Wire and cable don’t generally include all of the modifications needed for a specific application. For instance, your application may call for wire with ink-jet printing for easy identification throughout set up and utilization. Similarly, you might want your wires dyed numerous colors for prompt circuit identification. This is the place value-added manufacturers take over.

Several manufacturers provide distributors, wire harness manufacturers, and OEMs with value-added providers for wire and cable merchandise. A worth-added service indicates a customization on an order that goes beyond a basic or core service. In different phrases, it benefits the tip person by “including value” to the standard service provided.

Within the electrical wire and cable industry, worth-added companies embrace braiding, lower and strip, printing, bar-coding, dyeing, customized put ups, striping, and more. These providers will be broken down into 4 essential categories – Identification Options, Set up Solutions, Labeling Solutions, and Packaging Solutions.

Identification Solutions: Striping, Dyeing, and Printing

Striping and Dyeing

Manufacturers and distributors of electrical wire typically add stripes or dye a base wire one other color. These processes are multifunctional as they add value to the product, differentiate the wire for circuit identification and assist management stock volumes of stocked material.

So as to dye a wire, a specially-constructed machine feeds the wire product through a system of pulleys. First, the wire passes by a “wiper,” a foam circle that encompasses the complete cable. The jacket of the wire absorbs a formulated dye that is present in the foam. After passing via the wiper, the wire goes into a heat tower to cure and dry.

Striping, which many manufacturers offer for extruded wire, is carried out in the identical machine as dyeing. Nevertheless, for striping, the wire does not cross by means of a foam wiper. As an alternative, the wire passes via a striper head that spins across the wire before it goes into the dryer tower.

The produced stripes are both longitudinal or spiral. Submit-manufacturing striping often generates a spiral stripe, like that on a candy cane. Longitudinal stripes, which run along the side of a wire, are also obtainable submit-manufacturing, but should not as widespread as the spiral type. Contrasting stripes are generally used when greater than ten circuits should be identified.

Almost all insulations are capable of be striped, including PVC, rubber, silicone, and PTFE. Similar to striping, most PVC compounds may be dyed to individual specifications with out encountering any issues. However, some compounds that are CV-cured or irradiated usually are not able to be dyed as a result of they were originally designed to repel both petroleum- and alkaline-based mostly chemicals. The coloration is not going to soak into the insulation and is liable to flaking.

Printing

Along with common striping and dyeing methods, there are different methods of marking wire for identification. Many OEMs and harness manufacturers prefer utilizing printed wire of their assembled merchandise. Printed wire not only helps within the assembly of merchandise, but also benefits installers and users of the finished product.

A method of marking wire is with ink-jet printing. Utilizing a dot matrix printer, a sequence of “dots” create characters on a wire. For example, in the automotive trade, a harness could also be manufactured for turn signals. In this case, the precise wire would be ink-jet printed “left front turn sign” or “tail lights.” Every wire could be colour coded within the harness and ink-jet printed, making it consumer-pleasant and easily identifiable.

One other means of marking wire is sizzling stamping, which entails a process similar to that of a typewriter. A personality-formed “head” strikes a colored tape, inflicting the chosen character(s) to appear on the wire.

Set up Solutions: Twisting, Braiding, and Reduce & Strip

Twisting

Many OEMs want paired wire in the manufacturing course of. Grouping single- or multi-conductor cables into varied configurations can reduce set up time dramatically. It permits wires to lie together, which in turn makes working with them easier.

So as to create paired wire, a course of generally known as twisting should occur. Twisting entwines multiple wires and arranges them tightly next to one another. Two, three, and even as much as eight wires will be twisted together.

The means of putting wire ends right into a drill and twisting the wire is one residence-grown twisting technique that is nonetheless practiced on the production flooring. It would get the job performed to some extent, but it surely won’t take away the natural twist in each wire. Which means if the wire is minimize into small lengths, it won’t stay twisted together.

Another drawback with this method is the wire acquires dirt and grit on the manufacturing flooring. The dirt may transfer to the completed product, which might then pose major problems. Twisting using a devoted wire twisting machine is the only approach to get a good lay to the wires.

Braiding

One course of that helps add safety in opposition to abrasion in harsh environments is braiding.

Braiding is a course of in which small strands are woven collectively on top of a wire or cable for added protection. Firstly of the process, quite a few spools, also called “Bobbins,” of very small gauge wire (32-36 AWG) are inserted right into a wire braiding machine.

The bobbins are each placed in a precise location throughout the machine and the ends of each bobbin are pulled to the top of the braiding machine. Subsequent, the bobbins are subjected to a spinning or circular weaving motion, while a wire or cable is pulled up by way of the center of the bobbins. As the synchronized course of commences, a weave or braid is manufactured over the cable. Finally, the finished product is drawn out of the braid machine onto a larger spool or payoff.

