Q5D Technologies (Q5D), the specialist in robotic automation of wiring harness manufacture, and Kyocera AVX have entered the next phase in their three‑year collaboration with with custom insulation displacement connector (IDC) connectors for automated wire harness assembly. The connectors are optimised for termination by Q5D’s robotic wiring platforms.
“IDC technology is ideal for automation because we can place the wire across a fixed contact and use the robot to press it into a controlled, repeatable termination. Working closely with Kyocera AVX has given us the confidence to move from standard parts toward custom IDC designs that make fully automated harness assembly even more attractive to our customers,” said Chris Elsworthy, Chief Technology Officer at Q5D.
Q5D’s five‑axis manufacturing robots automate one of industry’s most stubborn bottlenecks: manual wiring harness assembly in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, white goods and industrial equipment. Unlike conventional crimp contacts that usually require hand tools, IDC contacts can be fixed to a surface and terminated from one side, making them ideal for robotic processes that lay in the wire, hold it with simple traps and then press down to complete the connection.
Over the past three years, Q5D and Kyocera AVX have carried out several joint test programmes using established IDC product families with customer‑specified wires. These evaluations span typical harness conductors from around 12 to 32 AWG and current levels from small‑signal through to approximately 20 A, with a focus on reliable cold‑weld terminations and robust performance under shock and vibration.
Once finalised and qualified with early adopters, Q5D and Kyocera AVX expect the technology to help establish repeatable, industry‑standard approaches to automated harness manufacture across multiple industry sectors.
