The global robotics industry is expected to generate over $40 billion in revenue by 2027 due to advancements in AI and machine vision.

With this projection, robot manufacturers can capitalize on capturing market share before saturation to reap the rewards early.

But to capture a significant market share, you must build quality robots, and one of the key components that determine the robot’s quality is the wiring. It must be top-notch to ensure zero failure.

Here are some tips to think about when choosing the wire harness for your robots.

Current Requirements

Robots don’t usually consume a lot of current unless they do some heavy lifting. For instance, industrial robots might need powerful motors or heating elements. EV charging robots don’t necessarily do heavy lifting, but they recharge cars at high currents tasks.

All these robotics applications have a common denominator: handling high currents and voltages. As such, they must have low gauge or thick wires to reduce internal resistance and increase efficiency.

You’ll have to determine the actual current and voltage numbers and then calculate the most suitable wire gauge to use. Amperage (current) is the most critical factor, with the general rule of thumb being 8 AWG for 30–40 amps and 6 AWG for 50 amps in applications like EV chargers. There’s also the issue of wire material, but more on that in the next point.

Wire Material and Type

Most wires have either a copper or aluminum core. Copper is more electrically conductive, making it better for high-current applications like battery charging. However, it is costly. Aluminum, on the other hand, is cheaper and lighter than copper but less conductive as well.

Most robots don’t need weight savings because they run on the ground, making copper the preferred material. Aluminum is mostly used to make harnesses for aviation and aerospace applications, such as the class of aerospace robots that include autonomous aerial vehicles (drones) and robotic arms used in space stations and rovers. Weight saving is critical for these.

Optical fiber cables can also reduce the robot’s weight when used along the data transmission lines instead of metal-core wires.

Speaking of metal-core wires, these can be solid or stranded. The latter is better for robots because they are flexible and can handle intense vibrations without breaking. Cloom Tech provides info on these, their differences, and their suitability for different applications.

A snapshot of Cloom Tech’s custom robotic wire harness manufacturing service

Operating Environment

The last factor to consider is the operating environment, which determines the insulation and outer sheath to use. Robots can be exposed to moisture, chemicals, UV, radiation, or extreme temperatures, which eventually wear the vessels that carry current and data throughout the machine. To maintain structural integrity, the outer layer that secures the metal conductor or glass (in fiber optic) must be resilient enough to withstand the harshness thrown at it.

For instance, robots operating in high-temperature environments should have silicone, PVC, or polyethylene insulation and jacket layers, which can withstand up to 100°C–200°C.

Final Thoughts

Robots generally require scalable and durable wire harnesses that can handle repetitive motion, heavy-duty usage, and environmental exposure. For these reasons, we recommend custom cable assembly, which involves manufacturing harnesses that meet the exact specifications of your robotic applications as per your customer needs. This customization will ensure your robots have the right properties to withstand the test of time and earn your business a good reputation, plus market share in the industry. Check out Cloom Tech to learn more about their wire harness customization options for robotics and other applications.