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From the growing role of AI in design tools to the challenge of managing cumulative tolerances, these articles in this issue examine the technical details, design choices, and manufacturing considerations that determine whether a board works as intended.
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I-Connect007 Magazine previews APEX EXPO 2026, covering everything from the show floor to the technical conference. For PCB designers, we move past the dreaded auto-router and spotlight AI design tools that actually matter.
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Zuken Releases Harness Builder for E3.series 2026 for Wire Harness Manufacturing
March 11, 2026 | ZukenEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Zuken USA announced the release of Harness Builder 2026, the latest version of its wire harness manufacturing software. Designed for OEMs and harness shops alike, this release adds updates for estimating and quoting, bill of materials (BOM) management, build documentation, and shop-floor connected manufacturing.
Estimating and quoting with current BOM inputs
Harness Builder 2026 links the Cost Estimator to TrustedParts.com to access current component pricing and availability information. Users can automatically retrieve live cost and availability data and selected component details from the harness design BOM to support estimates and quoting workflows.
“Harness teams shouldn’t have to chase pricing and availability across multiple sources just to build an estimate. Harness Builder 2026 brings current BOM inputs into the quoting workflow through TrustedParts.com integration, helping teams spend less time on data gathering and more time delivering quotes,” said Paul Harvell, vice president of engineering, Zuken USA.
DS-E3 integration for production BOM management
Harness Builder now integrates with DS-E3, Zuken’s electrical data management solution, to store and manage production BOM data. Teams can incorporate Harness Builder BOMs into DS-E3 document generation workflows and use structure-based filtering and where-used views to support traceability across the project.
Documentation updates for manufacturing packages
Harness Builder 2026 adds Connection Line Resize to adjust the thickness of connection lines to match the segment’s bundle diameter, providing clear visual guidance for technicians laying out wire on printed documentation.
The Wire Run List can now display wire seal attributes beyond the part number, allowing manufacturers to include additional information, such as supplier details, directly in production reports.
Connected manufacturing and equipment support
A new 4Wire CAO export supports MES connectivity with Komax, for data exchange between design output and wire processing equipment. The release also expands harness manufacturing automation and test equipment support including:
- Support for MK and Weetech testers
- Updated Cirris and Dynalab tester integrations
- CMS interface for KM Digitech wire processing systems
“The 4Wire CAO export is a practical step toward connected manufacturing—supporting data exchange between design outputs, Komax MES and downstream wire processing. Combined with expanded tester integrations and KM Digitech support, this release gives manufacturers more options to align documentation, automation and test processes," said Bob Potock, vice president of marketing, Zuken USA.
Weight planning within a system design
Sub-project Weight Estimate provides harness-level weight rollups within a complete system design package, helping engineering teams compare estimates against weight targets and share precise expectations with manufacturing.
Key Capabilities
- TrustedParts.com linkage in Cost Estimator for current pricing and availability inputs.
- DS-E3 integration to store and manage production BOM data and support document generation workflows
- Connection Line Resize for clearer formboard documentation
- 4Wire CAO to support Komax MES connectivity
- Expanded tester/equipment support (MK, Weetech, Cirris, Dynalab; KM Digitech CMS)
- Sub-project Weight Estimate for harness-level rollups and target comparisons
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Wire Harness Taking a Step in the Right Direction
04/08/2026 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineTo fully understand the modernization of wire harness design and assembly, we met with members of the Innovation Advisory Team for the Wire Harness Manufacturer’s Association (WHMA) to outline the current challenges facing wire harnesses and the specific steps to implement a digital data flow from OEM to manufacturer and back. In some ways, the wire harness industry is moving from 19th-century to 21st-century technology. But in the meantime, the real challenge isn’t building the harness—manufacturers are very good at that.
From Panels to Post-its
04/07/2026 | Lorena Villanueva, Global Electronics Association MexicoLast January, I attended the Global Leadership Summit of the Wire Harness Manufacturer’s Association (WHMA) in Las Vegas, and there was a subtle shift in one of the events that everyone could feel. We still had the traditional conference rhythm: strong keynote, well-prepared panels, and smart people in the room. There were also, sometimes, some careful answers—useful, but not always candid. So, I was curious when WHMA introduced a new peer-to-peer format for one session.
New SMT007 Magazine: Wire Harness Solutions
04/01/2026 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamIn the new issue of SMT007 Magazine, explore what’s shaping wire harness manufacturing and how new solutions are helping companies streamline operations and better support EMS providers. Hear from experts at the Wire Harness Manufacturer’s Association, companies advancing automated quoting, and see how these shifts are influencing production in one of the world’s largest wire harness hubs: Mexico.
Zuken Announces Digital Assembly Workflows for Harness Manufacturing
03/31/2026 | ZukenZuken announced the expansion of its Assembly Task Manager plugin for E3.series to support digital assembly workflows for harness manufacturing, helping manufacturers standardize how assembly instructions are created and executed.
Nolan’s Notes: Wire Harness—The Underdog of the Industry
04/01/2026 | Nolan Johnson -- Column: Nolan's NotesMy dad’s favorite cartoon character was “Underdog,” one of the very first American Saturday morning cartoon shows. When someone asked him for help, Underdog would proudly declare, “Never Fear! Underdog is here!” Over time, I learned that “underdog” had a wider, more socially poignant meaning than just the name of a cartoon superhero. These stories about underdogs kept coming to mind while working on this issue about the challenges facing the wire harness industry. The product is not exactly glamorous and is often treated as an afterthought, but it is most certainly critical to the system.