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Cable Harness Shop Powers Up

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  • By Kimberly Woodruff
  • Staff Writer
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Need power? You'll need cable for that, and there is only one place at Tinker to get it --the Cable & Harness Shop located deep in Bldg. 3001.

Think of the Cable & Harness shop as a one-stop shop for cables, hardware and kitting.

"We provide the lifeline to the plane," said Clint Cox, the Subunit 1 supervisor with the 552nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron. "It all runs through a cable or a harness."

The shop supplies all the cables and harnesses on all the aircraft here at Tinker AFB, but also handles work for other bases, as well as for Foreign Military Sales. Only a few other bases have the same capabilities as Tinker's shop, according to Mr. Cox.

"We're here to support the warfighter and we strive to provide a good product," said Rhonda Todd, the Subunit 2 supervisor with the 552nd CMMXS.

Ms. Todd said cable and harness orders have certain specifications. Once the shop has the specs for heat, flexibility, length and diameter, they begin to manufacture the product. She added that sometimes they get an order to make an emergency harness due to malfunctions on the aircraft, and they can turn it around pretty quick.

Cable harnesses provide several advantages over loose wires and cables. A mass of wires could stretch several hundred feet if fully extended. By binding the many wires and cables into a cable harness, the wires and cables can be better secured against the adverse effects of vibrations, abrasions and moisture.

By constricting the wires into a non-flexing bundle, space is optimized, and the installer has less to install, as opposed to multiple wires.  Also, the risk of an electrical fire is decreased if the harness is made from flame retardant material.

"We have to be concerned about the vibration [in the plane], so everything has to be torqued and crimped to withstand the pressure," said Ms. Todd. "Otherwise, the harness could shake loose, so we follow the specs closely."

The shop can produce the smallest cable or harness up to an unlimited length with a diameter up to 2 inches.

Whether the order comes in for a cable or a harness, it all depends on where it will be used in the aircraft.

A harness is a woven sock for the cables, and the material could either be nylon or a fireproof woven coating to protect the wiring.

"We wind our own bobbins and that saves us money," said Ms. Todd. "It is at least 50 percent cheaper by purchasing the threads in bulk, plus it saves wait time for the customer."

There are different materials for weaving the harness, such as polyester, nomex and even silver, and include different colors for easy identification.

The wire is fed through into the braiding machine and the machine weaves a tight protectant cover over the wire. It is a science because sometimes the cords get tangled. The technicians can fix it and they don't lose all the weaving already done.

There are so many different types of wires and harnesses serving a variety of needs, including some that require a special rubber coating to protect them from heat or fluid such as hydraulic fluid, and swamp connectors to keep out moisture for wires in a wet area.

"We do such a large variety of wires and harnesses," said Ms. Todd. "As long as we have the drawing with the specifications, we can do it."

"We push teamwork for sure in this shop," said Mr. Cox.

Ms. Todd agreed. "We have a small family, and we help each other out. We try to have fun and when someone needs something, we work together as a team."