In many cases, your environment significantly influences various aspects of your electrical system. Operating in harsh environments can prove challenging for equipment, procedures, and your day-to-day challenges. When it comes to designing and manufacturing harsh environment cable assemblies, the challenges are seemingly never-ending. That’s where it pays to have a pro.
At Meridian Cable, we have over 30 years of experience and expertise in designing and building custom cables and wire harnesses for the world’s toughest environments and most challenging situations. We not only design cables to get the job done in challenging conditions, but we also tailor custom cable assemblies and wiring solutions to operate reliably, durably, and consistently despite tough or hazardous operating environments.
The Challenge of Building Harsh Environment Cable Assemblies
Part of the challenge of creating harsh environment cable assemblies is the vast scope of potential hazards or degrading elements that may interfere with the electrical system. Prolonged exposure to elements such as moisture, vibration, dust, unpredictable weather, or electromagnetic interference (EMI) can degrade the physical components of a cable and shorten its lifespan dramatically.
Most of the time, conventional, off-the-shelf assemblies are incapable of withstanding the elements for prolonged periods of time. That’s why it’s crucial to design a custom cable assembly that considers your environment from the outset.
Not all harsh environment cable assemblies require the same level or scope of protection. While some electrical systems may encounter extreme temperatures, others are housed in climate-controlled environments. You may require a chemical-resistant cable assembly, a waterproof cable assembly, or a mixture of both.
The short truth is, every situation and cable assembly or wire harness is unique. Therefore, each cable assembly or wire harness must be equally tailored to the specific operational environment and functionality demands. That’s when it pays to have a team of expert engineers designing and manufacturing harsh environment cable assemblies built with every detail in mind.
Our Certifications Give You Peace of Mind
In most industries, downtime or system failure can disrupt workflow and lead to significant risk. It’s not easy to maintain high performance with less than absolute certainty in your electrical system. That’s why it’s vital to build each rugged cable assembly or harsh environment wire harness to the most stringent of standards.
One way we assure our customers of the quality, functionality, and durability of their custom cable assemblies is our commitment to acquiring and maintaining certifications from the most reliable and trusted names in the industry.
Our industry-leading certifications include:
- ISO 9001:2015 certification, which guarantees that our quality management system and careful inspection process remain consistent across each project.
- IPC/WHMA-A-620 compliance, which provides reassurance that every step of the process is closely monitored, standardized, and accountable for each solder, crimp, and connection.
- AS9100 approval, which guarantees our cables and assemblies are approved for aerospace applications where vibration-resistant cable and high-temperature cable designs are of the utmost importance.
- Multiple UL Certifications, which indicate industry standards are not only met to check off a box, but are held at the core of everything we do.
When you purchase a harsh environment cable assembly from Meridian, these certifications give you the confidence that we build your cables and wires to the highest performance and quality standards on the market. We’ve built a foundation and a reputation for excellence in everything we craft, and we are not stopping anytime soon.
Rugged Capabilities & Key Features
Meridians’ capabilities to develop harsh environment cable assemblies encompass a range of protections and principle design features depending on the specific application and hazards of your industry.
In applications that include consistent flexing or vibration, we offer integrated flexible conductor stranding and reinforced shielding to help mitigate strain and fatigue over time.
In environments that contain extreme temperatures, such as industrial production facilities or harsh climate locations, we can develop high-temperature cable designs that can withstand both heat and cold.
For work environments that demand a heavy moisture content or underwater applications, we employ waterproof cable manufacturing that prevents erosion or compromised electrical transference.
In facilities where exposure to caustics, fuels, chemicals, or solvents is unavoidable, our chemical-resistant cable designs utilize jacketing compounds such as PUR and ETFE to protect and maintain integrity without compromise.
For industries that maintain multi-circuit systems and complex wiring, we deliver extreme environment wire harnesses with redundant shielding, additional sleeving, and overmolded breakouts to enhance reliability and protect against environmental hazards.
Industrial Automation Cables
Industrial automation tables demand unwavering reliability. A single cable failure can halt production, set the entire factory behind, and severely cut into productivity and revenue. For these types of environments, standard cables are typically inadequate for the strain of continuous motion, high vibration, and continuous operation.
