Configuration Management – A Cornerstone of Liberty Electronics

August 29, 2023 by Liberty Electronics

At the heart of every aspect of our business, configuration management is extremely vital to Liberty Electronics. In fact, we built our entire Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System around it. Expanding our Oracle Product Life Cycle Management (PLM) software to include multiple ERP functions—estimating, planning, inventory and production control, quality assurance, etc.—enabled us to embed revision management into every step of the process.

Our configuration management process consists of statuses and workflows. Statuses of sales orders, part numbers, documents, etc. can go from “In work” to “Released” to “In Change.” These mandatory shifts allow the system to prevent certain transactions until the new change has been implemented and a new “Released” version is issued. To specify effectivity, Liberty’s system utilizes “Valid From” and “Valid Until” dates. In addition, “Stop Work” is the terminology we use to prevent production while we sort out the various issues that can arise. Status histories are not only made in real time, but notifications are made automatically when statuses change. Reviews and approvals can then be conducted at appropriate times because of these notifications, which enables team members to take action based on the workflow notifications that show up in their mailboxes.

Another crucial configuration management process at Liberty is the Engineering Change Order (ECO) process. It again is Liberty-designed and is quite robust and efficient, allowing us to process a high volume of changes very quickly. All Bill of Material (BOM) changes, for example, can only be made after first changing the status and creating a new internal or external revision. In addition, engineers no longer have to manually document BOM changes; instead, the system automatically creates an “ECO BOM Comparison Report.” This report looks at the old and new revisions and lists the quantity changes, components added, and components deleted, which removes the potential for error and communicates correct details directly to our team members.

Liberty’s specific use of technology also helps the configuration management process. We exclusively utilize computer monitors and tablet devices during our production process in order to access documents. Only the approved “Released” version of the items, BOMs, routers, work instructions, etc. are available on these devices so there is no possibility for an operator to use an old revision to manufacture products, which would result in scrap, rework, and added costs. This establishes consistency within our production process and catalyzes our production process by promoting efficiency from the start of our builds.

We also keep complete histories on record of the entire life cycle of various aspects of our work processes—quotes, purchase orders, sales orders, items, BOMs, drawings, programs, routers, work instructions, etc. Transaction logs capture configuration states of assemblies during their assembly processes for posterity and communication purposes.

Configuration management at Liberty Electronic is not an additional requirement that Liberty strives to do. Instead, it is woven within our DNA; in other words, it is how we do business. Our configuration management processes allow us to guarantee that we will deliver the correct products to our customers every time.

Molding and Insulation for Performance

August 1, 2023 by Liberty Electronics

Molding and insulation are both vital steps in protecting wire assemblies from wear and tear, allowing for a longer lasting and higher quality product. Cast molding, overmolding, and press molding are all techniques to protect the connections of a cable assembly, ensuring quality and extended use. These techniques all achieve slightly different results, while still meeting the ultimate objective: protection of components, creating dimensional parameters, and giving longevity to the product. A variety of materials are used in the insulation and molding process depending on the intended final use of the wiring product.

Cast molding uses a custom-designed mold to provide the wiring harness with specific dimensions. This allows the product to fit within the space and shape the customer requires. Similarly, press molding provides a specific, physical barrier, but can also be used to give substance to smaller wiring assemblies. When used in this way, the assembly is more robust and conducive to handling. It provides some strain relief between the electrical connector and cable bundle. Overmolding offers high levels of electrical protection for the cable assembly by providing a layer of insulation. This molding often covers slide or machine braiding as the final step of protection for the wiring. It provides an electrical barrier to the wire harness, while still orienting the connector and providing dimensional parameters.

Various types of molding will utilize different materials based on the needs of the specific assembly, depending on the design of the product as well as other factors, for example the environment in which a product will be required to perform. Viton, for example, is robust and chemical-resistant yet flexible, making it excellent for military applications such as rocket motors. Polyurethane is biologically resistant to environmental agents such as water and microorganisms, often used for molding in military, transit, and commercial applications. Epoxies are often utilized in cast molding due to their rigidity and durability, making an effective material for connectors and adding substance to an assembly.

Molding and insulation work together for the best possible protection and performance in a wiring harness. Liberty Electronics utilizes a variety of materials to ensure wire harnesses are produced to exact specifications and quality, meeting the needs of their clients.

What molding techniques do you find most useful? Leave a comment below or contact Liberty to talk more about molding.

