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Wired for Green

Delphi wiring innovations help vehicle manufacturers minimize impact on the environment.

The typical vehicle in the United States contains more than 1,800 meters—slightly more than a mile—of wiring and cable.

As fuel prices soar, many vehicle manufacturers list vehicle weight reduction in order to enhance fuel economy as an overriding priority. And if that weight reduction can be accomplished using material that is also recyclable and will have a minimal impact on the environment, it's a value-added bonus.

This helps explain the buzz surrounding Delphi Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable technology. The innovative wiring insulation material scores high marks for cable size/weight reduction and recyclability. And as a final bonus, it's even more robust than conventional insulation.

"The main function of the insulation is to insulate the conductors, such as copper or aluminum, from other conductive materials that could carry current," said Doug Gruber, product business unit director, Delphi Electrical/Electronic Architecture Distribution Systems North America, Delphi Packard Electrical/Electronic Architecture. "Resistance to cuts and abrasion are key insulation characteristics. Delphi has taken it one step further in developing a product that can minimize a vehicle's impact on the environment—both in terms of fuel economy gains and end-of-life recyclability."

But how much of a difference can it really make? Consider:

Size and weight: Today's vehicles may contain as much as 100 pounds (45.3 kilograms) of wiring. It may come as a surprise that insulation represents roughly 25 percent of that total. So simply reducing the amount insulation required can pay big dividends. Delphi Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall insulation measures just 0.2 mm thick, compared to about 0.4 mm for conventional thin-wall cable. That difference—equivalent to about two sheets of paper—accounts for a mass reduction of up to 27 percent and a volume reduction of up to 47 percent in a typical wiring harness. That can translate to a reduction of roughly five pounds (2.2 kilograms) when the entire harness is taken into account.

"That means an automaker can choose to fit more features into the same space, or reduce the weight of wire needed to maintain an existing level of features, which can help lower vehicle weight and improve its fuel economy," said Gruber.
Recyclability: Delphi Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable is manufactured using a modified polyphenylene ether alloy recyclable coating. Traditional methods call for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) insulation in wiring used in a vehicle body or interior, or a cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation. Both have different impacts when it comes to the environment.

"PVC contains halogens, which are effective, but can make the insulation itself difficult to dispose of at end of life, as the halogens can escape and produce byproduct compounds if the cable is incinerated," said Gruber. "XLPE is halogen-free, but is not highly recyclable. Using a polyphenylene ether alloy takes care of both halogen-free and recyclability issues, yet remains cost-effective and robust."

Robustness: Delphi Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable is actually more durable than conventional thicker wiring. Its heat resistance allows its use in continuous temperatures up to 221°F (105°C). It also features high flame retardance, meeting the requirements of ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Class A and B. And it offers excellent pinch resistance (nearly double that of traditional cable) as well as outstanding abrasion resistance. In fact, it exceeds SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) and ISO abrasion testing standards.

Alternative solutions

The inherent advantages of Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable are enabling variations that can further enhance a vehicle platform's environmental—and cost—performance, including:

Delphi Halogen-Free .13 mm² Cable

Delphi Halogen-Free Aluminum Cable

Halogen-Free .13 mm² Cable: The strength and stiffness of our Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable insulation and small crimp terminals allow for the use of a smaller gage size—up to half the size of conventional thin-wall cable—without sacrificing performance or requiring automated assembly. And that means reduced copper content, which in addition to the obvious weight reduction yields another significant benefit: cost, an important consideration as copper costs have increased 370 percent since 2003.

Halogen-Free Aluminum Cable: Delphi is also developing aluminum core cables as a cost-effective alternative to copper, which costs nearly three times as much as aluminum. Halogen-Free Aluminum Cable also offers a 48 percent mass reduction compared to copper wire, enhancing the weight reduction potential when integrated with Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable insulation.

"Delphi continues to develop additional products and processes to help meet customer expectations for material cost reduction, weight reduction, robustness, reliability, and minimized complexity," said Gruber. "All of our wiring systems are designed to support these global trends."

Wide reach

Delphi Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable was first used on the 2007 Toyota Tundra. Delphi now produces more than 1.5 billion feet (457,200,000 meters) of Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable per year to supply three major automakers. As one of the world's largest automotive cable producers, Delphi was able to modify existing equipment and processes to ramp up production of Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable effectively.

"We anticipate that the industry will convert to thinner cable insulations in the next few years," said Gruber. "The halogen-free composition, superior performance, smaller size, and recyclability of Delphi Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable all add up to create a product that is very appealing to vehicle manufacturers."

Delphi will be able to support manufacturers worldwide with fast and reliable delivery of Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable, which is validated to be manufactured in multiple global locations. But the value doesn't end there. Delphi can also work with its customers to develop a complete Electrical/Electronic Architecture to deliver power and signal distribution networks for increasingly complex vehicles. Proprietary design tools and software help create a virtual model of a vehicle's system, including connectors, electrical centers, electronic modules, and, of course, the wiring harness, where Delphi Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable has the potential to play a large role for years to come.

To learn more about Delphi Halogen-Free Ultra Thin-Wall Cable, click here.