Attention to detail is what sets WH Kemp apart from other Cable Assembly manufacturers. In our series of production case studies, we examine how we work with our customers to simplify their production and solve problems before they arise.

WH Kemp’s customer specific Production Cells means that each customer has a team of specialists trained to understand and meet that customer’s requirements. WH Kemp reviews production each morning in a series of stand-up meetings with each Cell Leader prior to the daily management meeting. These meetings provide an ideal opportunity to throw up ideas that can enhance a customer’s cable assembly, improving reliability of the final product.

The Customer

This customer produces electronics for a number of applications including aerospace and military vehicles. They have been working with WH Kemp for several years and are supplied with a range of cable assemblies and panels for their production site.

The Challenge

In one of the daily production meetings, it was noted the specified insulated wire was showing a larger than acceptable number of failures whist being manufactured at WH Kemp. The cause of this needed to be identified and rectified.

The Solution

Once the problem had been identified, it fell to the Quality Management team to decide on a solution via a Product Improvement Report. WH Kemp’s process improvement process, pulls together the drawings, specifications and production experience, enabling a solution to be agreed upon. In this instance it involved rerouting the problematic wire to alleviate the potential for the insulation to fail. The solution is documented, photos taken and included with the documentation that then becomes part of the production process for that component.

When the issue was first identified on the shop floor the possible quality issue using the specified component was flagged up to the customer. As the end product was for use in a certified environment changing the wire specifications was not possible, making WH Kemp’s manufacturing expertise critical in ensuring that the assembly was built in such a way that it remained reliable for the working life of the final product.

This article is originally from Production Case Study 3: Component Quality, created by John Wyatt.

Attention to detail is what sets WH Kemp apart from other Cable Assembly manufacturers. In our series of production case studies, we examine how we work with our customers to simplify their production and solve potential problems before they arise.

We always welcome the opportunity to visit our customers production facilities to observe how our cable harnesses are used within our customers’ production process. The customer can occasionally find that it there is an aspect of their production process that can be improved with an alteration to the wiring loom, this to enable more efficient assembly of the final product. Sometimes it can be a very minor change in the wiring harness that can make a difference to our customers production efficiency.

The Customer

The client is a sub-contractor manufacturing printed circuit boards for a major control systems company. Both companies are long standing customers for whom WH Kemp produce multiple assemblies and panels.

The Challenge

A two-part cable assembly was being supplied with stripped wire ends which were fraying in transport. A cable tie joining the components which was part of the approved specification for the cable was also being removed at final assembly to facilitate easier installation of the wiring into the PCB.

The Solution

When WH Kemp’s production office became aware of the problem on a routine customer service visit, they agreed a solution with the customer’s operations team whereby the cable ends would be supplied unstripped and, that the cable tie would be removed from the assembly. The two cables (one red, one black) would also be supplied bagged as separate components. This helped assembly time by reducing the number of jobs from two to one and reducing cost by removing the cable tie.

This was at first sight a very simple problem, but solving it made production on the client’s shop floor easier as well as removing the cost of a surplus item. John Wyatt, WH Kemp Managing Director said, “it is this attention to detail by our team that has kept our customers coming back to us regularly over the last 50 years.”

This article is originally from Production – Case Study 2: Attention to detail counts, created by John Wyatt.

Attention to detail is what sets WH Kemp apart from other Cable Assembly manufacturers. In our series of production case studies, we examine how we worked with our customers to simplify their production and solve potential problems before they arise.

When a customer brings an initial cable harness design to WH Kemp for manufacture, our unrivalled experience in the production of cable assemblies can highlight potential issues in the functionality of the finished product.

The Customer

The client in this instance was a leading multinational manufacturer of electronic monitoring equipment, with whom WH Kemp have been working for many years supplying a range of assemblies for their products.

The Challenge

At an early stage of production trials for a cable assembly, one cable was bent at a sharper angle than the others making it prone to pulling out of the connector.  Trials at the customer also noted a difficulty  within the assembly on their production line due to restricted space inside the cabinet.

The Solution

Working with designers, buyers, and production staff at the client’s manufacturing facility, WH Kemp’s Quality Manager Claire Borovac oversaw a solution where one cable was slightly lengthened and screw in connectors were substituted for the original push fit type. This reduced strain on the cables, made the connections more secure and overcame the problem of attaching push fit connectors in a confined area.

The solution was relatively straightforward, and reduced product assembly time, it enabled a rather complex manual process to be replaced by using an alternative type of connector. The alterations implemented in this cable assembly also improved equipment reliability by making connections more secure and removing cable strain.

WH Kemp’s processes bring together expertise from across the production, design, and quality management teams who meet daily in stand-up meetings to ensure that the products and components provided to the customers’ production line integrate into their finished units efficiently, this whilst offering the maximum reliability. Regarding this project Claire reported that there had been no issues since the modifications were made.

This article is originally from Production Case Study 1: Using our expertise to support customer processes, created by John Wyatt.

The late Steve Jobs said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Continuously perfecting design via persistent and continual progress has certainly played a part in maintaining our leading position for over 54 years.

WH Kemp strongly believes the meeting of minds amplifies innovation and creates bolder, smarter design. That’s why we welcome new customers’ product development teams to our factory site. This customer/supplier design alliance inevitably optimises innovative Cable Assembly solutions.

That’s why WH Kemp will never be a follower.

Case History: harnessing Innovation and Design with Development Partner

In July 2018, two engineers representing the UK’s largest specialist automotive manufacturer, worked in conjunction with WH Kemp’s cable technicians on the design and build of a Cable Assembly urgently required for a large commercial fleet of vehicles.

The combined technical expertise of WH Kemp and the experience of the customer resulted in a superior product to replace – throughout the fleet – what previously had been a failing imported Cable Assembly.

This article is originally from Harnessing Innovation and Design, created by John Wyatt.