Virtually-integrated wire harness design and automated production systems and methods that achieve completely integrated data management by automatically producing scripts to dynamically propagate production commands and data to various subsystems for handling assembling necessary circuits and wire harness layout boards to produce corresponding batches of wire harnesses while script-based methods control configuring, testing, and using wire harness layout boards, and assembling, testing, reworking, and delivering wire harnesses. Augmented reality is used to assist in the assembly of layout boards and wire harnesses.

A wiring harness assembly cell includes an automation zone housing a robot for performing automated assembly operations on a series of wiring harness assembly boards. A plurality of wiring harness assembly stations is located about the automation zone, each including one or more wiring harness assembly boards holding the wiring harnesses. Manual operator zones are located outside the automation zone that are associated with the wiring harness assembly stations. The wiring harness assembly stations are reconfigurable between a first configuration in which a first wiring harness assembly board faces the manual operator zone such that it is accessible to a manual operator, and a second configuration in which it faces the automation zone such that it is accessible to the robot. The robot is moved within the automation zone between a plurality of assembly locations where it accesses and operates on the respectively the plurality of wiring harness assembly stations.

A wire harness electric wire length correcting device, which corrects a design value of an electric wire length of an electric wire included in a wire harness, includes an electric wire identifying means including an identification mark, which is attached to an end portion of the electric wire, and which is to be cut off from the electric wire when the wire harness is installed on an installation target object, so as to use the identification mark to identify which electric wire an end cut off from the electric wire has been cut off from, a measuring means for measuring a length of the cut off end, and a correcting means for, for the electric wire identified by the electric wire identifying means, correcting the design value of the electric wire length of that electric wire, based on the length of the cut off end measured by the measuring means.

A method of manufacturing a wiring harness for a work vehicle includes providing a tool board assembly having a tool board base, wire supports extending from the tool board base each having a wire holder on a top end thereof distal from the tool board base, and a plurality of I/O connector holders extending from the tool board base and each having an angularly adjustable connector mount. A wiring harness is provided having a main harness branch and a plurality of breakout harness branches extending off the main harness branch, with each breakout harness branch having an I/O connector at an end thereof. The wiring harness is configured, via arranging thereof on the tool board assembly, to arrange the breakout harness branches at a plurality of breakout angles relative to the main harness branch and at oblique-angle orientations that are non-parallel and non-perpendicular to the tool board base.

Systems and methods for designing and assembling form boards with attached wire routing devices for use in wire bundle assembly. The assembly method comprises: (a) establishing a coordinate system of a form board having a multiplicity of holes; (b) using a computer system to determine locations of form board devices of different types with reference to the coordinate system of the form board based on engineering data specifying a wire bundle configuration; and (c) fastening the form board devices of different types to respective holes of the form board having centers closest to respective locations determined in step (b). The form board devices may be inserted robotically or manually.

Various embodiments comprise systems, mechanisms, and apparatus configured to enable off-platform presentation of a cable assembly for prior to platform installation of the cable assembly. An apparatus according to one embodiment comprises: an elongated and substantially planar body having a first surface disposed between proximal and distal ends of the body and configured to receive thereupon the cable assembly, the first surface having formed therethrough a plurality of apertures arranged in accordance with a spacing of cable connections of the cable assembly; and a retention assembly, configured to secure the cable assembly to the first surface in a manner allowing mechanical manipulation of the cable assembly; wherein the cable assembly is configured for platform installation when secured to the first surface such that cable connections and corresponding apertures are operatively aligned.

A wire harness-producing device configured to produce a wire harness by displaying a wire laying-out image in a full size in a length direction on a plurality of display devices, and laying out electric wires along the wire laying-out image. The wire harness-producing device includes an electric wire-feeding device to allow the electric wires to be manually pulled out, a storage section to store operation recipe information therein, and a displaying control section to perform a displaying control on the display devices. The operation recipe information includes lengths of the electric wires. When each of the electric wires to be laid out is pulled out, the displaying control section displays, on the display devices, a starting end location indicator indicating a location for a front end portion of each of the electric wires having been pulled out, based on the lengths of the electric wires in the operation recipe information.

A method for assembling a wire harness on a display surface, the wire harness comprising bundles, each one of which corresponds to a bundle route selected among possible bundle routes and each one of the possible bundle routes comprising two ends. The method comprises receiving coordinates of a layout of the wire harness; generating at least a portion of all the possible bundle routes by identifying coordinates of portions of each of the two ends from the coordinates of the layout of the wire harness. Then determining which bundle routes among the possible bundle routes correspond to the bundles to be used. Defining, from the coordinates, a sequence in which the bundles are to be routed and generating a plurality of signals. Finally sending each one of the signals for display sequentially on the display surface according to the defined sequence.

A wire harness assembly system is disclosed. The wire harness assembly system includes a grid tile designed to receive repositionable accessories to route wires along the grid tile. The grid tile includes a plurality of keyed holes extending from the top of the grid tile, through the grid tile, to the bottom of the grid tile. The grid tile also includes a locking surface on the bottom of the grid tile. The locking surface complements the plurality of keyed holes to receive the repositionable accessory and to maintain the repositionable accessory in a locked position.

A wire harness producing device configured to produce a wire harness by displaying a wire laying-out drawing in a full size in a length direction on a plurality of display devices, and laying-out electric wires along the wire laying-out drawing. The device includes a displaying control section configured to look up operation recipe information configured as a database capable of identifying wire laying-out order numbers of the electric wires, and in turn display wire laying-out position indicators configured to indicate positions of the electric wires to be laid out, on the plurality of display devices, according to a wire laying-out order of the electric wires. The operation recipe information includes coordinate information for indicating displaying positions for the wire laying-out position indicators. The displaying control section is configured to display the wire laying-out position indicators, in the displaying positions indicated by the coordinate information on the plurality of display devices.