Custom Military Assemblies & Wire Harnesses Design
Custom military cable assemblies and wire harnesses have to be made in strict compliance with Military Specification (MILSPEC) requirements. For defense contractors, acquisition and contract managers, and other military purchasing agents, Meridian’s custom cables are made to fit the specific demands of each project.
Our team holds unique expertise in military wire harness assemblies, having produced the tough-as-nails products our men and women in uniform depend on to keep their advanced systems operational.
Military Systems that Rely on Wire Harnesses & Assemblies
Within the military, there are so many different electrical systems that all have their own unique requirements and criteria that must be met. These requirements are set by the government to ensure a consistent level of quality, functionality, value, and efficiency in what the government purchases to maintain its military forces.
The military is a diverse set of different commands with their own areas of operation. When we produce military cable assemblies and wire harnesses, we are doing so for an incredibly wide range of different systems.
A few of the many different military systems that depend on high-quality custom military cable include the following and so many more:
- Communications - think the radios, secure satellite connections, internet, phone systems, and other communications equipment our active military and support units need to stay connected. Each military cable assembly has to meet the needs of the individual application perfectly to be successful.
- Vehicles - land, air, sea, and even space vessels all require advanced wire harnesses and cable assemblies in order to send and receive myriad signals throughout operation. Without adequate transportation, military logistics would be impossible, which is where having the ability to manufacture OEM cables for military applications is a capability that sets Meridican apart.
- Medical - the military’s various medical commands are made up of some of the best medical personnel and facilities in the world. Medical testing equipment, ultrasounds, imaging machines, patient monitors, and more all need specially-designed cable assemblies to meet unique needs such as bio-sensitive connectors and safety jacks.
The team at Meridian has extensive experience designing, manufacturing, testing, and delivering the very highest quality custom military cable assemblies available. Want to start discussing the details of your project? Fill out a quick contact request and we’ll be in touch shortly.
What to Look For in Military Wire Harness Assemblies
Whether it’s communications equipment to keep forces connected or encryption systems that protect information, today’s military technology is incredibly complex and absolutely mission critical. There are high standards in military cable manufacturing because these components protect data, signal, and power transmission that allows individual systems to function.
When you’re looking for a partner in cable manufacturing, contract officers and defense contractors need a proven and reliable producer. These projects typically have longer timelines, more stringent testing requirements, and total project costs that can be expensive.
With continuous commitment to quality in everything we do, Meridian’s experience and commitment to military cable assemblies and wire harnesses helps to produce solutions on-time and on-budget, every time.
Capabilities Matter in Custom Military Cable Manufacturing
Our military wire harnesses utilize UL-certified components and we are a UL-certified manufacturing facility. This helps expedite the process because we have components with known and tested capabilities rather than starting from scratch. We also are proud to maintain our ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949.
ISO 9001:2015 Certification
The ISO 9001:2015 is all about quality on the holistic level. That means quality of product, process, and people. Our product quality assurance methods have to be documented and demonstrable in order to show continuous improvement. This also applies to our manufacturing process, which includes all elements of the assembly–from sourcing materials all the way through the logistics it takes to deliver the final cable assemblies on time.
ISO 9001:2015 also requires the manufacturer to commit and demonstrate a continuous commitment to better customer service. Having had our ISO 9001 for many years now, the incremental changes we’ve implemented year in and year out have produced phenomenal advancements for our team.
IATF 16949 Certification
The IATF 16949 requires demonstrating a superior level of quality and expertise in wire harness manufacturing specifically within the automotive industry. Combining our military experience within this arena helps our team produce the OEM wire harness and assemblies our military vehicles need to carry out their mission.
The bottom line is that capability and experience matter a great deal in military cable manufacturing. We take the trust of our clients very seriously and work to get that much better with each and every production run we undertake.
Performing Under the Harshest Conditions
Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, DoD, Space Force—no matter what branch of the military it is, the systems that need cable assemblies and wire harnesses are going to be sent to some of the most unforgiving environments on planet earth. Factors like freezing temps and salt water can be incredibly damaging to a cable assembly if they aren’t properly mitigated against. Moisture, heat, abrasion, and chemical resistance can all be engineered in to provide a tough-as-nails military cable. Since we extrude our own cables and start the process with an individual strand of copper, we can make sure that each and every layer of that cable assembly is ready to do its job in protecting the integrity of the system.
Even when they aren’t in a tough physical environment, these systems need to handle large amounts of data, signal, and/or power transfer, perform to spec, and be a reliable component to the system. We engineer our military cable assemblies and wire harnesses to operate well even under the most stringent demands.
Testing MILSPEC Wire Harness Assemblies
Testing for functionality, polarity, safety, and integrity is one of our most distinguishing capabilities at Meridian. We incorporate incredibly advanced testing equipment and strict quality assurance and quality control measures at each task under the overall project timeline. That means instituting waste-eliminating measures like just-in-time ordering and kanban manufacturing to make sure the process comes together efficiently. We continually test these processes to ensure we’re maintaining a consistently high level, which translates into a better product. With each wire harness and assembly that comes off the production line, that product will have been tested and retested to meet the exact specifications set forth by the client.
Whether that’s with our incredibly-exact, automated Cirris® cable and harness testers or running designs through our Advanced Life Testing Lab to test them under harsh, real-world conditions, we dial in on the details to be absolutely sure the military cable assemblies we’re manufacturing are at the highest level of quality possible.
Design and Development of Custom Military Cable
Producing top-quality military cable assemblies starts the same, with our design team going over in detail all of the requirements of the project. Once we have our specifications, we can begin putting the pieces together. After decades as a leader in military cable manufacturing, we’ve developed an extensive inventory of over 5,000 different tools for components like connections and overmolds that can be utilized. When we don’t have something already tooled, our experienced design team is quickly able to provide the exact piece needed. From the design room, we’ll run various simulations to see how different variations perform.
Our software systems allow us to progress with the top-performing iterations to the prototyping stage. It is in prototyping that we are able to test how these different iterations come together and perform in real time. That means everything from sourcing and logistics, to product functionality and integrity are scrutinized to see which design produces the best possible value for our clients. Making sure each and every project is complete to spec, on time, and on budget is a capability we’ve developed from many years of highly successful military cable assembly experience.
Safeguards to Think About for Your Military Cable Project
Military applications often demand higher capabilities than an ordinary, off-the-shelf cable assembly. That's where cable manufacturers have to be cognizant of the many different requirements the government has in place for the assemblies they purchase. With any custom military cable, there are several different safeguards to consider that can drastically improve the reliable functionality of the system as a whole.
External forces that require mitigation include:
- Electromagnetic interference (EMI) & Radio frequency interference (RFI): these are disturbances that are created by an outside force that can disrupt the circuit. We can incorporate special design elements like aluminized mylar to help protect against the interference these forces can cause.
- Extreme abrasion and vibration: when military cables are in use, they can be being hit with all kinds of physical forces which can quickly degrade the signal without support. That’s where extra protection like Kevlar® fillers can help strengthen the cable’s defense network.
Start Your Order for Custom Military Wire Harness Assemblies
The team at Meridian is standing by to receive your specs and start the design process. Contact us via our contact form, call 1-866-866-0544 or email our sales team at sales@meridiancableassemblies.com.