Verfahren zum Betrieb einer Verkabelungsmaschine.

摘要

This invention is directed to a method for operating an electrical harness making machine (10) on which a variety of electrical connectors (14) may be used with a common set of tooling. In such an operation, a leading end of a wire from a supply reel (22) is terminated in a preselected terminal of a row of terminals in a first electrical connector (14) at a first operating station (10), and the trailing end of said wire is terminated in a preselected terminal of a row of terminals in a second electrical connector (14). The electrical connectors (14) traverse a number of operating stations at which additional discrete wire segments are terminated to such electrical connectors to produce an electrical harness. The unique feature hereof in the operation of the harness making machine is the provision of selecting said electrical connectors from a family of connectors characterized by having a plurality of identical external features, and a plurality of different internal features to accommodate a different contact element for each member of said family, and by the step of operating said machine by sensing only said identical features of the electrical connectors as they traverse a feed path (16) to produce an electrical harness.