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Universal Wiring Systems (UWS) has secured the sought-after silver SC21 award, less than 14 months after achieving bronze. The award will be made at the Farnborough Air Show. The company secured a 99.72% quality score, improved its MANEX from 323 to 439 in 2 years and it’s OTIF is consistently above 95%.
With 18 years solid experience of electrical harnessing, UWS has a dedicated 8000 ft2 facility and a team of over 40 harnessing experts, most of whom are trained and certified to IPC620 Quality and Acceptance standards.
UWS can provide interconnection designs at full system programme level or one off prototype harnesses. The company’s ruggedized harnesses are designed and built to withstand harsh conditions, using convoluted tubing or fully sealed moulded encapsulated techniques.
The company manufactures some of the largest and technically challenging open wire harnesses in the industry. The largest exceeds 12 meters in length with in excess of 1500 wires per harness. In a recent defence project the company organised over 750 miles of wiring; that’s more than Land’s End to John O’Groats. All wires are individually coded in-house by laser.
Sometimes EMC screening or additional harness protection is required – mechanical over-braiding is the solution. UWS have the capability to braid directly onto the harness, using a variety of materials including Nomex, tinned copper wire, PTFE and PEEK. The braiding cable can cover bundle diameters ranging from 3 to 30mm. The company also comprehensively tests for continuity, insulation and isolation.
Day to day the UWS team is now more focused than ever on providing the best harnessing solutions to a wider range of customers.
Andy Routledge, UWS Operations Manager, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for all our staff, and I would like to formally thanks all our customers who have supported us in this process. With every passing day our services are improving; our processes are improving; and our people are improving. SC21 silver is the badge which proves this, and we are now looking to the future to provide harnesses in some of the most modern aircraft in the world.”
Speaking about UWS’ work on AgustaWestland’s Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme (MCSP), Scott Ewens, AgustaWestland’s UK Merlin Programme Manager, said: “The partnership approach between Universal and Agusta Westland has ensured that MCSP has been a highly successful programme, delivered on time and on budget.
“It was pleasing to see that in 2013 both companies were awarded SC21 Bronze award. The improvements implemented in both organisations have directly contributed to the success of MCSP and provide the two companies with the opportunity to take all the learning into potential collaborations in the future.”
TEC Director Dave Bull, which is supporting UWS through its SC21 journey, explains: “SC21 is the industry accepted benchmark for excellence in optimising supply chains through accelerating competitiveness in the aerospace and defence sectors. By achieving this award, UWS has gained recognition from the industry for their commitment to maximum efficiencies and excellent customer service – right first time and on-time every time.
“As a training organisation specialising in aerospace and defence, we at TEC know the years of hard work and perseverance that go into achieving these awards. We are proud of UWS’s success and are confident that they can build on this for the future.”
Find out more about Universal Engineering at stand C19, hall 2 at the Farnborough International Air Show.