The MTO Department: Ensuring Interpower® 1-Week Lead-Times on Customized Cords and Components
Interpower Group of Companies
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Interpower’s Made-to-Order (MTO) department specializes in customizing AC power cords as well as assembling accessory power components, and provides many value-added processes and services listed later in this article. The department is renowned for its industry-unique 1-week manufacturing lead-times on custom orders since 2008; in tandem with its same day shipping on in-stock products, customers can often have their cords and components ship the same day they order. In short, an in-stock product will ship the same day while an MTO customized order will be manufactured and shipped in 1-week or less.
At an assembly station stocked with multiple tools mostly used for tightening, torquing, and testing, IEC 60320 inlets and outlets are inserted and wired into APS and PDU housings and tightened to just the right torque. But accessory power is just one aspect of MTO—employees move to and from various cells, machines, and equipment to assemble, crimp, test, cut cords to specific lengths, and provide customized labels and barcodes for cords. MTO is always fine-tuning processes and products—the department may run separate orders simultaneously while remaining flexible enough to break off a large order to fulfill a smaller one—keeping both orders on schedule.
Recently, MTO began printing instructions and diagrams on the plastic bags of four new IEC 60320 C14 inlet face and seal kits. The face and seal kits are IP54 UL-rated (solid particle ingress level 5, liquid ingress level 4). The seal kits are manufactured exclusively for Interpower’s IEC 60320 C14 inlet which connects to a molded C13 connector. The four kits protect the inlet from corrosive dust and other solid particles from reaching the terminals; they prevent liquids from short circuiting the terminals. So, what are “typical” customizations MTO provides?
Accessory Power
MTO takes the powder coated metal housings for the APS and PDUs and assembles the wiring which is connected to the customer-specified number of inlets and outlets, circuit breakers, fuses and fuse holders, then inspects and tests them multiple times before shipping.
Cable Terminations
MTO assembles the cable terminations which come in a variety of configurations: three bare wires; two bare wires with one ring terminal; two bare wires with one spade terminal; three ultrasonic welds; two ultrasonic welds with one ring terminal; three wires fitted with crimped ferrules; and three bare wires fitted with straight-style quick disconnects.
Heat-Shrink Tubing
A shrinkable plastic tube is used to insulate wires while providing abrasion resistance and environmental protection for strained and solid wire conductors, connections, and terminals.
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Ferrules & Ferrites
A ferrule is an internal component used for better electrical contact in applications where bare strands may spread and cause issues. Ferrules come in two styles—insulated and uninsulated. The insulated version helps eliminate arcing in the assembly and is added to the “top” of the ferrule. Ferrites are beads that reduce or prevent electromagnetic inference (EMI) from a device or to a device.
MTO Customized Labels, Barcodes, and Packaging
A 1-D barcode is a machine-readable code printed on a label in the form of numbers or alphanumeric designations and a pattern of parallel lines of varying widths. These identifiers may include location, category, price, and other key details. Typically, barcodes are scanned and automatically entered into a software system. That software data connects to global distribution systems allowing companies to manage inventories and logistics and see what is trending, what items need to be stocked over others, and what items should be discounted to free up more space for products with higher demand.
A 2-D, QR, or micro QR code can direct multi-industry consumers to company websites, products, and other information via the flash of a scan. The 2-D codes are comprised of boxes or similar shapes with solid lines at the borders while QR codes contain solid boxes at the corners. These small blocky box codes can contain hundreds of characters for the scanner to read whereas 1-D barcodes contain far less information.
Also, MTO is responsible for an array of services including specialized power cord labeling: wrapped, flagged, barcoded, and grounding reliability labels as well as Unique Device Identification. MTO packaging includes cords and cord sets that are coiled, bundled, hanked, and tied before they are individually boxed. There are special packaging options offering various products in the same box, such as an APS and country-specific cord sets with customized labeling per customer specifications.
The quality and accuracy (how MTO arranges the code on the label) is yet another quality control at Interpower—it must be accurate, centered and in dark enough font. Interpower uses both wax and paper labels depending on their destination and use. If one vertical bar is too close to the edge, it may not read properly. Centering the label also demonstrates quality workmanship—the customized barcode label must “delight” the customer.
For more information on these products or our complete line of products, please contact our Customer Service Department at (800) 662-2290, or at info@interpower.com.
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