What to put in a wire harness RFQ
Name the parts, pin map, lengths, wire, quantity, environment, coverings, tests, files, and substitutions.
ConfigV2-ready spec or engineer-review RFQ
If the catalog can express the harness, build it in ConfigV2 (or POST the same fields as a harness spec). If a human has to interpret a drawing, send an RFQ. MiniProto has no minimum order quantity. Unusual work still goes through engineer review.
| Signal | ConfigV2-ready | Engineer-review RFQ |
|---|---|---|
| Every connector is a stocked MPN | Required. Lookup fails on nicknames. | Preferred, but a drawing plus a named family can be reviewed. |
| Every circuit has a pin-to-pin map | Required. Each wires[] row is one circuit. | Required. A drawing callout with no cavity map will bounce. |
| Wire is a catalog family and gauge | Required. Copy wireFamily, gauge, and color from capabilities. | Name the family even if the drawing only shows AWG. |
| 2 to 16 connectors, up to 500 wires | Hard spec limit. | Larger or stranger topologies still quote, with engineer review. |
| Splices, overmold, or customer-supplied parts | Out of band. Do not force it into the canvas. | Send the RFQ. Include the splice netlist, not splice coordinates. |
| Mil-spec circulars, mixed cable plus discrete, or special test | Usually not expressible. | Engineer-review RFQ with the drawing package. |
Clean catalog work belongs in ConfigV2. Drawing packages belong on the quote form.
Required RFQ fields
Copy this table into the RFQ. ConfigV2-ready rows use the public spec field names. Engineer-review rows are what a human quoting package should still spell out.
| Include | Why it matters | ConfigV2-ready | Engineer-review RFQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connector MPNs | A 12-pin Deutsch is not a part. Key, gender, and contact system change the BOM. | connectors[].ref.mpn (exact catalog MPN) and side (left or right). Never send both mpn and componentId. | Housing MPN plus contacts, seals, cavity plugs, wedgelocks, and key (A/B/C/D). |
| Pin mapping / pinout | Continuity follows cavities, not wire colors. | Each wire maps sourceConnector and sourcePin to targetConnector and targetPin. Connector indices are 0-based. Pins are 1-based. | Cavity map or netlist. Name unused cavities and the cavity plugs that fill them. |
| Finished lengths and reference points | Cut length is not install length. Boots and backshells consume millimeters. | wires[].lengthMm as finished length in millimeters. | Finished length, tolerance, and datum: face-to-face, including or excluding strain relief. |
| Gauge, family, and color | GXL 18 AWG black is a different part from UL1007 18 AWG black. | wireFamily, gauge ("18 AWG"), and color copied from stocked capabilities for that gauge. | Insulation family, AWG, color per circuit, and any stripe or printing. |
| Quantity and breaks | Unit price moves with quantity. Prototype 3 is not production 100. | quantity on the spec. Defaults to 1 if omitted. | Order quantity plus the price breaks you want quoted (1 / 10 / 25 / 100). |
| Environment | Sealed DT in a cabin is waste. Unsealed JST in a washdown bay fails. | Pick catalog parts that already match the environment. Put remaining constraints in designNotes. | Temperature, fluids, UV, flex, IP target, and indoor versus vehicle or washdown. |
| Coverings and labels | Braid, loom, and tape are different ops. Labels need content and placement. | Only what the canvas can express. Put the rest in designNotes. | Covering by segment, size basis (bundle OD), label text, and offset from each housing. |
| Test and quality requirements | Continuity is the default shop test. Hi-pot, pull tests, and certificates are not. | designNotes | 100% continuity, hi-pot voltage if required, IPC/WHMA-A-620 class, first-article, CoC. |
| Files | A photo without a wire list is a guess. A CAD dump without a BOM is a delay. | Not required when the canvas already holds the full spec. | PDF drawing, spreadsheet wire list, sample photos, and the drawing revision. |
| Acceptable substitutions | Unstated alternates stall the quote. Silent swaps stall the build. | Spec the allowed MPN. Do not send a family nickname. | Named alternates (AT for DT, ATM for DTM) or write "no substitutions". |
Finished length reference points
lengthMm is finished length. If you do not name the datum, the shop will assume connector face to connector face and will guess about boots.
| Datum | Means | Write it as |
|---|---|---|
| Connector face to connector face | Housing mating face to mating face. | 300 mm face-to-face, +/- 10 mm |
| Including boots or strain relief | Length includes heat-shrink, boots, or backshells. | 300 mm including boots |
| Excluding boots | Housings only. Shop adds boot length separately. | 300 mm excluding strain relief |
| Branch from a named junction | Breakout length from a labeled point, not from the middle. | 120 mm from J1 breakout to DTM plug face |
Copyable example
The JSON is a public harness spec: connectors, wires, quantity, and notes. API callers wrap it as { "spec": ... } for POST /api/v1/validations. The text block is the same job written for a human RFQ.
Copyable harness spec JSON
Select all, then copy. Field names match the public harness spec.
Copyable RFQ text
Select all, then copy. Field names match the public harness spec.
Files and substitutions
Attach the smallest set that lets a builder make the same harness twice. Name allowed alternates, or forbid them.
| File | When it helps |
|---|---|
| PDF drawing | Geometry, branches, notes, revision. One current sheet beats a zip of every rev. |
| Spreadsheet wire list | Pin maps, colors, gauges, and net names the shop can sort. |
| Photo of an existing harness | Matching or reverse work. Still include a wire list. |
| Connector datasheet | Only when the MPN is ambiguous. Exact MPN is better. |
FAQ
- What is the minimum I should send in a harness RFQ?
- Exact connector MPNs, a pin-to-pin map, finished length with a reference point, wire family, gauge, and color, quantity, and any covering, label, test, or substitution rules. A PDF plus a wire list beats a long email.
- When should I use ConfigV2 instead of an RFQ?
- When every connector is a stocked MPN, every circuit is mapped, and the wire is a catalog family. ConfigV2 prices that shape immediately. Send an RFQ when a drawing, splice, overmold, or test requirement needs a human.
- How do I specify harness length so the build matches the drawing?
- Give finished length in millimeters, the datum (usually connector face to connector face), whether boots are included, and a tolerance. Do not send cut length unless you also name the strip and terminate allowances.
- Is "Deutsch 12-pin" enough for a connector callout?
- No. Send the housing MPN, key, and the contact, seal, and wedge stack. DTM06-12SA is a part. Deutsch 12-pin is a family of parts.
- What files help, and what files slow the quote?
- A current PDF drawing and a spreadsheet wire list help. A photo of a sample helps when you are matching an existing harness. A large CAD pack with no wire list or revision slows review.