Consider exactly what wire-harness solutions are: comprehensive systems that integrate electrical wires, cables, connectors, and other components into structured assemblies. 

They have to provide reliable and organized means of transmitting electrical signals and power in various applications.

It’s complicated, in other words. If you’re working manually, the complexity only heightens, along with the costs. Working inefficiently hits the bottom line hard. It also makes you less competitive. Those companies working manually – or even with on-premise design software –  are finding it difficult to compete with those who’ve already adopted cloud-based wire-harness software.

Exactly, what is the problem? The lack of connectivity and its consequences. Working on your computer is not working digitally. That’s how silos are created. To give you an idea of what digital wire harness design means, let’s quickly compare on-premise software with cloud-based software or SaaS (Software as a Service). This simply means that the software operates on the cloud. You are buying the service, not the hardware. 

	On-premise software	SaaS
Infrastructure	Significant upfront costs for licenses, hardware infrastructure & installation	No upfront costs; infrastructure hosted and managed by software provider; subscription-based model paid monthly or annually
Accessibility	Limited – project files can only be accessed from where software is installed	Access project files from anywhere with an internet connection
Collaboration	Limited if team members located in different places; sharing information is impeded	Unlimited, no matter where team members are located; can make edits, add comments & track changes in real-time
Version Control	Lack of robust version control mechanisms makes design revisions & tracking challenging and error prone	Centralized repository stores all design files and revisions. Latest version readily accessible, risk of working with outdated or conflicting versions
Scalability	Additional hardware or software installations required. More costs involved and may be disruptive to design workflows	Scale up or down based on your needs; no disruption nor upfront investment required
Data Security	Your responsibility	Robust security measures put in place by your cloud-based hosting service
Data Backup	Your responsibility	Automatic backups of design files performed by your cloud-based hosting service
Maintenance	Your responsibility	Carried out by your cloud-based hosting service
Integration with Manufacturing & Documentation	Not capable	Streamlines the transfer of design data to the manufacturing stage, ensuring accuracy & reducing manual data-entry errors

Why you need to work with SaaS CAD 

SaaS-based wire-harness design tools don’t merely enhance your capabilities. They put you on an entirely different level. You gain significant efficiencies, which translates into cost savings and faster decision making. 

How SaaS wire-harness software could work for you 

Let’s set the scenario and say you implement a comprehensive wire harness enterprise solution. It encompasses a wide range of capabilities to streamline the entire wire harness design and manufacturing process. 

Your journey begins with Arcadia’s intuitive electrical schematic software, enabling designers to create accurate and precise schematics from the initial stages. You can simulate electrical wiring systems to evaluate behavior and make corrections early.  

The software integrates with Arcadia Harness, which automatically creates BOM, wire lists and reports. 

Maintaining high-quality standards is crucial. Arcadia addresses this through its engineering drawings’ quality control features. Built-in checks ensure the accuracy and completeness of designs, ensuring adherence to design specifications and industry standards. This results in superior quality wire harnesses. The extensive electronic component database streamlines component selection and eliminates manual data entry – and with it, the potential for errors. 

True collaboration 

Arcadia’s engineering design tools facilitate collaborative wire harness design and version control, ensuring efficient teamwork and minimizing conflicts or errors. Designers can iterate on the design while maintaining control over versions and changes. The wire harness component catalog simplifies the process of choosing the right components, saving engineers valuable time. 

Once the design is finalized, Arcadia manufacturing reports can be automatically and instantly generated from any harness or formboard design. Arcadia’s advanced technical publishing software streamlines the process of generating comprehensive wire-harness manufacturing documentation. This powerful feature enables the creation of detailed engineering drawings, precise assembly instructions, and clear wiring diagrams. This allows clear instructions for harness technicians.

By providing accurate and comprehensive information, the software enhances communication and ensures a seamless transition from the design phase to the production stage. This streamlined communication between the design and manufacturing teams minimizes errors and ensures that the wire harness is manufactured accurately and efficiently. 

To support cost optimization, Arcadia’s costControl module includes wire harness cost management features. Ensure accurate cost estimation and tracking throughout the manufacturing process. 

Custom API development, API integration, and secure API management make everything possible. These features facilitate seamless integration with other systems, enhancing connectivity and enabling efficient data exchange throughout the organization.

There is more, of course. But this should give you an idea of how moving to a digital way of working can help you get to market faster while lowering your costs. 

7-day free trial, always free demo 

Arcadia’s suite of cloud-based ECAD software, integrated with MCAD Gateway, can streamline your wire harness design processes. To see how you improve your efficiency and productivity, just ask for a free demonstration. We can even offer a seven-day free trial too – it’s easy to give our solutions a spin because they work in the cloud. If you have any questions, we’re always happy to help.