Let the Experts Craft Your Custom Wire Harness

A custom wire harness is the backbone of today's technology-driven society, powering connectivity industries. These complex assemblies streamline intricate operations and wiring systems, delivering efficiency, durability, and high-performance quality in applications ranging from automotive and aerospace to medical and military applications.

Since the early 1990s, Meridian Cable has delivered wire harness solutions that work no matter what. We're proud to be among the highest-ranking cable manufacturers in the world, providing custom cables, wire harnesses, and connection solutions that drive industry and innovation.

Our advanced cable harness manufacturing capabilities include a fully equipped tool crib, automated and semi-automated production systems, meticulous hand assembly for specialized applications, and unparalleled expertise in engineering and manufacturing. Whether you need a high-performance custom wire harness for industrial equipment or a wire harness built for extreme conditions, Meridian provides innovative solutions that seamlessly integrate into your system for reliable connectivity.

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What is a Wire Harness

custom wire harness is an engineered assembly of wires, cables, and connectors designed to efficiently transmit power, data, or signals within a complex electrical system. Wires are intentionally arranged to deliver optimal performance with regard to the system’s environmental demands, including spatial limitations, temperatures, and processing requirements. These critical elements streamline complex wiring configurations, reducing integration time, improving safety, and ensuring optimal performance across a broad range of applications.

When working with Meridian to design a custom wiring harness, you will reap the benefit of working with some of the top cable manufacturers in the industry. Our engineers will carefully design and arrange your custom wire harness to the most exact detail. It doesn't matter if your connection solution demands a dozen mixed-gauge, varying connectors, or multiple terminations. Our top-tier team has the capabilities, skills, and knowledge to craft each custom wire harness design project to perfection on time and within a budget.

How the Custom Wire Harness Assemblies Process Works

The wire harness assemblies we create here at Meridian are engineered to fit perfectly within their intended environment. That means making sure the design fits geometrically and within the specifications required of the system. Whether it's for an industrial control system in a busy bottling facility or the OEM wire harnesses required in the automotive sector, the idea of “fit” is crucial in wire harness design.

Wire Harness Manufacturers

Precision-Engineered Wire Harness

Developing a precision-engineered custom wire harness is about more than just connecting wires—it's about delivering wiring solutions that seamlessly integrate with your system. Every custom wire harness we create is methodically engineered to meet every connection requirement, effortlessly integrate into your process, and deliver high-performance transmitting that you can count on, day in and day out.

We leverage advanced technology and multiple decades of expertise to design the ideal solution for your system. We thrive on producing reliable custom wire harnesses for even the most intricate electrical equipment. Our team ensures every assembly meets the electrical and environmental demands of its application. From a compact layout and challenging geometrical housing to reinforced designs for high-vibration settings, each wire harness we design operates flawlessly in real-world conditions.

We've curated a team of the best of the best when it comes to mechanical and electrical engineers, making up a design team led by excellence and expertise. Our team is composed of so much more than mere cable manufacturers—we're experienced design engineers ready to build a bespoke custom wire harness or custom cable solution for you.

Custom Wire Harness Fabrication Process

As a UL-approved manufacturing facility, we utilize many standard UL® cable types. This allows our team to start with a cable with known specifications and utilize its strengths to our client's advantage in the assembly process. How that process is played out will vary from one project to the next as each has its own unique set of specifications based on the intended application.

However, a typical wire harness assembly can include:

  • Affixing wires, sub-assemblies, and other components directly to a pinboard.
  • Navigating all of these components through the necessary cable sleeves for added strength and protection.
  • Make sure any cable ties, cable wraps, or other infrastructure is secured and in its right place, paying particular attention to critical branch-out locations.
  • Utilizing automated, semi-automated, or even hand crimping tools for wires especially when we have multiple wires into single terminals.

By having fully-automated and semi-automated capabilities, alongside our production team’s highly-skilled use of hand tools, we’re able to blend technology and fine work craft in a single, perfect package. Hand tools are still quite necessary, even in our state-of-the-art production facilities, in order to pull off a successful project.

Some of the processes which require both hands-on attention and automated solutions include:

  • Precise cutting and stripping wires.
  • Automated crimping for terminals.
  • Utilizing fine pitch, computer-controlled soldering.
  • Ultrasonic welding.
  • Overmolding to strengthen and protect connectors, strain reliefs, etc.

Wire Harness Design Starts with the Right Components

Wire harnesses are able to facilitate the manufacture of larger systems by providing the critical connections needed in a “plug and play” install. But don’t let that name fool you, while there are universal wiring harnesses, these are often generic solutions that may check some, but not all of the boxes required in a unique application. Our cable harness design engineers work hard to create the perfect amalgamation of conductors, wrapping, sheathing, connectors, strain reliefs, grommets, and all other components required.

