Kromberg & Schubert is contributing its expertise as THE specialist in wiring harnesses to the next2OEM research project, which marks a decisive step toward the future of automotive production. The aim of the project is to manufacture a wiring harness fully automatically and integrate it into a vehicle. A self-sufficient wiring harness from a current vehicle serves as a reference.
The project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, has been running since 2023 and is scheduled to present a demonstrator showcasing the results at Audi in Ingolstadt by 2026
A strong team
next2OEM brings together renowned partners who represent the entire value creation process:
- Audi coordinates the project and provides the OEM background.
- Kromberg & Schubert develops the wiring harness design.
- Komax Taping and Komax Testing provide solutions for automation and testing.
- TE Connectivity and KOSTAL contribute their expertise in connector systems.
- Bär Automation ensures efficient logistics with driverless transport systems.
- Stefani develops the necessary equipment for automation.
- ArtiMinds Robotics supplies software for robot programming.
- Semantic PDM integrates an innovative graph-based database as a higher-level system.
- The FAPS at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg is providing scientific support for the project.
Milestones on the road to automation
The project began with a comprehensive analysis of the current situation regarding the wiring harness and production, followed by the definition of technical requirements. These are currently being incorporated into a new wiring harness design, while the necessary machines are being developed in parallel.
Regular exchanges within the team ensure that all partners can contribute their expertise to achieve the goals that have been set.
We at Kromberg & Schubert are proud to be part of this forward-looking project, which is taking wiring harness production to a new level.