Complexities of electric vehicle (EV) production often leads to process and quality variations, inefficiencies, and a deterioration of manufacturing performance. Due to the complex manufacturing solutions used during production, coupled with overburdened workforces, extended manufacturing times and mistakes resulting in reworks and scrap are commonplace.
With the RADOX® EV-C Single-Core connection system, alongside the new RADOX® Flex high-voltage cables, HUBER+SUHNER has enabled manufacturers to reduce the effort required when installing a harness onto an EV. Designed and developed for heavy-duty vehicles, the solution offers increased freedom and flexibility to route and organise the layout of high voltage cables much more efficiently.
“Normally, large cross section cables used in EVs are long, heavy and relatively stiff,” said Product Manager, Connection Systems at HUBER+SUHNER, Robert Weirauch. “This leads to an extended installation time for manufacturers, as it requires intense manual work to lay the high voltage cables correctly in each corner of the vehicle. The electrification of heavy-duty vehicles has also made harsh operating conditions common. In order to have an uninterrupted power supply and keep high-voltage connection systems in place, it is important that the layout and all fixation points are optimally selected for each requirement”.
The effectiveness and efficiency of high voltage connection systems depend on correct cable laying, the quality of the connectors and solid fixations. As a result of this offering, HUBER+SUHNER has become one of the first to provide a complete, validated connection system for EVs, combining the benefits of the RADOX® Flex high-voltage cables with superb pass-through EV-C. Vehicle manufacturers and system providers alike can incorporate both the Flex cables and the EV-Cto suit their individual design needs. All elements within the system have been validated and released into serial production.
“Time to Market (TTM) has always been an important consideration for most original equipment manufacturers (OEM), but this has only become more crucial post pandemic”, continued Weirauch. “With disruptions to supply chains, shortages of components and extended lead times, manufacturers need every advantage they can to position their products within the market quickly. The use of off-the-shelf products, such as EV-C with RADOX® Flex cables can shorten TTM significantly. Moreover, these are extensively validated solutions meeting the latest high voltage automotive standards. Thanks to the new solution, customers can now quickly adapt their existing products to individual systems or powertrain architectures for heavy duty vehicles”.
The EV-C Single-Core connection system, available with RADOX® Flex high voltage cables, comes in a variety of sizes to suit the most common heavy-duty requirements: 50mm2, 70mm2 and 120mm2, with 95mm2 to be offered once validated.
The solution will be showcased for the first time at the Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo 2023, taking place from 23-25 May in Stuttgart, Germany.
