Wire loom

A wire loom, synonymously known as a cable loom, wire harness, or wiring harness, is a protective covering for electrical wires and cables. Wire loom tubings are made of flexible, corrugated plastic or heat-resistant materials, such as polyethylene or nylon. They bundle together and protect wires from damage caused by abrasion, heat, rusting, and chemical corrosion. The level of protection they offer is determined by the type of wire loom. For example, wire looms that protect cables from abrasion are thick and possibly strengthened by metallic plates. At the same time, looms that protect wires from chemicals aren't necessarily thick but are made from a chemically stable material.

Uses of wire looms

Wire looms are used in automotive, electronics, internet distribution, and home wiring. In automotive, wire looms protect thin electrical wires from the hot engine or group wires according to their purpose and destination. For instance, an automotive wire loom may be used to organize all wires leading to the infotainment center and later color code or mark them with a sticker to avoid confusion during assembly. In contrast, wires connected to areas with rotating parts, such as the fan and brake disks, are protected by a thick, heat-resistant, abrasion-proof loom. These special high temp wire looms are usually more expensive than those used to organize wires. Lastly, wire looms working with cables leading to areas with water, brake fluids, and oils are waterproofed and chemically stabilized to last longer.

Electronic manufacturing, internet distribution, and home wiring are other industries where wire looms are heavily used to organize and identify cables. These industries do not require heavy-duty wire looms because most are used indoors or in areas where chemicals are rarely used. But to guarantee protection, the looms, such as cloth wire looms, are made from strong and flexible heat-resistant materials for use where wires form coils and around corners. Besides clothes, plastics are among the great wire looms for light duties. Plastic wire looms also offer customers a balanced value between flexible prices and versatility. Additionally, the loom does not require specialized wire loom tools to cut or split.

Special wire looms for the heavy industry

Heavy industrial machinery pieces use thick and extremely reinforced wire looms due to the magnitude of the machine's work and the force generated. The wire looms are mostly metallic and are made by coiling together thin bands of steel to form a long metal conduit. Other than protecting wires from wear and tear, they are used as an anti-magnetic interference tool. Unfortunately, stainless steel conduits are less common and pricier compared to plastic and cloth wire looms.