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One strength is not necessarily another.
      
One of the most interesting issues with cable assembly work is the fact that a company can be outstanding at one assembly and not competitive at another.  The most likely reason?  Tooling.  One applicator for a single wire terminal can cost $720 per year.  If you need 1000 assemblies and your supplier doesn't have that tool, add $.72 to each assembly just for that.  There are thousands of wire terminals, pins and contacts and thousands of tools to attach them.  That number is even greater if you consider automated vs. manual termination.  Even the largest wire harness manufacturers do not have every tool for every part.  You will often need more than one cable assembly source for your assemblies unless you use a CM Distributor.

Build quantities change the price dramatically.

A major cost savings in building cable assemblies is automation.  The problem is that there is a set up time for every run which can be quite long.  With cable assemblies, more than PCB assemblies, lot size is more critical than annual quantity.  The lot size may also be the deciding factor between using manual labor or a machine that can crimp 3000 wires a minute.

Is local really necessary?

An interesting fact of the wire harness industry is that customers have historically liked to place orders with cable assembly companies that are within driving distance.  Why?  Engineering changes?  Site audits?  The reasons vary but it is interesting that companies will send critical PCB assemblies to China yet buy their cable assemblies down the street.  You should determine if this convenience is necessary or just a habit.

Wire harness and cable assemblies are unique and should be carefully evaluated before selecting a new vendor.  With a little homework they can also be a tremendous source of cost savings.

Supplement > Specific tips for PCB assemblies

Articles are the opinion of the writers and are not necessarily an endorsement or criticism of any particular supplier or service.