How Overmolding Can Help Wires Last Longer and Perform Better

October 11, 2022 by Liberty Electronics

How Overmolding Can Help Wires Last Longer and Perform Better

Wires frequently become strained especially when used in different temperatures and conditions. But there is a solution that can help prevent wear and lengthen the life of your wires and cables – overmolding. Molding and insulation are necessary to protect wires from wear and tear, creating a longer-lasting product that performs better. Overmolding is one way to fix wiring wear-outs, and the result is known for its strength and resiliency.

Liberty Electronics® offers three types of molding, each with a different level of protection: cast molding, press molding and overmolding. Overmolding is the final step in molding and insulation for wiring and can be used in nearly every industry and application to withstand the rigors of the most demanding environments.

Cast Molding and Press Molding

Cast molding uses a custom-designed mold to provide the wiring harness with specific dimensions. It also allows the product to fit within the space and shape you require.
Press molding provides a specific physical barrier but can also be used to give substance to smaller wiring assemblies. This assembly is more robust and conducive to handling and gains some strain relief between the electrical connector and cable bundle.

Benefits of Overmolding

Overmolding offers high levels of electrical protection for the cable assemblies and wiring harnesses by providing an additional layer of insulation. This type of molding combines wires and connectors into one piece, often covering slide or machine braiding as the final step of protection for the wiring. The design process places the components within a mold and covers them with a hot liquid plastic material via injection. Once cool, the final product protects the connection of the underlying wires and connectors.

The benefits of an overmolded cable assembly include:

Increasing the flex strength, especially where the cable exits.
Improving the level of protection against outside forces like temperature swings and rubbing.
Creating a water-tight seal for the cable assembly connection that resists oil and moisture.

Overmolding provides an electrical barrier while orienting the connector and providing dimensional parameters. Ultimately, this makes wiring last longer and perform better than without additional protection.

Materials Used in Moldings

Different types of molding utilize various materials based on the needs of the specific assembly, depending on the product’s design and factors such as the environment where the product will be used. Three types of materials often used include:

- Viton, a robust and chemical-resistant yet flexible material, making it excellent for military applications such as rocket motors.
- Epoxies, which are utilized in cast molding due to their rigidity and durability and are ideal for connectors and adding substance to cable assemblies.
- Polyurethane, a biologically resistant material to environmental agents such as water or microorganisms. This material is used for molding in transit, military and commercial applications.

Molding and insulation offer optimal protection and performance for wiring harnesses and cable assemblies. By shielding internal components and enhancing protective qualities, overmolding is ideal for equipment requiring frequent flexing and that must perform in harsh conditions and extreme weather.

Partnering for Successful Overmolding Solutions

We can partner with you on overmolded assemblies and harnesses to help find the right solutions for your upcoming products or programs. As a relationship-based business, partnerships with us result in more success, better performance and a higher quality standard.

With over 35 years of leadership in our field, we specialize in supporting aerospace, defense, rail, transportation and nuclear energy industries by providing products including:

- - Electronic wiring harnesses
  - Box builds
  - Electrical cable assemblies
  - Electrical cabinet assemblies
  - Electrical panel assemblies
  - Electromechanical assemblies

In addition to our dedication to success, quality service and on-time delivery, we’re a relationship-first business that values cooperation over competition. To partner with a supplier who works with you, contact us on our website or via email about working together.

Solving Problems With Root Cause Corrective Action

July 19, 2022 by Liberty Electronics

Solving Problems With Root Cause Corrective Action

When a project goes astray, one of the most important ways to get it back on track is to find out exactly what went wrong. Using supporting data and facts, root cause corrective action (RCCA) is one way to resolve the issue. The RCCA method finds and eliminates the cause of a detected nonconformity, permanently resolving it.

RCCA isn’t about fixing an individual mistake – it’s a series of actions that positively change or modify the system’s performance for the long term. It looks at the big picture and targets the weakest parts of a system that are more likely to cause failure.

Because RCCA aims to make a systemic change, it’s critical to address contributing causes since they could become a future root cause. Ultimately, RCCA can help create better products, gain a competitive advantage and improve customer satisfaction.

Implementing Root Cause Corrective Action

When implementing RCCA and determining potential solutions, there are five factors to consider:

Viability: The solution must be compatible with the company’s schedule and resources.
Effectiveness: Before choosing a solution, determine whether it will be effective in solving the problem.
Team Involvement: Those affected by the problem should be included in the process of formulating the solution.
Big Picture: Focus on systemic issues and address problems that affect the entire organization.
Contingency Plan: Come up with a plan based on anticipated success and have a backup strategy in mind.

You should also ask questions like:

Will the corrective action lower the risk of event recurrence to an acceptable level?
Does everyone involved accept the solution?
Are there any opposing effects that might make the action unacceptable?
Does the corrective action fit within organizational constraints?