Cut & Strip

Having your wire lower and stripped saves money and time and prevents extreme waste. For example you want one thousand 4-inch items of wire to put in in printers that you manufacture. For every piece, you need .5 inches of wire uncovered on the ends. As a substitute of having your factory employees manually minimize each piece off the reel after which take away the insulation from the ends, have your value-added manufacturer complete the process for you.

The reduce and strip process starts at one finish of a reduce and strip machine where a reel is held in what is named a “payoff.” The machine operator enters the general length and desired lower and strip measurements for the pieces. Subsequent, the wire is fed by means of a set of pressure-sensitive wheels that hold the wire tautly.

Then the wire is passed via a pair of blades that strip the insulation, as it could actually sense where the bare wire begins. The wire is then pulled to the end to make the size minimize. Finally, it is pulled backward barely to be able to make the ultimate ‘strip’ reduce. The items of insulation lower for the strip may be left on the tip of the wire to forestall the strands from fraying. This detached piece of insulation is called the slug.

The final lower and stripped wire is dropped right into a bin. The machine will end the method for the overall amount of wire length the machine operator entered at first.

Labeling Options: UL/CSA Labels, RFID, Custom Labels, Bar-Coding

UL & CSA Labels

Wire and cable products will be despatched pre-labeled with UL and CSA tags. Use of those tags ensures that products will arrive at the supply-point already marked to satisfy inner classifications, aiding in correct identification and distribution upon receipt.

RFID & Government Labels

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is one other Value-Added option to pre-label merchandise for ease of receipt. These labels are encoded with a radio frequency that can be “learn” by a transponder. RFID labels provide greater than the fundamental information supplied by a regular print label or perhaps a bar-code, and might be read at long distances.

Worth-added manufacturers may even produce Authorities labels. These specify any government-stage classifications of Mil-Spec wires and cables, and may assist in monitoring and stock.

Custom Shipping Labels

Custom transport labels include the specific information an organization requires to satisfy their standards right on the package. The varieties of information prone to be found on a custom shipping label, apart from the delivery deal with, embrace Half Quantity, Supplier Half Quantity, PO Number, Lot Quantity, and Date.

Bar-Coding

This service will print the wanted data proper on the delivery label in the bar-code standard the company uses. There are two normal varieties of bar-codes: linear, which is used more usually, and matrix, which holds more information. Common linear codecs are UPC, typically utilized in retail, and MSI, generally used in warehouse stock.

Packaging Options: Special Packaging/Reel Sizes

Wire is heavy, consumes area, and is tough to keep in stock. As well as, OEMs fear about the prices in set-up and handling of preprocessed and post-processed wire. Many OEMs that usually use wire have gotten special reels or spools in an effort to efficiently use storage area, maintain an correct stock, and keep prices to a minimum.

Wire and cable distributors that cater to OEMs and harness homes have developed distinctive methods to retailer wire. One such approach is to make use of massive bulk Drum “reels.” Drums are generally constructed of cardboard or pressed paper (with a center core of the same material) and steel rings round the highest and backside. When wire is able to be saved, it is laid into the Drum utilizing a circular motion that enables for straightforward removal. Storage capability in any given Drum might be 1000’s of ft, depending on the gauge of the wire. Nevertheless, if the Drum is rolled or broken, the wire could develop into nearly not possible to take away.

Reels and spools come in many various sizes and configurations for use with various wire types. For example, large 6 to eight foot tall wooden slatted reels hold giant gauge power cable. Many wire manufacturers use 2,500 ft to 5,000 ft spools for hook-up wire.
Small gauge wire may be spooled on a 10-inch plastic spool that has a heart core size of 5 to six inches and holds up to 10,000 ft. Certain elements decide the spool dimension you have to; one vital factor is how the wire will probably be used within the manufacturing process.

If the producer usually cuts their wire by automated machine, the spool measurement or Drum dimension could also be important. For instance, utilizing an automated machine, a big Drum of wire can be gone in as little as 30 minutes, relying on the size of the lower. Cost is another issue. As an additional advantage for a large reel dimension or Drum Packs, many distributors supply discounts on bulk reels.

With all of their unique abilities, value-added companies conveniently customise whereas offering options for precise wire and cable specs. As an extra advantage, purchasing wire and cable from a price-added manufacturer proves to be cost-efficient as a result of every thing you need could be accomplished in a single location by one vendor.

Electrical wire and cable distributors have the instruments to prepare wire for the purchaser’s convenience. Whatever the service, the value-added distributor affords the power to customized-order inventory to fit individual course of and storage wants. This translates into better usage of time and house, and that further interprets into revenue.