Electric harness manufacturing system and test apparatus

A method of conducting a plugging force verification test, comprising:

• providing a test apparatus for verifying plugging force during assembly of a first electrical component having one or more electrical connection points for receiving one or more corresponding second electrical components in a push fit arrangement, the test apparatus having:
• a load plate having a support surface and orthogonally arranged first and a second axes defined parallel to the support surface,
• a holder for retaining the first electrical component on the load plate,
• a plurality of load cells supporting the load plate arranged at spaced locations about the load plate such that a plugging force applied to the first electrical component retained on the load plate in a direction perpendicular to the support surface of the load plate is transferred to the plurality of load cells, and
• a processor for receiving load cell data from the load cells corresponding to the force applied to each load cell respectively, wherein the processor is operative to determine a magnitude of the plugging force and the location at which the plugging force is applied to the first electrical component relative to the first and second axes of the load plate based on the load cell data and the location of the load cells relative to the load plate;
• inserting a first electrical component in the holder;
• inserting a second electrical component into a socket of the first electrical component and applying a plugging force thereto;
• verifying whether the plugging force meets a plugging force threshold;
• and
• verifying whether the plugging force is applied at a required location relative to the first and second axes.