/19.01.2026/
Howag has a long experience in the production of cabling: from tiny cables for hearing aids to large power cables up to 30 meters long.
The complexity of cables also varies considerably: from very simple cables to highly complex products such as control cabinets and over-moulded (plastic-encapsulated) components. All cable products, regardless of their size or complexity, must meet the highest standards for our customers.
Highly complex cabling, used in all kinds of machinery, is something Howag is an expert at. That kind of cabling ranges from approximately 1 meter to 12 meters in length, and incorporates up to 750 single wires. Each of these strands has two ends, which are inserted into various types of connectors. For this type of complex cabling, our specialists primarily work on schematic boards for cable assembly – or just “boards”, for short.
When visitors walk through our production facility and see our specialists laying down these enormous numbers of wires from memory, it always elicits great astonishment and well-deserved respect. The majority of our employees are female, and the fact that they master this skill for several products simultaneously is an absolute top-notch achievement.
But how is such a schematic board created?
Typically, the customer provides the necessary information for the assembly. This would usually encompass connector type, cable cross-sections, lengths, branches, labels, protective measures, and so on. From there, Howag takes over. The required components are ordered in advance. Once the basic structure of the schematic-board is defined, the supporting structure is built – having in mind the best logistical arrangement of the numerous components.
The actual board is usually made of aluminium. A huge paper printout of the laying plan is then affixed to it. This provides the first 1:1 representation of the final product’s dimensions.
And then the cable specialist team is now tackling the most complex task: installing all the defined connectors on the board. These connectors aren’t simply left lying around; they’re positioned exactly as specified during the customer’s integration process. Using 3D printers, the necessary holders are produced and securely attached to the board and connectors.
Cables of this size are very heavy, so the retaining bolts must be installed to hold the cable bundles in place. These bolts must be positioned very carefully, as the entire assembly will ultimately need to be secured with tape-bandage or heat-shrink tubing.
Finally, we can start the actual production!
Various cables and components are arranged and assembled on the board using the scheme as guidance along with the technical documentation.
Since Howag has a strict principle of 100% electrical testing for all products, the most complex step for our cable specialists now begins: the test program.
This program is logically mapped in a test-computer. This means that each wire is precisely defined and correctly connected to the test equipment. Consequently, for each wire of the assembly, two test wires must be run behind the scheme-board from the respective connector to the test-computer. In our example, this amounts to 1,500 leads.
Since test-computers can sometimes fail or require periodic calibration, the wires must be routed via defined ribbon cables. Connecting the wires to the ribbon cable involves precise soldering work.
The final step is the internal validation of the scheme-board. This is carried out by a committee that reviews the extensive work step by step with a neutral perspective.
The subsequent handover to production is just a small step. Why?
Because throughout the entire process of manufacturing the board, the production managers and specialists have been involved. They often complement the engineers’ ideas with experience-based and practical suggestions.
