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【Popular Science】 Breakdown of Five Core Wiring Harness Components | Understand the Complete Electrical Transmission System
- Categories:Industry News
- Author:Guangdong Deke Electric Co., Ltd.
- Origin:https://www.de-ke.cn/
- Time of issue:2026-07-09 16:04
- Views:
【Popular Science】 Breakdown of Five Core Wiring Harness Components | Understand the Complete Electrical Transmission System
- Categories:Industry News
- Author:Guangdong Deke Electric Co., Ltd.
- Origin:https://www.de-ke.cn/
- Time of issue:2026-07-09 16:04
- Views:
Whether it is new energy vehicles, industrial robots, industrial control cabinets, home appliances or medical devices, wiring harnesses serve as the electrical transmission veins of complete equipment, undertaking core functions of power delivery and signal interaction. Many people only see bundled finished harnesses without knowing each internal component performs its unique role and interlocks closely with others.
In compliance with IPC/WHMA and SAE wiring harness specifications, Guangdong Dekor Electric fully breaks down the five core components of wiring harnesses. It thoroughly explains the functions, material selection logic and failure risks of wires, terminals, connectors, protective materials and auxiliary accessories, serving as a selection reference for hardware R&D, harness process, procurement and quality personnel.
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I. Wires: Vessels for Power and Signal Transmission of Harnesses
Wires are the most fundamental transmission medium of a complete harness, consisting of inner conductive cores and outer insulation layers. An extra shielding layer is added for special high-voltage and high-frequency applications, which directly determines the harness’s current-carrying capacity, signal integrity and environmental resistance.
Material Selection Classification
Tinned oxygen-free copper is the mainstream material for conductive cores, balancing electrical conductivity and oxidation resistance. Nickel-plated or silver-plated conductors can be adopted as upgrades for high-frequency precision equipment and high salt-spray environments. Insulation layers are classified by service environments:
- PVC : For indoor normal-temperature home appliances and ordinary control signal wires, featuring high cost performance;
- XLPE/XLPO : For engine compartments and high-temperature industrial equipment, with oil and high temperature resistance;
- Silicone rubber : For flexibly bent robot harnesses, offering superior flexibility.
Potential Quality Risks
Undersized wire gauges or impure copper cores lead to excessive circuit temperature rise. Insufficient insulation thickness or inadequate flame retardant rating may cause electric leakage and short circuits during long-term operation, posing fire hazards. Industry standards reserve current-carrying margins based on rated current and laying temperature to avoid long-term thermal aging.
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II. Terminals: Critical Conductive Joints of Wiring Harnesses
As the transition medium between wires, connectors and terminal blocks, terminals form stable low-resistance conductive paths via standardized crimping processes and are core supporting products of Dekor Electric.
Matching of Mainstream Types
Blade male and female terminals fit various plastic connectors; ring and fork terminals are widely used for screw grounding and high-power fixed wiring; IDC insulation displacement terminals enable rapid assembly of multi-row cables. Base materials are mainly phosphor bronze and brass, with tin plating on the surface for basic corrosion resistance.
Root Causes of Failure
Non-standard crimping parameters or worn, peeled plating will continuously boost contact resistance and trigger a vicious cycle of heat generation. Insufficient base material elasticity leads to loose spring leaves after long-term vibration, resulting in intermittent signal cutoffs and unstable equipment operation. Qualified crimps must meet specified pull-out force standards to avoid poor contact and overheating failures.
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III. Connectors: Quick Mating Hubs for Wiring Harnesses
Connectors are assembled with plastic housings, internal terminals, sealing gaskets and TPA secondary locking pieces. They enable pluggable connection between harnesses and equipment as well as among harnesses, while providing mechanical positioning and dustproof & waterproof protection.
Core Design Advantages
Plastic housings adopt engineering plastics including PA66, PBT and LCP. Sealing structures can reach IP67/IP68 protection ratings. Secondary locking pieces are designed to prevent terminal back-out under continuous vibration in automotive and industrial control scenarios. New energy high-voltage connectors are additionally equipped with high-voltage interlock safety structures.
Common Defects & Consequences
Mismatched protection ratings allow water and dust ingress, causing terminal corrosion and short circuits inside. Without secondary locking structures, terminals may back out after long-term jolting and cut off power supply. Plastics with poor temperature resistance crack under high temperatures, completely losing protective functions.
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IV. Protective Materials: Wear and Temperature Resistant Armor for Wiring Harnesses
Inside equipment, wiring harnesses are subject to constant friction, high-temperature heat sources, oil and moisture. Protective materials such as corrugated tubes, braided sleeves, insulating tapes and adhesive-lined heat shrink tubes act as outer protective armor for harnesses while meeting electromagnetic shielding requirements.
Scenario-Based Selection
1. Nylon corrugated tubes: Wear protection for engine compartments and friction-prone areas; ordinary PE corrugated tubes for indoor main harnesses.
2. PET braided sleeves: High-temperature zones and movable harnesses, balancing wear resistance and heat dissipation.
3. Adhesive-lined heat shrink tubes: Sealing and insulation for crimped terminal joints and harness branches.
4. Shield braids: For inverter and sensor harnesses to suppress electromagnetic interference.
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V. Auxiliary Accessories: Fastening Components for Harness Forming
Accessories including cable ties, fixing clips, mounting brackets and wire marking tubes do not conduct electricity directly, yet they govern harness arrangement neatness, assembly efficiency and later maintenance convenience, serving as indispensable supporting parts of complete wiring harnesses.
Functions of Each Component
Nylon cable ties bundle harnesses and standardize routing paths; plastic or metal clips secure harnesses to equipment frames to reduce shaking and friction; heavy-duty metal brackets support thick high-load harnesses; wire marking tubes and labels identify functional circuits for convenient after-sales maintenance.
Chain Quality Failures Caused by Substandard Accessories
Cable ties and clips with insufficient strength lead to long-term harness shaking and friction against equipment edges, resulting in worn insulation layers. Labels with poor weather resistance fade under outdoor and high-temperature conditions, which may cause miswiring during maintenance and trigger equipment malfunctions.
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VI. Synergy of Five Core Components: Underlying Logic of Harness Reliability
No single component works independently in a complete harness. Substandard material selection or processing for any part will trigger cascading failures. For example, undersized wires paired with poor terminal crimping cause sustained overheating and ablation at joints; failed connector sealing together with weather-resistant defective tubing lets moisture corrode all terminals; loose fasteners lead to constant harness abrasion and short circuits.
Stable harness operation relies on coordinated matching of the five components: wires sized for current loads, low-resistance conductive terminals, protected mating connectors, anti-corrosion shielding materials, and routing fixtures. Unifying standards for all parts during design and procurement minimizes rework and after-sales failures fundamentally.
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Guangdong Dekor Electric is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the R&D and production of connectors and terminals, with industry-leading certifications and multiple invention patents demonstrating outstanding technical strength. The company has obtained IATF16949 and ISO9001 system certifications, and its products carry CQC and UL safety certifications for reliable quality.
It operates R&D and manufacturing bases in Shenzhen and Dongguan with full-process production capacity. We offer more than 1,800 product models sold to over 60 countries worldwide, serving new energy, communications, AI, medical care, automation and other sectors.
The enterprise keeps increasing investment in R&D. Leveraging strengths including rapid response, cost control, strict quality management and short lead times, we advance the localization of connectors and empower Chinese manufacturing to go global.
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