Strategic sourcing processes allow manufacturers to choose the best vendors based on more factors than cost alone. By evaluating other characteristics such as quality management practices, efficient operations, design capabilities, and sustainability, purchasing managers are using strategic sourcing techniques to look at the “bigger picture” for long-term growth.

Making sure wire bundles are adequately secured or contained is an important step in creating a quality product, even after the necessary electrical or environmental protection has been applied. It is imperative that a wire assembly be secured adequately, and it is also crucial that the bundle fits well within the physical space allotted. This is where various wire bundle management techniques come into play. Wires can be held together using heat shrinkable tubing, lacing, stitching, tie wraps, metal bands, or braided coverings. The style and material used to secure the assembly helps it achieve the best performance possible.

Molding protects the connectors of a wire assembly from a variety of potential harmful influences. These include environmental factors such as water and chemical damage, as well as abrasion and other physical damage in service. Using the best material for the job also ensures the best possible adhesion for the components, yielding reliability and longevity of the end product. The choice of molding material used is directly related to the desired function and level of performance, and utilizing the best materials in the industry---such as urethanes , silicones, and epoxies---ensures the highest quality of assemblies according to client needs.

The autumn of 2001 found Liberty Electronics’ employees full of confidence in the future. Years of developing strong customer relationships and providing high quality products had solidified Liberty’s reputation within the manufacturing community. The company had built on this foundation by attaining the International Standard Certification ISO9001 three years previously, shifting from a narrow focus on military quality assurance to an international quality system that allowed its work to branch out into the global market. And employees looked forward to moving into their new facility in just a few months’ time, a space that would allow them to fulfill contracts for General Electric, Siemens, and their first international order for an Israeli tactical air-launched decoy designed to fool enemy radar systems.

Great accomplishments often have small beginnings, an idea with which Liberty Electronics is more than familiar. Once a business concept found only on paper for a university research project, by the early 1990s Liberty was a fully formed corporation coming into its own. The company had deliberately focused on defense programs since its 1986 founding, meeting a specific need during the late Cold War and the Gulf War to provide high quality wiring harnesses and cable assemblies to the defense industry. That, however, was all about to change.

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.

Braided coverings and shieldings are an excellent way to make wiring configurations neat and uniform. Braiding gives wires more flexibility and a longer lifespan and can also offer a layer of electric protection or abrasion resistance. Although there are two different types of wire braiding widely used in the industry,  machine braiding and premade (or slide-on) braiding, machine braiding offers more versatility, cost savings, and consistency, and should be something a contract manufacturing partner should be able to do in-house.

This November, Liberty Electronics will celebrate five years since producing its first in-house 3D printed part in 2013. The company added two additional 3D printers to its roster in 2016, another this month, and is looking ahead at the possibility of adding metal-capable machines in the future. The implementation of additive manufacturing has proven to be incredibly successful for the company and has continued to set Liberty apart as a versatile innovator in the industry.