In addition to the perfect materials, we also have to take into account the intended environment. Protecting against abrasion, caustic chemicals, moisture, dust, interference, and any number of additional environmental variables is absolutely crucial for ensuring long-term operability.

Designing in a Virtual Space Allows 3-D Renderings & Simulation

Once we examine the variables at play and have a good idea of the specs required, our design engineers get to work using our advanced computer-aided design (CAD) software. These sophisticated digital design systems afford our engineers a chance to piece together individual components with incredible precision and even test them in various simulations, all in a virtual space before the first cable is extruded. Putting in more time upfront streamlines the entire production process, which is a tenet of our ISO 9001:2015 certification, which prioritizes operational efficiency across the entire organization.

Prototyping Wire Harness Assemblies is a Huge Advantage

Once the design is just right in the digital space, it’s time to see how the components come together in the real world. We have the ability to prototype different configurations, including cable assembly prototypes, for qualification samples to help ensure we have the perfect combination of components, materials, and processes. Our wire harness engineers utilize the schematics our brilliant design team developed to map out the assembly board to be used for the wiring harness.

An assembly board (also referred to as a pinboard) is a life-size diagram for the wiring harness, showing our skilled production team just where each component is meant to go. From a process standpoint, the pinboard is basically a workbench for physically building a wire harness assembly. Each and every wire for the project is cut to the perfect length and detailed identification is used to keep everything in its proper place. From there, we’ll often strip wires to showcase the conductor beneath and make it ready for its accompanying connector or terminal. All of the necessary components are held in place by a complex network of cable sleeves, ties, and other infrastructure to make sure it's a rock-solid system.

Prototyping allows our team to analyze how several different versions compare when brought together in real-time and tested under real-world conditions. From there, we can select the most advantageous iteration to move forward with volume production, saving both time and money down the line.

Custom Wire Harnesses Built for Durability and Reliability

Designing a completely custom wire harness with custom cables and configurations demands careful material selection and astute attention to detail. Many of the applications and industries we serve demand unfailing durability and reliability in their custom cable assemblies, meaning we have to be at the top of our game.

Whether it's due to a rigorous environment, compatibility strains, or a demanding application, we design each custom wiring harness to endure the rigors of your workplace, even the most hazardous environments. We engineer the ideal wiring solution to stand up to the harsh demands of daily use, no matter the industry or application.

When the mission is critical, you need to rely on your custom wire harness to deliver seamless and reliable transmission every time. Fortunately, our design engineers deliver just that in every wire harness we craft.

Custom Wire Harnesses Proof Points

We offer such highly-customizable features with each and every wire harness we produce such as:

  • Conductor Sizes
  • Conductor Colors
  • Stranding Sizes
  • Conductor Colors
  • Materials
  • UL-Certified Wires and Cables

Utilizing the best components in each application means our clients get a product they know they can depend on, cycle after cycle. When you’re operating in high-stakes industries like global telecommunications, advanced medical technology, with our military, and a whole host of other mission-critical industries, your solutions have to work, period. That’s what Meridian brings to the table with our many years of offering custom wire harnesses that are depended on to get the job done every day.

Critical Components of a High-Performing Custom Wire Harness

Every custom wire harness is a modern marvel of engineering with a collaboration of multifaceted elements effortlessly working as a singular unit. Although the separate components each serve their own function, the artistry comes in combining them all into a bespoke, uniform wire harness. Much like a master weaver threading together a tapestry, each wire harness component offers something unique and dynamic to the unit.

The key components of a custom wire harness are:

1. Conductors: Optimized for Efficient Operation

The core of any custom cable or wire harness is the conductor. These small but mighty elements carry power, signal, or data throughout the system, delivering from point A to point B with rapid transmission. The conductors of a wire harness can have varying gauge stranding options, depending on your transference needs. We can completely customize your conductor size thanks to our in-house custom extruding process.

2. Insulation & Sheathing: Defense and Protection for Your Environment

Some work environments have demanding conditions that can damage or hinder safe operations over time. That's why protecting your wire harness should be a top priority. Insulation and sheathing can help the impact of environmental hazards, delivering a protected layer of defense around your wiring components. We use nothing but high-quality sheathing and insulative materials to help safeguard your transmissions.

The insulation and sheathing materials can be completely customized to help defend against hazards, such as:

  • Moisture & Chemical Concerns: Moisture is a transmission killer. Your sheathing can be water resistant, giving you an extra layer of protection.
  • Extreme Temperatures: Withstanding extreme cold or heat fluctuations is a non-negotiable in automotive, aerospace, and military applications.
  • Electromagnetic Interference: For telecommunications industries and other electronically noisy environments, EMI can be a real danger to safe and consistent signal transmission. We can help create shielding to deflect and ground data-killing EMI.

