The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is more than just the latest manufacturing fad. It promises to transform the way that many types of products are designed, assembled and serviced.

A typical Porsche sports car contains more than 2,000 individual wires. If laid end to end, the wiring would stretch 2 to 3 kilometers. Designing such a complex wiring system would be challenge enough, but at Porsche, almost no harness design in series production matches another one.

Size definitely matters when it comes to processing wire. Small wire (26 AWG or higher), for example, presents different challenges than large wire. This is especially true regarding crimping.

The automotive industry is undergoing the biggest transformation in its 130-year history. Automakers and suppliers around the world are scrambling to develop autonomous vehicles. And, they’re under increasing pressure from outsiders ranging from Silicon Valley tech giants to startup entrepreneurs.

When the average person opens up a refrigerator and grabs a too-warm soda can or bottle, his initial reaction is one of disappointment. But, if that person is an assembler of harnesses for this type of appliance, his initial thought is: Check the evaporator fan wiring harness.

When I was a lad, the family car only had an AM radio, which was just fine with my father. All he wanted was to listen to the ballgame. FM radio? Tape player? Man, those were luxuries!

Commercial protocols in aerospace applications present designers with the challenge of balancing the standard against the special needs of the application.

Taking tests and waiting with hope for positive results is a stressful activity that most people perform only when absolutely necessary. For wire-harness assemblers, it’s a daily challenge.

The latest revision of the IPC-WHMA-A-620 standard for the acceptance of cable and wire harness assemblies was published in February.

Whether it is text, numbers, bar codes or even just a pattern to aid identification, producing clear, accurate and long-lasting marks on wire and cable is becoming increasingly important.