Guaranteeing Quick Delivery
Cables and connectors: you rarely come across one without the other. To make sure they work together, a few steps must be taken. In our series on cable assemblies, we will be showing you what these steps are and more—starting with logistics.
Before a cable can be assembled in production, meaning before it can be fitted with an appropriate connector, much has already happened in the background: cable drums are made ready, connectors are commissioned, cables are cut to exact lengths, and the right components for an order are bundled together. For customers, this frictionless start is a major advantage as delivery times do not begin merely at assembly, they begin in the warehouse.
Fully automatic warehousing, quick availability
Efficient logistics is one of HELU's greatest strengths around the globe. Ten-thousand variations of cables and wires are permanently available in our logistics centres where they are supported by modern warehouse and conveyor technology so that orders can be fulfilled ‘just in time’, every day. Our assembly locations also have their own warehouse areas where they keep common cable types on hand so that they are prepared to quickly begin working on the next order.
Assemblies need even more than that. They require connectors, glands, lugs, ferrules—all of these parts, too, are available ex stock from our small-parts warehouses, which are also automated, controlled, and managed using software. As soon as an order is received, the required materials are commissioned, meaning they are prepared in the desired quantities. All of this happens digitally and within minutes.
Exact cuts to desired lengths
Every customer has their own unique specifications when it comes to the lengths of assemblies. This is where cutting comes in. The desired lengths are unrolled from their original drums and cut to order—fully automatically. The cable warehouses are directly connected to the cutting machines using conveyor technology. This results in exact lengths and reproducible processes and creates a reliable basis for the subsequent assembly.
Ask the expert
What is the most decisive factor in determining the delivery time of a cable assembly? And in what way can the customer actively affect it?
Delivery times are primarily determined according to three factors: the availability of cables, connectors, and accessories, the design complexity, and the scope of the order. Customers can have the greatest influence on lead times by providing as exact technical specifications as possible from the start—ideally including part numbers, pin assignments, and clear length and tolerance specifications. Standardising preferred components or stock lengths also often speeds up delivery, as parts can be picked more quickly. And the earlier alternatives for critical components are approved, the easier it is to avoid bottlenecks.
What differences are there between standard and custom assemblies?
Standard assemblies based on guidelines from drive technology manufacturers can be moved directly to fulfilment once the order is received. This is because parts, lengths, and processes are predefined, the raw parts for the desired assembly are either on hand or can be ordered on short notice, and logistics is able to make the components available as needed. For custom assemblies, the process typically starts with a request from a customer or from one of our Sales Manager Solutions. These are then inspected for technical feasibility. After that, we request the necessary materials and prepare an offer for the customer. Only when they have been approved are the cables, connectors, and accessories for the order procured and prepared for production.