HUBER+SUHNER recently launched its new purpose-built high-voltage modular cable assembly (mCAY). This cable was designed for easier assembly, saving development time and effort in the manufacturing of electric commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses, and special vehicles.
Many vehicle manufacturers focus on the direct costs of their solutions, without paying enough attention to indirect production costs, such as assembly, test and production equipment, or even reworks. These costs can be significantly reduced by considering requirements from production and by applying a modular, rather than a product-by-product, approach.
HEnd-of-line testing is included within the assembly process, meaning once the mCAY solution has been assembled and tested together, the customer can install it immediately within commercial EVs.
“The development of new modular cable assemblies demonstrates our commitment to not just selling components, but advanced solutions,” said Robert Weirauch, senior product manager at HUBER+SUHNER. “Our partnerships with major connector manufacturers ensure our engineers remain up to date with the latest solutions on the market. We then use our team’s experience with these technologies to deliver ready-to-use assemblies perfect for our customer’s requirements.”
The market for heavy-duty commercial EVs is growing rapidly. New measures relating to heavy-duty vehicles and a reduction of their carbon emissions continue to be rolled out, including one from the European Parliament in April 2024, making switching to EVs a more sustainable option for businesses.
In 2023, the sales of electric trucks alone increased by 35% worldwide, including a threefold increase in both Europe and the United States. This increased pressure on manufacturers to get heavy-duty EVs on the market faster has been challenging due to the complexities of modern cable assemblies.
“As high voltage cable and connector technologies grow in complexity, so too does the assembly process,” continued Weirauch. “If manufacturers lack the technical knowledge, experience, or tools required to assemble these critical parts, it could result in avoidable errors and a slow time-to-market for their EVs. HUBER+SUHNER and its expertise in both components and assembly can take the pressure off our customers to get this right, freeing up vital time and resources to be used elsewhere.”
HUBER+SUHNER is also launching a product configurator which allows customers to tailor products to their exact specifications. The WEB empowers users to mix and match cables, connectors, and glands in just a few clicks. allowing customers to craft their desired solution with full oversight on how it will look. With options for numerous cable sizes and types, including single-core, multi-core, or flex, an mCAY can be customized effortlessly through the intuitive configuration software.
The company offers a wide range of validated cable options and access to the latest high-voltage connectors, empowering EV design teams to validate wiring concepts and accelerate homologation. Modular cable assemblies have been designed to be fully compatible with other products of the high-voltage portfolio, including RADOX high-voltage cables, the modular High-Voltage Distribution Unit (mHVDU), and RADOX EV-C connection system.
Filed Under: Technology News