Custom cable assemblies are terminated with a wide range of connector types. These range from the simplest of connections that include ring, spade, and fork terminals, to highly specialized circular connectors used for military and aerospace applications. For the latter, some connector families are single-sourced and only available from a single connector manufacturer.
While unfortunate, this is common for applications with unique design challenges since the coveted connector exhibits performance characteristics far beyond what most deem industry standard. And if an item is not single-sourced, there are potentially only two or three connector manufacturers that produce such an offering which further limits availability.
Anytime there is scarcity and industry demand, pricing and availability can be highly volatile. This creates significant challenges for those who wish to manufacture low-cost cable solutions using these expensive connectors.
Why Is There No Stock of My Connector?
Whether it’s a connector that requires resilience to ultra-high temperatures, or contacts that can withstand the shock and vibration of a ballistic missile, connector OEMs invest heavily in research and development to bring these products to market. This is a calculated business decision where manufacturers look to generate a return on their investment and set pricing for the component accordingly on the open market. Along those same lines, this endeavor represents a significant investment in time and money which can scare others away from attempting to create such a widget. This is a barrier to entry for some, further limiting the availability of specialty connectors.
Still, there are dozens of connector manufacturers out there today that work to have their products qualified and approved to the dozens of industry standards and performance specs that govern the specialty connector market.
Adding to the scarcity of specialty connectors is the fact that some connector types have intellectual property that limits who can make these items. Whether it’s a patented latch or another trademarked connector feature, there could be serious legal implications associated with copying a competitor's product.
Connector manufacturers work tirelessly to develop new products that continue to push the envelope for performance, size, and functionality. With this comes extensive partnerships with companies that seek to use these products. For example, large avionics OEMs may partner directly with connector manufacturers to develop products that are solely to be used by said avionics OEM. The goal here is for the two companies to share the burden of initial research and development costs thus reducing the overall initial costs. The benefit is that this gives the avionics OEM a competitive advantage in the industry. This fact can become a burden when it’s time for the avionics OEM to have their cables built by a 3rd party, because the connector manufacturer may not legally be able to sell said connector to the open market. This can create delays in sourcing and strain supply chains.
Custom cable assembly with various connectors.
Options to Source Specialty Connectors
When searching for information on a specialty connector, should a simple internet search provide limited information, it’s recommended to contact whoever has design authority over the cable assembly. This isn’t always an option since the entity that needs the product isn’t always the one sending the request for a quote.
Because of the way many OEMs and contract manufacturers bid and award business, they may send out a dozen requests for quotes to a variety of cable houses. Or it may be your own engineering team that is looking for said specialty connector. After engineering has plucked the part number from an old catalog, now it’s the job of sourcing managers to find it. This can make it difficult to obtain information on specialty connectors, leaving proposal managers, estimating departments, and logistics coordinators scrambling to make sense of it all.
Double Check the Connector Part Number
If a 5-second internet search does not find the item you are looking for, spend some time researching this further. There are instances where the part number structure is incorrect, or formatting is afoul, leading to a disappointing connector search.
It’s common for many specialty connectors to be assigned part numbers that are 10 to 15 digits which include both numbers and letters. Don’t let a “5” instead of an “S” delay the procurement of a connector you need.
Confirm the Connector Manufacturers Part Number
Many companies will mask the true manufacturer’s part number with an internally assigned part number that should be for internal reference only. If an initial internet search turns up no hits, and no one recognizes the connector you are seeking, the odds are that the connector part number may be completely misguided and akin to another language. Be sure to verify that the part number you are seeking is the actual part number of the connector itself, and not one that requires a Rosetta Stone to decipher.
Work With an Electronics Component Distributor
For those who have spent time researching electronic components online, it’s agreed that there are dozens of places to search. This search process can be overwhelming and waste time if you’re not looking in the right places. Electronics Distributors specialize in finding, stocking, and sourcing hard-to-find electrical components. This includes connectors, terminals, and the rest of the items that are usually needed to assemble that specialty cable you are trying to build. They have extensive experience, and with this may have access to information that is not readily available to the open market. Though many will charge a premium for some of these parts, this can prove to be well worth it to get the information and hardware in a timely fashion.
Ask for a Data Sheet
When in doubt always ask for a data sheet. If the connector exists, there must be a data sheet that defines the shape, dimensions, materials, and performance characteristics. This can be useful since the data sheet usually has other company-specific information that helps identify and source the part.
Determine if Contract Pricing is Available
A letter of agreement (LOA) may be needed just to receive a quote for one of these connectors, let alone purchase them. For specialty connectors with limited sources of supply, many large defense primes and OEMs will negotiate commercial agreements with their suppliers to lock in prices and leverage economies of scale across the entire business.
For example, a defense prime with dozens of locations may use the same specialty connector on numerous platforms. If this entire spending is combined, it can add up to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. This fact can equally help both the buyers and the connector manufacturers by level loading the production lines thus lowering costs across the entire family of connectors. And hopefully, these cost savings can be passed along to the defense prime. Spend the time to request if commercial pricing agreements or LOAs are in place before launching any custom cable build that uses specialty connectors.
Summary
There are many steps engineers, buyers, and production managers can take to reduce cost and schedule risk for new custom cable assembly builds. For harnesses with hard-to-find specialty connectors, this can quickly become an issue if the connector is unavailable.
The impacts are serious, leaving other hardware sitting idle waiting for the shortage to be delivered. Spend time early in the project to flag these items and prepare a comprehensive plan to address any cost or sourcing issues. Maybe the solution is buying these and holding them well before the design is finalized or working with a value-added distributor who can warehouse the connectors.
Either way, whomever has design authority for the build ultimately can answer questions on what to use, where to find it, and what alternate options exists when faced with supply chain concerns. Full-service wire harness manufacturers like Epec can manage all the pieces allowing for a faster time to market at the lowest price possible.
