both the efficiency and ergonomic challenges faced by the workers.

• Implementation of a spool machine: By introducing a spool machine into the assembly process, the time spent on manual handling of coax cables was significantly reduced.
• Designing a polyurethane plug: To make the conduit assembly waterproof, a custom polyurethane plug was designed. When combined with glue line shrink tube, this plug ensured a watertight seal for the assembly.
• Proprietary process for coax cable installation: Our team devised a proprietary process for installing the two coax cables within the assembly. This streamlined process minimized labor and reduced the physical strain on workers.
• Connector installation and quality control: After the assembly was completed, connectors were installed, and a continuity check was performed on each assembly to ensure product quality and reliability.

Results:

By implementing the above solutions, we achieved the following results:

• Reduced fabrication time: The assembly process was reduced from 30 minutes per assembly to just 8-9 minutes, resulting in a significant increase in efficiency.
• Improved ergonomics: The use of a spool machine and our proprietary cable installation process minimized the strain on workers' wrists and fingers, leading to a safer and healthier work environment.
• Waterproof conduit assembly: The custom-designed polyurethane plug, in combination with the glue line shrink tube, resulted in a waterproof conduit assembly, meeting the customer's requirement for a more robust product.

Conclusion:

This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of adopting innovative solutions in response to specific customer needs. By streamlining the manufacturing process and addressing ergonomic issues, our team was able to significantly reduce the cost of conduit assembly production while also improving worker safety and product quality. The successful implementation of these changes highlights the importance of continuous improvement and collaboration in the manufacturing industry.

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