Industrial automation cables will frequently encounter electromagnetic interference (EMI), chemicals such as oils and coolants, and additional workplace hazards. That’s why we designed our industrial automation cables to be tough as nails and stand up to the everyday harsh reality of working within an industrial complex.
Military Grade Cable Manufacturing
In defense situations or aerospace applications, precision and reliability are paramount. These applications often demand on-the-fly motion, ultra-reliable operation under duress, and split-second flexibility. Not to mention the extreme temperatures and hazardous elements that could interfere with consistent signal integrity.
That’s why we craft our military grade cable designs to the highest MIL-SPEC standards, incorporating low-smoke, zero-halogen materials for safety, flexible stranding for high vibration, and shielding to protect against EMI in sensitive communications.
Vibration-Resistant Cable Creation
Vibration is one of the most common causes of cable failure across various industries. Whether you operate in aerospace, automotive, or heavy machinery equipment applications, vibration can not only lead to loose connections but also damage cables over time and with repeated use. Conductor strands can fatigue and break, terminations may lose viability, and insulation can wear down, leading to disrupted connections, electrical malfunctions, and equipment failure, all of which spell a bad day on the job.
Vibration-resistant cable creation involves ensuring everything from the connectors to the conductors is ruggedized to prevent them from being under constant strain and vibration. Designing a highly functioning, vibration-resistant cable is no small feat, given the immensity and importance of the rugatization process. However, the engineering team at Meridian Cable has incorporated key elements to mitigate damage caused by high vibration settings, giving you confidence in your connections.
High Temperature Cable Design
Heat accelerates decay and cable failure by breaking down insulating materials, reducing flexibility, and eroding electrical properties. Our high-temperature cable designs consider the extremes of day-to-day operation in harsh environments, particularly those in industrial facilities, aerospace applications, or defense.
Within our high-temperature cable assemblies, we incorporate heat-resistant materials and thermally flexible electrical components that can adapt to potentially harsh climates.
Waterproof Cable Building
It comes as no surprise that water and moisture are the enemies of electrical systems. When operating in high-moisture environments, also known as the “splash zone,” additional protection is necessary for smooth and reliable operations. To counter the ill effects of moisture and water, we engineer waterproof cable assemblies that meet or exceed IP67 and IP68 standards. Our waterproof cable designs incorporate overmolded components to seal away conductors and connectors, preventing moisture and water from penetrating or damaging the electrical components.
Chemical-Resistant Cable Production
In industrial facilities, harsh chemicals, oils, and solvents are a major challenge, particularly in chemical plants, food processing facilities, and outdoor environments. Prolonged exposure to these elements can severely degrade and corrode electrical systems at their most vulnerable points, which typically is the wiring. That’s why we create chemical-resistant cable designs that use jacketing compounds to protect against loss of signal or erosion caused by chemical exposure.
Extreme Environment Wire Harness Design & Assembly
Industries that require multi-circuit systems with complex electrical connections often include a hefty dose of electromagnetic interference, intense heat, and other environmental hazards. For these applications, we design extreme environment wire harnesses with rugged cabling, extensive sleeving, protective shielding, and overmolded elements to provide as much protection as possible for tricky situations.
Overmolded Cable Assemblies
One of the best ways to defend against moisture, dust, and damage caused by kinks or motion is by using an over-molded cable assembly. This process involves the physical elements in a flexible and element-resistant coating to provide a physical barrier for the fragile conductors and terminals within the assembly. Overmolded cable assemblies are one of the most effective means of preparing harsh environment cables to withstand the everyday hazards while maintaining signal integrity and operational longevity.
Strain Relief Overmolding
One of the most fragile points of a harsh environment cable assembly is at the point of termination, where strain is concentrated on conductors and connectors. Strain relief overmolding is a pivotal consideration when designing your custom cable assembly. The last thing you want is a weak connection point that could lead to loss of signal integrity, corrupted data transference, and potential equipment damage.
We develop and employ rigid strain relief overmolding elements to absorb the weight of the conductors and connectors, allowing your custom cable assembly to continue operating for the long term.
Build Your Harsh Environment Cable Assemblies With Our Team
If you operate in any industry that includes harsh environments, our team is ready to tackle your biggest challenges within your electrical system. We’ll create a one-of-a-kind solution tailored to your environment, industry, and equipment, delivering the confidence and signal integrity you need, day in and day out.
Just talk to our team to get started on your own harsh environment cable assembly project today!