CHD: An Expert System For The Design OfCable Harnesses

Cable harnesses in systems such as computers, aeroplanes and automobiles are usually the longest parts the major contributors to EMC related problems. However the design of cable harness is an after thought in the design of the whole system. Design of cable harnesses is normally a manual process and does not involve performance study of individual cables. These problems are addressed when the whole system design has been completed by which time the remedy for these problems becomes more difficult. The ability to predict performance of cables at the early design stage would lead to better overall design of the system. The use of expert systems in other engineering domains has challenged the traditional thinking in the process of cable harness design. A research programme was lunched to investigate the possibility of computerising the process of designing cable harnesses. As a result of this programme, an expert system for Cable Harness Design (CHD) has been developed. This system couples a qualitative analysis of cable harness design and the evaluation of the electrical and mechanical performances of cable harnesses. These two phases of the design have been performed in the Design Rule Checker and Performance Predictor.