What Are Electromechanical Assemblies?
An electromechanical assembly is a device that combines electrical components and mechanical components for a specific function. They can be printed circuit boards, power supplies, box builds, and complex cable and wire assemblies. These assemblies can contain simple to highly complex designs depending on the desired functionality and application they will be used. Integrating electrical circuitry and mechanical parts to perform specific operation plays a critical role in EEWeb across various industries. Electromechanical assembly and wire harness manufacturing companies manufacture several electromechanical devices, as mentioned below. According to a survey conducted, the CAGR of the global electromechanical switch market is estimated to increase steadily over a value of more than 3.20% by 2027.
Types Of Electromechanical Assembly
Switch and sensor assemblies
Controlling systems mainly comprise sensor assemblies and switch panels. Sensors detect external stimuli such as heat, light, or sound and transfer the energy into electrical signals. Sensor assemblies include transmitters, sensing elements, and connection heads. The purpose of switches is to allow the flow of current through a system. Typically switches consist of contacts, a wiring harness, and a switching mechanism.
Transformer assemblies
Transformers are electronic devices that transfer electrical energy between circuits and are integrated between other devices on a circuit layout. A transformer typically consists of insulating materials, a laminated core, primary and secondary windings, and application-specific accessories like cooling tubes.
Power supply assemblies
Power supply assemblies are power boxes that generate power by receiving a current and converting the received current into a suitable voltage. These electro-mechanical formats also serve as standalone devices. Some standard power supply components include a regulator, filter, rectifier, transformer, and casing or housing equipment, essential to control ripple voltages.
Cable and harness assemblies
These assemblies are the integration of cables and wires designed to transfer power. These are generally used in insulators, connectors, relays, ties, and harsh environments of wire harness manufacturing companies.
Panel assemblies
Panel assemblies are integrated panels embedded in control systems that regulate electrical power distribution in connected circuits.
Common fields highly dependent on EMA are the semiconductor industry, such as aerospace, military, and automotive industry, such as temperature sensors, fire protection, such as smoke extraction fans, agriculture, and extreme environments with heavy equipment like wire harnesses, build boxes, and cable assemblies.
Methods To Solve Electromechanical Assembly Problems
Electromechanical assemblies and box-build manufacturers ideally follow the below steps to execute successful manufacturing processes.
Design for tolerance issues
A robust design with tolerance optimization ensures that the final products meet client needs and fit various operating conditions. Computer-aided engineering and design tools (CAE/CAD) can streamline design and analysis. Such methods condense the time needed to accomplish the product design phase and eradicate defects or tolerance errors that can occur during manufacturing.
Designing an end product involves design rules and guidelines, which are certain protocols to execute the desired end product. Design rules are mechanical, chemical, geometrical, and physical limitations.
Designing a module integrates with standard interfaces that automatically incorporate into a larger system. Module-based designing eases the process of assembling and reassembling the product and also helps in identifying quality problems easily. Designing rules also should compensate for the process statistics and estimate material and components deviations. The designing process should be standard, identifiable, and documented.
Design guidelines are established to provide sensible instructions high probability of end-product success, and limited issues in the manufacturing process. Guidelines eliminate the production of unnecessary components.
Robust testing strategy
Testing is at the heart of electromechanical assembly, and moving elements adds a new level of complexity. If the assembled product is defective, the entire production process is pointless. Therefore, it is crucial to have a solid test plan that ensures the final product is functionally tested and meets user needs.
Successful test processes are a combination of manufacturing and validation testing. Manufacturing testing ensures the ultimate quality check on equipment before being delivered to clients. Validation testing executes the final product’s reliability, durability, environmental, and endurance testing. Testing is necessary for high reliability, safety, and quality checks.
Designate a QA and inspection room
Developing a reliable testing process is essential for successful maintenance. A dedicated space and an engineering team are quintessential for checking the quality and performance of components and assembled parts. This space should be well equipped with devices such as microscopes, digital measures, balances, and other equipment and tools that capture the measurements or identify any damages or errors that could have occurred during manufacture.
A single device might require multiple checks during various stages of the production and assembly process. Hence timely and careful quality assurance checks are key to the inspection process. Documentation of such processes is helpful for future reference.
Strong purchasing team
The tactical and strategic approach to buying includes potential issues and bigger problems with individual buyers. An experienced procurement team with a strong understanding of buyers makes it easy to build improved business relationships and achieve client niches. The supply chain is an ongoing issue while sourcing materials and electrical components, so corrective actions help maintain cordial business dealings.
Reducing waste
Manufacturers must identify strategies to save waste, manage lead times, and minimize the danger of reworking if they want to improve quality and manufacturing capacity.
One of the best ways is to adopt electronic recycling waste as it has significant benefits that help electromechanical device manufacturers find value in recycling and reduction.
Managing raw materials waste is a major challenge in producing and manufacturing electromechanical device industries. Adapting to a common waste approach like lean manufacturing avoids revisions, benefits lead time and reduces resource consumption significantly. Manufacturers who adopt such methods encourage clients by providing great flexibility and reducing assembly costs. Reducing waste also aids in social and environmental benefits.
With the above few important factors, it is also important that manufacturers adopt new manufacturing strategies. Right manufacturing strategies always benefit from overcoming electromechanical assembly challenges by reducing inherent risks and uncertainties and ensuring product quality.
Conclusion
Violin technologies are masters in electromechanical assembling and have expertise in efficiently manufacturing, assembling, and testing products following supply chain disciplines. With a perfect balance between the assembling and procurement process, Violin technologies are known to deliver fully inspected assemblies on time.
Aparna Sushumna
About the Author
Aparna Sushumna, a mother to a hyperactive toddler who is all over the house. I aspire to be a decent content developer. A Bachelorette of technology says my qualification but I anticipated being a singer. Thanks to the recession, I dwelled into various jobs, from coding to being a tech support executive to a help desk professional, only to conclude that there is something else I wish to do. Here I am to accomplish my profound passion for content writing. Music, nature, jewelry, beauty, mythology, life quotes, celebs, and their life, being my areas of interest.