Custom Test Stand Cables

American company Anderson Electric Controls (AEC) assembles testing stands for electric vehicles and drive batteries. When these specialists required a custom connection cable for a contract where standard products would not fulfil a customer’s complex requirements, AEC turned to the experts in connection technology at HELUKABEL, whose design engineers rose to the occasion with the right solution at the right time.

Electric mobility is rapidly increasing in popularity. The global number of new registrations for electric cars has risen from around 128,000 in 2012 to approximately 17 million in 2024. Thanks to continuous technical developments, the availability of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles has improved, driving ranges have increased, and charging times have shortened. These developments were inspired by an increase in environmental awareness in consumers as well as various governmental funding and subsidy programs. Owning an EV today has never been more exciting and affordable for drivers.

The battery is the heart of every electric vehicle. It is what determines how far the user can drive on a charge and how long it takes for the vehicle to recharge. Battery manufacturers are continuously working on the latest improvements to batteries, such as making them increasingly compact and lightweight, while simultaneously improving their power and performance. Even automakers are heavily investing in the research and development of vehicles and batteries that function more in harmony with one another.

The exact features of test stands are customised by AEC depending on the requirements of the customer. Such was the case for an international automobile manufacturer who required a new test stand for a plant in the US. To connect the drive batteries to the cycler, very specific connection cables are required. "One big challenge with this was the high voltages, which reach 2 kV or more, that the cables need to carry during the testing process," explains Matt Tavares, Mechanical Engineer. "Other requirements were a UL approval, a TC-ER certification for exposed runs, as well as low inductivity to prevent EMC-related disruptions."

It quickly became clear to the team at AEC that a standard cable would not be able to fulfil all of these complex specifications. In their search for a suitable solution, they would soon come across HELUKABEL. The international leader in electrical connection technology possesses a well-known, high level of competence when it comes to constructing custom cables according to customers' individual requirements. The AEC team was advised by our subsidiary which represents HELUKABEL in the USA. "Over the course of several discussions, we became convinced that HELUKABEL was the right partner for this project," remembers Tavares.

Another added benefit of choosing HELUKABEL was that the cable being requested could be delivered within the timeframe required by AEC. "With other manufacturers, the lead times were simply too long, which would have resulted in us having to make our customers wait, too," says Tavares. "HELUKABEL quickly, competently, and reliably delivered us a solution that is exactly what we envisioned." The doors for further cooperation with Anderson Electric Controls are wide open, hints Ron Hansen. "The next order has already been placed, and future collaborative projects are already being planned."

You can also find this and many other exciting articles in the current issue #17 of our customer magazine POWER. Read it now !