Reverse engineering · One sample is enough

From Sample to Production: Reverse Engineering a Cable Assembly

A lot of custom work starts with a cable that already exists — often one that keeps failing, comes from a supplier who exited the business, or was never documented in the first place.

HKWIRE is a custom cable assembly manufacturer and OEM/ODM supplier in Longgang, Shenzhen. When a part arrives with no drawing, we measure it, map it and rebuild it on our own lines — the same lines that would run the production order.

Send us the part. We will tell you three things.

What it is, why it failed if it did, and what we would change before making it again.

Interface measurement
Connector type, keying, shell dimensions, panel cut-out and mating geometry, measured against the actual part rather than a catalog guess.
Pinout mapping
Continuity traced end to end and documented as a wiring diagram you own — the drawing you did not have.
Construction analysis
Conductor gauge and stranding, jacket material, shielding type and coverage, drain and bond details.
Failure review
If the sample failed, we look at where and why: conductor fatigue at the strain relief, crimp degradation, shield whiskers, jacket cracking, seal path failure.
Improvement recommendation
Geometry, material or process changes that address the failure without changing the interface, so the replacement drops straight in.

Typical cases

  • Replacing a discontinued OEM cable
  • Solving a recurring field failure
  • Second-sourcing an expensive existing assembly
  • Matching a competitor part while fixing its weak point
  • Reconstructing an assembly with no available drawing
  • Adding overmold strain relief to a cable that keeps breaking at the connector

What it costs

Sample evaluation and pinout mapping are provided free of charge for projects with a realistic production intent. Reverse-engineering that requires tooling, sectioning or extended testing is quoted after we have seen the part — and we will tell you which category you are in before doing any paid work.

You keep the documentation. The wiring diagram, interface dimensions and construction notes we produce from your sample are yours, whether or not you place the order.

What happens after the sample review

The sample review usually ends in a build-to-print definition — except now the drawing exists, and it was written by the people who will run the tooling. From there the normal development sequence applies: quote, prototype and first article, then production release.

Measured on the same floor that will build it

Sample evaluation is done by the engineers who will run the job, not by a sales desk. Interface dimensions, pinout mapping and construction analysis are recorded against your part reference, and the output is a drawing you can quote anywhere — including to us. If the assembly needs an overmold, the replacement mold is designed and cut in our own tool room.

Replacement builds are assembled and inspected in the same Longgang facility as cable assembly and electrical testing, to IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 workmanship criteria under an ISO 9001 certified quality management system. Samples ship in 3 working days and production 14 working days after approval. Audits, in person or by live video, can be arranged in advance.

What to send with your RFQ

  1. One physical sample — if it failed in service, send the failed part
  2. What you want changed, or just “make it the same”
  3. Quantity — first order and projected annual volume
  4. Target date and ship-to country

The review usually ends in a build-to-print definition — except now the drawing exists.

Send one sample. We will tell you what it is and what we would change.

One piece is enough to start. If it failed in service, send the failed part rather than a fresh one — the failure mode is the most useful information on it.

Start a Sample Review

Assemblies we routinely reverse engineer

Sample & reverse engineering FAQ

What does the sample evaluation cost?

Sample evaluation and pinout mapping are free for projects with realistic production intent. Work that needs tooling or destructive sectioning is quoted before it starts.

How many samples do you need?

One is enough to start. Two helps if you want a spare returned untouched, and a failed part is more useful than a fresh one because the failure mode is the most informative thing on it.

Can you reproduce the part exactly?

Usually, though “exactly” sometimes means reproducing its weak point too. We tell you what we would change and why, then build whichever version you choose.

Do you return the sample?

Yes, if you ask for it. Sectioned or destructively tested parts cannot be returned intact, and we say so before cutting.

Is my design protected?

Yes. We sign your NDA or provide ours before you ship anything, and drawings stay with the team working on your part.

Can you supply a replacement under our brand?

Yes. Replacements are built as an OEM and ODM manufacturer and supplier from our factory under your part number and labeling, with the drawing released to you.

Can you identify a cable from a photograph?

A photograph helps, but a physical sample is much better. Send the part to our factory and the manufacturer measures the interface and maps the pinout directly.