An automated wire harness machine is capable of manufacturing a wire
harness in an automated process. The wire harness is generally a
plurality of bundled, preferably un-stripped, insulated wires. Each
un-stripped end portion of each wire is preferably terminated by an
electrical terminal in one of a series of electrical connectors of the
wire harness. Each connector has at least one wafer which houses a
plurality of terminals. The wire harness machine utilizes a pallet that
holds all of the wafers of one wire harness. A conveyor transports the
pallet and wafers through a series of stations which perform automated
manufacturing steps. The first station is a terminal inserter which
inserts and locks the terminals within pre-assigned cavities of the
wafers. The next station is an automated wire loader which measures, cuts
and crimps the two ends of each wire into the respective terminals of the
loaded wafer assembly. A third station, or ultrasonic welder, then galls
an un-stripped non-ferrous core of the crimped wire to the terminal. The
pallet with the loaded wafers, crimped terminals, and terminated wires
are then transported to a wire marker station which marks each wire,
preferably via a laser, for identification purposes.