3. Connectors & Terminals: Designed for Reliable, Secure Connections 

Custom cable assembly or custom wire harness is not complete without strong connections. We employ industry-standard, cutting-edge connectors to ensure your connections are both secure and trustworthy. Each connection point is designed based on the following factors:

  • Voltage and amperage requirements.
  • Environmental concerns, including dust, moisture, vibration, and temperature.
  • The need for quick-disconnect, locked, or permanent connection solutions.

Each connector is soldered, crimped, or overmolded with extreme precision to ensure long-term reliability and optimal conductivity.

4. Strain Relief & Overmolding: Increasing Longevity and Performance Capabilities

Environments that use heavy industrial machinery often include a high risk of vibration interference. For such industries that demand extra secure connections, our custom wire harnesses can include the following:

  • Strain relief mechanisms that prevent unnecessary stress on connectors and terminals.
  • Overmolding reinforcements that strengthen connections against material and mechanical wear, moisture, intrusion, and extreme temperature fluctuations.

We're proud to follow strict adherence to industry standards, giving every custom wire harness we develop built-in reliability that doesn’t let you down when you need it the most.

By leveraging our extensive expertise, quality materials, and advanced cable harness manufacturing processes, our team of expert engineers designs and develops custom wire harness apparatuses that stand at the tests of space and time.

Testing is Everything to Consistently Ensure High-Quality Wire Harnesses

Once every aspect of the wire harness design process comes together, the absolutely pivotal process of testing begins in earnest. Each and every wire harness we produce will be 100% tested for continuity, integrity, polarity, and functionality before shipping to our clients around the world. We created an Advanced Life Testing Lab where we can test our products under the harshest real-world conditions imaginable. 

We utilize a suite of different testing systems that can detect even the smallest irregularities in a wire harness design so our engineers can make sure it's right before it leaves our facility. Investing in state-of-the-art testing equipment means we have complete control over our quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) processes

In the end, this attention to detail in quality stands at the heart of everything we do here at Meridian. The Advanced Life Testing Lab also helps our team qualify new designs which can help when our client desires to get their product certified through a certification agency like UL. 

How to Start a Wire Harness Design Project

Offering full-scale wire harness and cable assembly design and engineering services means we can deliver the perfect solution on time and on budget, every time. We have honed our process over decades and built our capabilities to be agile enough to respond to changing project needs. The entire process starts with a detailed conversation with our clients to review the specifications required to meet their needs. This strategic conversation allows our project managers the opportunity to map out a timeline, reserve tools in the tool crib, and ensure all the pieces are in place to complete a successful project. Our team is composed of highly-experienced professionals who are skilled innovation makers. When you’re ready to get started, you can contact our team however is most convenient to fill out the quick online contact form on this page, calling us at 1-877-806-8667, or emailing our team at sales@meridiancableassemblies.com

Working with Expert Custom Cable Assembly Manufacturers

While you may find no small amount of “universal wire harness” options, the truth is that most of the off-the-shelf solutions will fall short of what you need. In our experience, the one-size-fits-all approach may work for clothing or headwear but has no place in electrical systems.

That’s why working with an experienced team of custom cable assembly manufacturers can make all the difference in your experience, quality, and overall satisfaction. The crew at Meridian has dedicated decades to perfecting the art of connection solutions to supply high-grade custom cables, wiring, and wire harness assemblies that go above and beyond all your expectations.

Why should you work with Meridian on your custom wire harness project? Because we have the experience, attention to detail, and pride in our work, that makes all the difference. Plus, it doesn't hurt that every wire harness, custom cable assembly, and wiring solution craft is backed by an extensive warranty, ample certifications, and an impressive track record of customer satisfaction.

If that's not enough to persuade you to trust the experts at Meridian, we also deliver rapid-fire turnaround times that get your custom wire harness to you faster than you can imagine. Part of the benefit of expertise is efficiency, and our team is nothing if not efficient. From the design phase to delivery, you can expect lightning-fast service without compromising quality. In short, it’s a win-win!

Few things are more disappointing and frustrating than a product that doesn't perform like it should, especially when it comes to your integrated wiring systems. When you’re working with highly sensitive equipment, a malfunction can be more than merely frustrating—it can be extremely costly if it damages your gear or system. That’s why prototyping your custom wire harness could be a lifesaver for you and your company! This critical step could be the difference between a total blowout and a successful integration of your electrical system.

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Custom Wire Harness FAQs

Get information on how Merdian Cable Assemblies creates a custom wire harness. We supply wire harnesses all over the USA and answer the most commonly asked questions from how we create a custom wire harness to fit your needs to providing information on what wire harness manufacturers actually do. Read on for more information and feel free to contact us directly for any questions that you might have.