An Executive Perspective: Automation and Miniaturization are the
Keys to Future Electrical/Electronic Architectures
By Steve Duca, Director, Global Engineering and Operations,
Delphi Packard Electrical/Electronic Architecture

How is miniaturization affecting assembly? At Delphi, we’re seeing many changes. Wiring harness cables are so small that the connector terminals cannot be assembled by the human hand. Waferized joint connection systems now use just three or four terminal cavities, compared to the traditional method of using 10 or more cavities per harness. Miniaturized connection systems are on the horizon. Smaller is better, and we’ve reached the point where big changes are needed in the way we manufacture these products.

The connector assembly process is normally done manually. This process depends on the ability to visually recognize the correct location for a given terminal and reliably plug that terminal into that location. This is not a simple task, and it becomes close to impossible when you are dealing with .13mm² and smaller cable. That is why we are developing systems that assist the operator in manually assembling the connector, regardless of its size. Automated assembly processes enable connections to be made at a speed and uptime comparable to manual operations.

Are more robots in store for our future factories? It’s already a reality in much of the automotive industry and in many other markets, and it’s not that far off for the automotive electrical/electronic architecture industry, too. The introduction of increasingly smaller terminals in automotive harness designs has become a regular occurrence. In 1979, the size of the standard terminal was 4.8mm. In 1998, the size shrank to 1.0mm. By 2006, we were at .50mm. We expect automakers to step up demand for miniaturized components in the very near future. It makes sense. Smaller components take up less space in the vehicle at a time when the amount of electrical content is increasing, but the amount of available packaging space is decreasing. Delphi is already working on ways to make high-tech automated assembly a reality.

Development is underway in the Delphi Technical Centers in Champion, Ohio and  Wuppertal, Germany. Delphi is designing its own equipment to mass produce miniaturized automotive electrical/electronic architecture components. Process technologies, such as small-gauge cutters, automated kitting, and crimp-less termination, go hand in hand with products that enable automation, such as waferized connectors, .13 mm² halogen-free and smaller cables.

These products offer many advantages that will help them become mainstream. Automation and miniaturization will facilitate the next generation of weight savings, manufacturing footprint flexibility, and improved first-time-through quality. For instance, based on specific OEM studies, when a manufacturer implements the Delphi waferization, automation, and miniaturization plan, all splices in a typical harness can be eliminated; copper reduced by 50 percent; cable mass of a typical harness reduced by 55 percent; typical harness mass reduced by 40 percent; and overall bundle size reduced by 20 percent.

These are real-world solutions for real-world challenges. These machines won’t resemble Hollywood’s vision of robots, but they’ll play a significant and mounting role in automotive wiring harness and connector manufacturing. Delphi’s product technologies and manufacturing processes are turning these concepts into innovations for the real world.

Stephen V. Duca has been the director of global engineering and operations at Delphi Packard Electrical/Electronic Architecture since 2000. Duca began his career in 1978 at General Motors Corporation, and dedicated his career to finding solutions for the automotive industry. For more information on Delphi Packard E/EA's automation and miniaturization technologies, contact John Kightlinger, supervisor, Advanced Process Development, at john.kightlinger@delphi.com.