- SBT Ultrasonic Technology expands aluminum wiring harness manufacturing.
- Strategic partnership accelerates lightweight automotive cable production.
SBT Ultrasonic Technology Co., Ltd (SBT) announced that it has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with TE Connectivity plc (TEL) during Electronica 2026. The collaboration is intended to support the large-scale production of aluminum-for-copper automotive wiring harnesses, reflecting the industry's increasing focus on lightweight electrical systems and manufacturing efficiency. The agreement brings together SBT's ultrasonic processing expertise and TE Connectivity's connectivity technologies to advance mass production capabilities for automotive applications.
Growing Shift Toward Aluminum Wiring Harnesses
Replacing conventional copper conductors with aluminum has become an important direction for the automotive wiring harness industry as manufacturers seek lighter and more cost-effective electrical architectures. To address this transition, SBT has developed an integrated ultrasonic welding solution covering low-voltage aluminum cables with cross-sections ranging from 0.5 mm² to 4 mm². The system is designed to support automated production while maintaining consistent welding quality across multiple cable sizes used in modern vehicle wiring harnesses.
SBT's Ultrasonic Welding Solution
The solution incorporates a fully digital ultrasonic system capable of automatically selecting welding parameters according to wire diameter. During the welding process, the technology removes the oxide layer present on the aluminum wire surface, enabling metallurgical solid-state bonding while minimizing defects such as wire breakage and deformation. This automated parameter matching improves production consistency and helps manufacturers achieve reliable weld quality across different cable configurations.
Production Speed and Quality Monitoring
SBT's high-speed ultrasonic welder for small-diameter aluminum wires can complete a single welding point in less than one second, supporting the short takt-time requirements of high-volume automotive wiring harness manufacturing. The equipment also includes an online vibration-based welding quality monitoring system that continuously supervises the welding process, automatically identifies issues including insufficient welds, overwelding, and wire misalignment, and provides complete traceability of welding data throughout production.
Integration into Existing Manufacturing Lines
The equipment features a compact integrated design that enables rapid deployment within existing automated low-voltage wiring harness production lines. By minimizing the need for extensive production line modifications, the solution helps wiring harness manufacturers reduce investment costs while adopting aluminum cable production. This approach supports manufacturers looking to modernize production without major disruptions to established manufacturing operations.
Key Features of the Ultrasonic Welding Solution
The solution combines advanced automation, quality control, and manufacturing flexibility for aluminum wiring harness production.
- Supports aluminum cables from 0.5 mm² to 4 mm².
- Automatically matches welding parameters by wire diameter.
- Removes aluminum oxide for metallurgical solid-state bonding.
- Completes single-point welds in less than one second.
- Provides vibration-based online welding quality monitoring.
- Enables full-process welding data traceability.
- Integrates easily into existing automated production lines.
Ultrasonic Welding Solution Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Cable Range | 0.5–4 mm² low-voltage aluminum cables |
| Welding Time | Less than one second per weld |
| Digital Control | Automatic parameter matching |
| Quality Monitoring | Online vibration-based monitoring with traceability |
| Integration | Compatible with existing automated production lines |
About SBT
SBT is an industrial equipment supplier focused on ultrasonic technology and provides ultrasonic welding, cutting, and related manufacturing solutions. Its technologies are widely applied in the production of automotive wiring harnesses, power batteries, and various industrial products, supporting manufacturers with equipment designed for efficient and reliable automated manufacturing processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the partnership between SBT Ultrasonic Technology and TE Connectivity?
The strategic cooperation agreement aims to accelerate the mass production of aluminum-for-copper automotive wiring harnesses using advanced ultrasonic welding technology. By combining SBT's ultrasonic manufacturing expertise with TE Connectivity's industry experience, the partnership supports lightweight wiring solutions, improves manufacturing efficiency, enhances production quality through digital process control, and enables manufacturers to integrate aluminum cable production into existing automated wiring harness assembly lines with reduced investment requirements.
What are the main advantages of SBT's ultrasonic welding solution?
SBT's solution supports low-voltage aluminum cables ranging from 0.5 mm² to 4 mm² while automatically selecting welding parameters according to wire size. It removes surface oxide layers to create metallurgical solid-state bonds, completes welds in less than one second, continuously monitors welding quality using vibration-based technology, provides complete production traceability, and allows rapid integration into existing automated wiring harness manufacturing lines for efficient large-scale production.
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