Once the action has been implemented, it’s time to evaluate whether it was as effective as expected. Using predefined criteria to measure results will help assess the effectiveness of the RCCA, helping your team solve similar issues in the future.

Ensuring Team Buy-in

One of the most significant considerations when determining the effectiveness of RCCA is how successfully the team worked together toward implementing the solution. The most critical areas of team collaboration are knowledge facilitation and the team’s willingness to challenge assumptions and critically evaluate the direction of the analysis.
Another important factor is the inclusion of leadership and team members from outside the area of focus. Doing so brings a fresh perspective to the root cause analysis, which helps teams think outside of typical patterns to determine the most suitable RCCA.

No matter the complexity of the issues you’re facing, Liberty Electronics®, a relationship-based business, can partner with you to help find solutions for your upcoming programs. With over 35 years of leadership in our field, we specialize in supporting aerospace, defense, rail, transportation and nuclear energy industries by providing products including:

Electronic wiring harnesses
Box builds
Electrical cable assemblies
Electrical cabinet assemblies
Electrical panel assemblies
Electromechanical assemblies

In addition to our dedication to success, quality service and on-time delivery, we’re a relationship-based supplier that values cooperation over competition and are based in Franklin, PA. To build a long-lasting relationship, contact us on our website or via email about working together.

Understanding Insulation Materials

May 3, 2022 by Liberty Electronics

Insulation materials provide wiring harnesses with a layer of necessary protection in a variety of ways, depending on the specific requirements the product must meet. Insulation helps protect the product mechanically, electrically, or environmentally, meeting particular needs according to the product’s application. Additionally, a variety of materials used in wiring harness insulation ensure the various functions of cable harnesses are carried out in the best way possible using the best materials for the job.

Insulation designed for mechanical protection ensures wiring harnesses will hold up well against wear and tear. This type of insulation will either be very flexible or very rigid depending on the needs of the assembly, and will often be resistant to extreme temperatures. Teflon is commonly used for these applications due to its durability and resistance to extreme temperature.

Electrical protection assists wire bundles in being more effective in their purpose. This includes equipping the product to carry the necessary voltage, or insulating specific wires from the electrical current of surrounding wires. The thicker the insulation material, the higher the voltage rating the assembly will have and more capable the wires will be to carry high currents of electricity.

Insulation from the environment will protect the product from outside damage, reducing the possibility of water, microorganisms, or heavy chemicals compromising the effectiveness of a wiring assembly. Neoprene is often used in these cases where damage from biological factors is possible.

Depending on the function of the wiring harnesses and the needs of the client, a variety of materials can be used for insulation purposes. Coverings made from high end polymers, silicone, FEP, XLPE, and PTFE materials are often used in aircraft and spacecraft applications because of their durability and lighter weight. These more rare and expensive materials are crucial in assemblies that must decrease as much weight as possible in the finished product.

By contrast, some more common materials like PVC, neoprene, and nylon are useful coverings for harnesses in which excess weight is not of huge importance. This includes end products such as automobiles, trains, and appliances. These materials are more cost-effective to process, while still providing resilience to the cable assembly.

Both higher and lower end insulation materials offer companies like Liberty a variety of ways to tailor wiring harnesses to their client’s needs. This combination of mechanical, electrical, and biological protection goes a long way in protecting an assembly. Insulation equips wiring assemblies with the durability needed for the increasingly high performance needs of our customers.

Want to learn more about the possibilities for wiring insulation? Leave a comment below, or contact Liberty today!

Community and Beyond: The Global Impact of Liberty Electronics

August 8, 2019 by Liberty Electronics

Every community is impacted by the companies that operate within. Companies of all sizes create a ripple effect, creating a variety of touchpoints and connections within their communities and beyond. This is especially true of a company like Liberty Electronics. Although a small business by definition, Liberty is actually one of the largest companies in the small town of Franklin, Pennsylvania. Franklin is a picturesque, Victorian era community of hard-working families that work together, play together, learn together, worship together, and succeed together.

Liberty’s Ripple Effect

Liberty’s ripple effect starts in the center with the employees who are invested in their corporate mission through Profit-Sharing and Employee Stock Ownership (ESOP) plans. Their care and skill reflected in their workmanship sparks a sense of pride within each individual. Liberty’s flexible work schedule options allow employees to work and still be with their families when it suits their lifestyle and obligations best. This flexibility helps to provide a more balanced lifestyle for the employees, their families, the company, and for the community at large. Liberty Electronics contributes to its community and takes care of its employees, in turn inspiring them to positively impact the local economy and well-being of the city of Franklin and the surrounding communities.

