-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueSpotlight on India
We invite you on a virtual tour of India’s thriving ecosystem, guided by the Global Electronics Association’s India office staff, who share their insights into the region’s growth and opportunities.
Supply Chain Strategies
A successful brand is built on strong customer relationships—anchored by a well-orchestrated supply chain at its core. This month, we look at how managing your supply chain directly influences customer perception.
What's Your Sweet Spot?
Are you in a niche that’s growing or shrinking? Is it time to reassess and refocus? We spotlight companies thriving by redefining or reinforcing their niche. What are their insights?
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
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.
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
Building Electronics Excellence in India
09/08/2025 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineOver two decades, Dave Bergman has helped steer the Global Electronics Association’s work in India, from a single training course to a thriving regional operation with deep government and industry ties. In this interview, Dave explains how the group went from partnering with IPCA to opening its own office in 2010, creating India’s first domestic electronics manufacturing standard, and securing funding for dozens of Indian companies to attend U.S. trade shows.
Walt Custer: Making Data Interesting
09/03/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007I just learned that IPC Hall of Famer Walt Custer has passed away at 81. I first met Walt about 20 years ago when I started covering the fabrication industry. Right away, he started telling me which companies to watch and which trends to follow. This was in the years following 9/11, and things were still pretty fluid.
The Chemical Connection: Experience and Wisdom Gained by Doing Business
09/03/2025 | Don Ball -- Column: The Chemical ConnectionA well-managed company learns to adjust its strategies and processes based on what it learns during challenging times. The experience gained from making (or losing) a difficult sale is invaluable in adapting new sales and manufacturing processes necessary to make that sale the next time, no matter how painful those new processes might be.
Labor Day: U.S. Federal Holiday
09/01/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007Today is Labor Day, a U.S. federal holiday that Americans celebrate on the first Monday of September each year. This marks the 131st anniversary of the holiday. In 1887, Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day an official holiday. In 1894, after the Pullman Strike, Congress passed a bill that recognized Labor Day as a federal holiday, and President Grover Cleveland signed the bill into law.
Target Condition: Floor Planning Without a Floor
08/27/2025 | Kelly Dack -- Column: Target ConditionBy a show of hands, how many PCB designers have been asked to start a layout without a board outline, keep-out zones, or even height constraints? How many have had to work within a specific enclosure before the schematic was finalized? If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Starting a PCB layout without critical constraints is like hiring an interior designer to buy furniture and carpet for a house you haven’t even purchased yet, or, even worse, trying to fit four bedrooms' worth of furniture in a one-room cabin.