Having cabling custom made to your product’s specifications is an important part of the design and manufacturing process and, when designed properly, will add to the longevity and durability of your product.

cabling manufacturer competition

With over 25 years of industry experience, we know the questions to ask to weed out the cabling manufacturers who may not have the ability, or experience, to manufacture highly technical cabling. We also understand that this is a niche field that is both hard to research and difficult to find information on. To combat this, our goal is always to provide those looking for custom cable assemblies with as much useful information as possible. Here are some of our top questions to ask when assessing cable manufacturers:

Does the cabling manufacturer strive to understand your product and are they excited to work with your design team to improve it?

At Meridian Cable, engineering is our passion. We work with our customers’ design teams to find innovative wiring solutions that will complement their products, adding value to them. It is always our goal to find materials and custom solutions to make our customers’ products as durable as possible. Here are a few things to ask your manufacturer about based on the product you’re producing:

• What type of jacketing will this custom cable have? There are many options available, and these coverings can be customized to accommodate virtually any scenario. An experienced cable manufacturing company will be able to consider options like Polyurethane for cabling that will be exposed to extreme temperatures, or Chlorinated Polyethylene for custom assemblies that will be exposed to abrasive materials.
• Will your product be exposed to extreme heat? If so, ask your manufacturer about jacketing material such as Polytetrafluoroethylene which often can withstand temperatures of 200⁰C.

Does this company typically manufacture custom goods, or are they focused on producing off-the-shelf cable assemblies and wires?

If your cable assembly manufacturer is not familiar with the steps involved in custom designing assemblies, issues are likely to arise down the road. Because of the intricacies of custom cables, things can very easily go wrong – using wiring that cannot carry the proper voltage or jacketing that is not durable enough, for example, can wreak havoc on your final product. Ask potential manufacturers for examples of their work or past references to assess their quality and service throughout the production phase. These steps will give your team peace of mind when working with a cable designer.

Where does the cabling manufacturer source their materials?

When manufacturing cable assemblies on a large scale, it’s important to understand where your manufacturer sources their raw materials from and if this distributor is known for supplying quality goods. It’s also important to determine if the manufacturer will be designing the cable assemblies, wire, and cabling in-house or if they subcontract this work. If so, it’s important to research the subcontractor and ensure that all parties communicate openly and frequently to design a great product.

What quality assurance steps is your manufacturer taking to ensure that the cabling and wiring produced are of the highest quality?

This wiring will be used in a product that bears your company’s name and thus needs to function reliably. To ensure that the assembly is of the highest quality, the manufacturer should test the following:

• 

  Does the cabling manufacturer strive to understand your product

  Continuity

• Polarity
• Functionality
• Withstand Voltage
• Mechanical Durability

These are all key properties to assess to ensure that your wiring functions properly and consistently. You can find more detailed information on testing and assessing quality assurance in this industry in our blog post on the topic.

We hope that this helps you to narrow down your options when choosing a cable assembly manufacturer to work with. We know that this can be a challenge and are happy to work with our clients to ensure that they understand the entirety of the design, production, and decision-making process.