EuroWire May 2019

Technology News

Online quality control in the production of automotive cables

modern materials are used for lighter and more resilient looms. However, it is not only the choice of material that offers savings potential. Another important factor is the sustainable use of these materials as well as reliable quality control during cable production. The Centerview 8000 is a non-contact gauge head that provides continuous on-line eight-point eccentricity, four-axis diameter and eight-point ovality measurement with high measuring accuracy. The individual measuring values are displayed numerically and graphically and are the basis for a stable production process and extensive quality management. By controlling the line speed, the Centerview 8000 ensures the specific wall thickness. The system ensures the quality of cable that has to endure a temperature of far above 200°C as well as a continuous performance of approximately 1,500 watts – at peak even reaching up to 3,000 watts. The Centerview 8000 contributes in addition to quality assurance for an optimised production process while reducing costs and weight at the same time.

COMPARED to the 1980s, modern vehicles have become rolling computers that can be quite heavy due to their various comfort and safety systems. This can be a blessing and a curse at the same time, as the additional weight often overrides the savings in fuel of the advanced engines or even leads to higher consumption. Therefore, automobile manufacturers aim at avoiding unnecessary weight. The Centerview 8000 is a reliable device to ensure high quality with minimum material consumption even for the smallest wires and cables. With more than 100 consumers (eg battery sensors, ESP, radar, ultrasound and video sensors, but also air conditioning, electric windows and other amenities), up to 40kg can accumulate for the electrical system of a mid-range car alone. to approximately 8,000m of cables, which are built into a mid-range car today. In comparison, in 1980 only about 200m of cables were necessary to power an equivalent model. The constantly growing number of electronic components is a continuous challenge for automotive manufacturers, as increased weight means reduced This weight is equivalent

performance, and more cables mean a higher number of possible error sources. For not having to compromise on comfort or, in the worst case, safety, as well as to avoid complex repairs for the replacement of individual cable looms, ▲ ▲ The Centerview 8000 measures the diameter, ovality and eccentricity during manufacturing of automotive cables

Sikora AG – Germany Website : www.sikora.net

New software update for latest cable certifier

can now be performed with a mix of patch cords between tests. If field calibration is required for any speciality tests, LanTEK III will prompt the user, advising that this is necessary. The update includes other features to enhance the user experience when testing with LanTEK III, including general language and bug fixes. Ideal Networks – UK Website : www.idealnetworks.net

The latest Ideal Networks LanTEK® III cable certifier has received a new, free software update which has been approved by Belden for testing 4K UHD media cabling. The latest software release, version 3.215, includes special test limits for Belden 2183 4K UHD media cabling to support installers as the demand to certify cable which supports 4K video continues to grow. It also provides three new test configurations: permanent link or channel tests using Cat 6A permanent link adapters, and direct attach tests, which require Cat 6A permanent link adapters with special female-female RH45 couplers, available directly from Belden. To further support testing of Belden cabling installations, the Belden 2183P (Plenum) 4K UHD media cable and Belden 2183R (Riser) 4K UHD media cable have been added to the manufacturer database on the LanTEK III certifier. The recent LanTEK III cable certifier software update, which can be downloaded for free at www.idealnetworks.net, also includes several other changes, including channel test updates. For instance, channel tests with Cat 5e, 6, 6A and Class D, E and EA cabling no longer require field calibration of patch cords and

▲ ▲ The latest Ideal Networks LanTEK ® III cable certifier

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May 2019