Supporting the larger community on an individual and personal level, a large percentage of Liberty’s products ensure that light rail transit and commercial aircraft systems around the world operate without issue. Liberty’s employees do their part to see to it that these systems will safely carry a multitude of people throughout their busy week of work, school, and recreation with the confidence of reaching and returning from their intended destinations.

Let’s expand this community impact out another layer. In support of our national defense, a large number of Liberty’s products leave our facility and move on to become components of defense weapons, and support systems that are required to meet the needs of the warfighters protecting our nation and so many others around the free world. Some of these warfighters are from our local communities, and a number of those are from families within our own company. In addition, many of Liberty’s employees have made the admirable decision to support their country by serving in various capacities within the military.

On perhaps an even greater scale, Liberty Electronics contributes to a variety of energy generating systems that literally touch and affect the lives of millions of people each day.

From mining operations and renewable energy applications such as solar and wind power generation, to the assembly of electronic safety systems that ensure fuel rods move in and out of nuclear reactors without fail. All of these systems work seamlessly together to produce the energy necessary to satisfy the demand of electrical distribution grids throughout the world.

The Reach of Our Products and Our People

Liberty Electronics is made up of so much more than just products and processes. We’re made up of people who have a passion for making a difference within the company, the community, and the world. Our values and visions create touch-points within our local region, and our skills create products that expand our reach beyond our small town to make a global impact. For Liberty Electronics, culture is more than just the dynamic within our walls, it’s the difference we make in the world.

Every day, every hour, every minute, the products produced by Liberty Electronics touch and impact the lives of people around the world, and beyond. And it all starts here, in a small community of dedicated and caring people living and working together for a common purpose in northwest Pennsylvania.

Want to partner with a company that creates products to improve and save lives? Contact us for more information.

Liberty Electronics, provides electrical cable assemblies, wire harnesses, and box builds for demanding defense and commercial OEMs looking to grow their business by teaming with a competent and caring outsourcing partner committed to success.

Safety in Numbers: How Process Metrics and Certification Drive Quality

September 11, 2018 by Liberty Electronics

Recently, the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA) in the nation’s capital was forced to decommission nearly 75% of its new 7000-series rail cars due to crimping defects. The rail cars had crimping defects that went undetected until WMATA’s quality inspectors discovered them. The WMATA’s Quality Assurance, Internal Compliance and Oversight office (QICO), estimates that the rail cars will take over a year to be repaired. Going forward, QICO is requiring that in-process quality checks and high standards of engineering design be more explicitly outlined in WMATA’s manufacturing contracts.(1)

According to George Allman, Project Engineer at Liberty Electronics, this instance underscores the need for stringent internal quality standards to guard against the tiniest malfunctions. He calls this concept “safety in numbers.” At Liberty, for example, many layers of process controls, workmanship standards, and overall company culture are factors which reduce the chances of a product failure like the one now facing the WMATA.(2)

To Allman, frequent and thorough process controls build a database for the company to learn what standards can be reached. The more known and predictable these levels of acceptability are, the less margin for error. For example, when producing wire crimps, Liberty practices “continuous monitoring throughout the process” to ensure the crimps are of the best quality. Additionally, Liberty utilizes pull-tests and crimp analysis sampling to test the strength of the crimp connections. (Ibid) By paying attention to the consistency in product quality and becoming accustomed to a certain level of acceptability in its own work, the company builds high expectations for itself.

Moreover, Liberty holds itself to the highest standards of workmanship. The company has multiple quality assurance certifications that create the highest levels of product acceptability, most notably in IPC 620, ISO 9001, AS9100, and NADCAP AC7121. Because of this, Liberty’s internal standards exceed industry norms and manufacturer’s guidelines in contract manufacturing.

These many layers of tests and workmanship standards create a company culture that is dedicated to excellence. According to Allman, the stringent company standards reminds employees that “everything we touch affects someone’s life.”(Ibid) This is something that employees, and by extension the entire company, do not take lightly.

Liberty’s products contribute to systems and infrastructure that the public relies on every day. By utilizing the highest goals for acceptability through tests, standards of workmanship, and a company culture dedicated to excellence, the company helps ensure that its products will perform reliably for those who depend on them the most. By utilizing these measures, Liberty Electronics shows that there is safety—and distinction—in numbers.

Sources:

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, QICO 2018 Internal Review.
George Allman (Project Engineer, Liberty Electronics), phone interview, 16 August 2018

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Have questions about process metrics and our quality standards? Contact us for more details.