Methods and apparatus for routing wires of pre-assembled wire harness on form board

A method for routing wires of a wire harness on a form board, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving a wire harness comprising a wire end connector and a multiplicity of groups of wires having ends inserted in the wire end connector;
• (b) actuating a carrier end effector mounted to an end of a first robotic arm to grip first and second portions of the wires of the multiplicity of groups of wires using first and second pairs of wire gripper fingers of the carrier end effector, wherein the second portions of the wires are respectively disposed between the wire end connector and the first portions of the wires, and wherein the multiplicity of groups of wires comprise first and second groups of wires;
• (c) opening a wire gripper of a routing end effector mounted to an end of a second robotic arm;
• (d) controlling the second robotic arm while the wire gripper is open to move the routing end effector so that respective third portions of the wires pass through an opening in the wire gripper, wherein the third portions of the wires are disposed between the first and second portions of the wires;
• (e) controlling the wire gripper to grip the third portions of the wires;
• (f) controlling the carrier end effector to release the first and second portions of the wires;
• and
• (g) controlling the second robotic arm while the wire gripper is gripping to move the routing end effector to place the second portions of the wires of the first and second groups of wires in a first elastic retainer wire routing device attached to the form board.

A method for routing wires of a wire harness on a form board, the method comprising:

• (a) loading a wire harness onto a wire carrier, wherein the wire harness comprises a wire end connector and wires of first and second groups of wires having ends connected to the wire end connector;
• (b) coupling the wire carrier to carrier tooling mounted to an end of a first robotic arm while the wire carrier carries the wire harness;
• (c) controlling the first robotic arm to move the wire carrier and wire harness toward the form board;
• (d) opening a wire gripper of a routing end effector mounted to an end of a second robotic arm;
• (e) controlling the second robotic arm while the wire gripper is open to move the routing end effector so that respective first portions of the first and second groups of wires are accessible for gripping;
• (f) controlling the wire gripper to grip the first portions of the first and second groups of wires;
• and
• (g) controlling the second robotic arm while the wire gripper is gripping to move the routing end effector to place second portions of the first and second groups of wires in a first elastic retainer wire routing device attached to the form board.