Trouble in Your Tank: Understanding Interconnect Defects, Part 1
It’s Only Common Sense: Marketing Isn’t Fluff, It’s Ammunition
Driving Innovation: Mechanical and Optical Processes During Rigid-flex Production
An AI Revolution in Wire Harness Manufacturing
May 24, 2024 | Brittany Martin, IPC/WHMAEstimated reading time: 1 minute
In the wire harness industry, a narrative unfolds that is as intricate and interconnected as its products. Arik Vrobel’s journey from El-Com Systems to the founding of Cableteque is one of enduring innovation, strategic adaptation, and a deep understanding of the industry’s evolving needs. His development of an AI application for the wire harness industry may be a game-changer for manufacturers.
Since its inception in 1961, El-Com Systems has specialized in the design and manufacture of wire harnesses and cable assemblies. The Vrobel family acquired El-Com Systems (then known as El-Com/cabletek) in 1988, when Elie Vrobel (Arik’s father), an unemployed engineer, was seeking to fulfill his “American Dream” by becoming an entrepreneur. However, it was a difficult transition as Elie was unfamiliar with the business and El-Com was in a challenging industry. Arik worked alongside his father to understand the company and the industry. His involvement was characterized by a commitment to the values and vision established by his father.
When Arik took over the leadership of El-Com, he established a forward-thinking approach that significantly transformed the company. He says his vision for El-Com Systems “involved continuing its tradition of excellence and driving it toward new technological frontiers and market expansions.”
He assumed leadership of the company in the early 2000s, with strategic decisions that expanded El-Com's capabilities and market reach, particularly in sectors demanding high reliability, like aerospace, defense, and medical. “I was known for seeking simplified, yet effective solutions to technical challenges,” he says of that time, and his leadership was characterized by a drive to increase the company's capacity and scale.
To read the rest of this article in the Spring 2024 issue of IPC Community, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Fresh PCB Concepts: Resilience and Renewal in Domestic PCB Manufacturing
10/30/2025 | Team NCAB -- Column: Fresh PCB ConceptsAs veterans of PCB manufacturing, we have spent much of our careers walking factory floors, examining copper circuits under microscopes, and troubleshooting plating lines when they go awry at 2 a.m. We can say with confidence that PCBs are the unsung heroes of modern life. They’re in everything, from toothbrushes and thermostats to satellites and defense systems.
AI Triggers Next Paradigm Shift in PDN
10/23/2025 | Istvan Novak, SamtecArtificial intelligence (AI), together with machine learning (ML), is creating an unprecedented surge of computing and networking infrastructure needs. This, in turn, has dramatically increased the power consumption of computing and networking chips.
The Chemical Connection: Onshoring PCB Production—Daunting but Certainly Possible
10/22/2025 | Don Ball -- Column: The Chemical ConnectionIn the past year, several potential customers, concerned about the impending application of tariffs on incoming goods, have asked us what it would take to bring their circuit board production back to the U.S. While they also had other considerations, the threat of new tariffs was the tipping point that started them thinking about the economic advantages of bringing their manufacturing back onshore. It might be interesting to relate our experiences with two of those inquiries.
Waging the Battle for American PCB Reshoring
10/21/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineLegislation is shaping global trade, tariffs, and sustainability and environmental regulations. David Schild of PCBAA discusses exactly where the U.S. stands in its efforts to reshore printed circuit board manufacturing for critical industries. This conversation at PCB West occurred on the first day of the federal government’s shutdown, so it seemed especially timely to hear David's thoughts and insights on how the current political climate is affecting efforts to achieve the U.S. industry’s reshoring goals.
Dutch Government Takes Control of China-Owned Chipmaker Nexperia, Citing Security Concerns
10/14/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamThe Dutch government has taken control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia, escalating tensions with Beijing amid intensifying global disputes over semiconductor technology and intellectual property.