The challenges that relate to cable assemblies for use in the aerospace industry are quite specific. This type of assembly tends to be larger than those that are used in other applications and, as a result, can also be very heavy. Aerospace cable assemblies are always complex with multiple breakouts and a large number of different component parts. Plus, they must have a resilience and durability that goes beyond what may be required of other types of cable assembly – able to continue to function in extreme conditions. As a result of the uniqueness of the aerospace cable assembly there are some very individual challenges that have to be overcome.
Aerospace cable assembly needs to remain manual
While robotics and automation are being applied to many other manufacturing processes, when it comes to cable assemblies this is something that needs to remain in human hands. Each handler will have been trained for several months in the basic assembly practices of the business they are working for – and will then need to go on to be trained to meet the requirements of the specific customer. Requirements for assembly and installation can be incredibly varied and those who are trained to handle the process may have to cross train to ensure that they have the skills and experience to handle assembly for each type. The very specific and incredibly skilled process that is involved in aerospace cable assembly makes automation currently virtually impossible.
The issue of repairs
Up until 9/11 most aircraft manufacturers carried out their own repairs in-house, including with respect to cable assemblies. However, when the airline industry was forced to downsize after that fateful date it became much more common to outsource this function. This has meant that many cable assembly manufacturers have often found themselves repairing assemblies that they did not manufacture, which can make things complicated. If the original manufacturer doesn’t allow repairs by another party then it may be necessary to comply with time consuming and expensive “check and test” requirements.
Evolution and development
Aerospace is an industry where innovation never stops. With electrical systems becoming increasingly complex, larger and designed to meet ever more ambitious targets it’s essential that cable assembly manufacturing continues to evolve to support this. This is a huge challenge for the sector, as these are already some of the most ambitious electrical components used in any industry. Consider that some cable assemblies can reach to more than 100 feet long, others may have several thousand connection points in a single assembly and testing can be a long and complex process, especially if the cable assembly is in a hard to reach location such as under the flight deck of a plane. One of the biggest challenges for cable assembly for aerospace is keeping up with innovation and ensuring that products and testing are fit for purpose.
Aerospace cable assembly provides essential components for the industry, which simply wouldn’t be able to soar without these essential parts. These are just some of the challenges that manufacturers in this sector need to be able to overcome.
