What’s the difference between Commercial & Defense Aircraft Cable Assemblies?

By Mer-Mar Electronics Date posted: Last updated: April 14, 2021
Aircraft Cable Assemblies

“A good craftsman knows his tools”

But is that the same case with a layman? Suppose a layman looks at the cable assemblies, every kind of cable assembly is one and the same and does not notice any visible differences. Every kind of cable assembly has the same outward appearance and shows a similar construction. This makes them jump to the conclusion that all cable assemblies look alike and even the functionality is the same. But that’s a wrong assumption. In fact, it’s very naive to think this way.

Every cable harness assembly is different from the other one in both its form and function. Let’s say, a cable assembly that is used in automobiles is totally different from the one that is used in aircraft. And furthermore, do you believe that cable assemblies used in commercial aircraft are also different from the one that is used in defense aircraft.

Let’s look into what are the differences between commercial aircraft cable assemblies and defense aircraft cable assemblies.

What is a cable assembly?

Firstly, let us understand what exactly is a cable assembly. Cable assemblies are a group of cables that are arranged or bundled into a single unit for a particular purpose. Cable assemblies are often referred to as wire harnesses as well. These could be either simple or complicated depending on the application it has to be used in and the size it needs to be. For instance, cable assemblies used in an aircraft are comparatively larger and complex than the ones used in a car.

Cable assemblies used in aircraft generally involve having thousands of wires with hundreds of connectors. With these numbers, even a single cable assembly may weigh staggeringly high. However, cable assemblies take away the hassles of installing thousands of wires at a time. You can install everything as a single unit. It makes it easier to build them without the need for putting in wires one at a time in the aircraft and then thinking of connecting each wire to either connector or terminal.

This is the fastest way to route a group of wires that are bundled already instead of routing each of them individually. This not only reduces the space used but also facilitates the organization in a clean and neat way. This is also the easiest and quickest way of finishing the setup. Even repairs, replacements, and maintenance also become simpler and quicker.

Commercial Aircraft Cable Assemblies Vs Defense Aircraft Cable Assemblies

Both commercial and defense aircraft cable assemblies have recorded an increase in their revenue which has set out bullish trends in the industry. As both of these have started to surge, extra care and attention are being taken while procuring the components for both the halves of aerospace markets. The propulsion segments used in the aerospace industry outpace all other industry niches by a great deal.

Both commercial aircraft assemblies and defense aircraft cable assemblies use wires, connectors, contacts, and covers for bundling up. Both of these are tested the same way for continuity and insulation resistance. Basically, if we notice, there is not much difference in military and commercial aircraft cable harnesses. They are in fact essentially the same.

However, they do differ in one aspect. Quality Inspections! Quality checks for both are inspected and approved by different authorities. Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) performs the quality inspection for defense and military aircraft. However, if you have commercial aircraft cable assemblies, you do not need a quality inspection by DCMA. This is taken over by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). FAA usually requests the companies to provide feedback and focuses on continual improvements. The FAA also provides aviation industry Quality System Audits (QSA).

Bottom line

Mer-Mar Electronics is your go-to place whether you need commercial aircraft or defense aircraft cable assemblies. We offer comprehensive cable assembly services for high-performance applications like aircraft. You can understand how superior our cable assembly services are right from the prototype stage to production.

We also engage in various aviation projects like versatile helicopters, cockpit harnesses, radar refurbishing projects, fighter jets, light transport aircraft, missile launchers, and many more. You can also take a look at our aerospace electronics services. In addition to the various design and manufacturing aircraft cable assembly services, we also offer a wide range of options to our customers like quality management, support, and more. So, whatever your current Aircraft type is, Mer-Mar Electronics is meant to do miracles.

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