Excel Connection is a Featured Case Study for Brady

Unbeatable speed and quality

How a leader in electrical, wire and cable solutions uses Brady automation for its JIT customers

Producing high-quality products with shorter lead times is a tough job. For wire harness manufacturing, this means faster, more efficient production where time is measured in seconds, not hours. High quality is also demanded. Wire harness assemblies need to function without failures in many industries, like automotive, telecommunications, healthcare and even consumer electronics. To achieve the right balance of speed and quality, businesses like Excel Connection are turning to labeling automation.

Challenge

Excel Connection, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based business specializing in cable assemblies, wire harnesses, lead wires and electro-mechanical assemblies, wanted to increase labeling efficiency in order to help customers shorten lead times. While the lean best practice of Just in Time (JIT) contributes to efficiency by reducing inventory, it does put pressure on manufacturers (like Excel Connection) to make products faster in order to meet customer demand. Excel Connection felt their original method of hand labeling wires and cables was cumbersome and time consuming, and had the potential to slow down production and delay on-time delivery critical elements to Excel Connection’s business. They then called Brady, who provided an automated labeling solution.

Solution

Looking for both speed and quality, Excel Connection chose a print-and-apply machine, the Wraptor™ A6500 Wrap Printer Applicator. This automated device is designed to turn a series of labor-intensive, inefficient tasks into an automated process. It has the capability to print and apply labels to wires in fewer than five seconds, consistently and neatly. This automated solution offers both time and labor savings, just what Excel Connection needed for their quick turnaround times.

Results

After using the Wraptor™ A6500 in a cellular manufacturing environment, Excel Connection was able to increase labeling efficiency. Each product was touched less and labeled at an accelerated rate, which sped up production and got the product out the door faster. This allowed Excel Connection to show increased responsiveness with shorter lead times to their customers. Some efficiencies gained with the Wraptor™ A6500 include:

Along with time and labor savings, the Wraptor™ A6500 also provided quality improvements in the labeling process. According to Colleen Weber, Business Manager, “The labels go on neater, they go on in the right place … all that makes a BIG difference.” Plus, General Manager Shaun McGuire added, “Brady labels can be seen from a distance and look neat and appealing. They offer 360 coverage that you can’t get from inkjet printing.”

Realizing what they achieved with more efficient labeling, Excel Connection eventually added five more Wraptor™ A6500 devices. According to Andrew Hoffmeier, QC Manager, “Brady is always there to help. The customer service we’ve received from Brady has been second to none, from a technical support standpoint. Any time I call the line, I get help and get the issue resolved.” Using automation, like the Wraptor™ A6500, has allowed Excel Connection to stand out from the competition in providing customers with superior custom, quality, on-time electrical, wire and cable solutions.

As more and more customers use lean principles like Just In Time, it’s up to manufacturers to come up with better solutions that deliver both speed and quality, like Brady automated labeling devices. They are proven time-savers that offer businesses ways to become more efficient — and more competitive.