Chad Industries (www.chadindustries.net) recently announced that Boeing (www.boeing.com) ordered 10 of its HarnessMate semi-automated wire-insertion machines.
Boeing already uses 15 of the portable, laser-guided connector assembly systems at its Electrical Product Center in Mesa, AZ, where the aerospace company produces wire harnesses for some of the world’s most advanced military aircraft, including the F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Super Hornet, AH-64D Apache Longbow, and C-17 Globemaster III.
Boeing has ordered the additional 10 machines to further support productivity improvements. “To be effective, Boeing needs to sustain high rates of production without losing quality,” says Fred Edman, manager of manufacturing research and development at Boeing’s Mesa facility. “Tools that increase throughput without compromising quality are essential in our increasingly competitive business environment.”
Boeing was already using Chad Industries’ bench units in its wire harness assembly operations, but needed a more compatible solution for its lean moving production line. Several years ago, Chad and Boeing partnered to develop the portable HarnessMate unit, which helps operators perform their jobs 30 to 40 percent faster than other technology.
Along with efficiency, ergonomics were a focus of the engineers who designed HarnessMate, Chat reports. The unit provides laser-guided illumination of the insertion points for the wire assembly connectors. This feature, Chad explains, helps reduce the risk of repetitive motion injuries from eye, hand, shoulder, and back strain that an operator could experience performing such precise assembly work.
Boeing has recognized its engineering team that helped develop HarnessMate with an Environmental, Safety, and Health Innovation Award for bringing ergonomic improvements to the wire-harness assembly process.
“The cooperation and creative efforts put forth by the Boeing and Chad Industries engineers who developed HarnessMate has resulted in an innovative harness assembly tool,” says Scott Klimczak, Chad Industries’ president.
Chad Industries designs, manufactures, and markets automation equipment for the circuit-board assembly, semiconductor, and harness industries.
