The entire team at MRO Electronic Supply Ltd are committed to manufacturing the highest quality custom connectivity solutions for our clients throughout North America and around the world. MRO specializes in engineering, manufacturing, and delivering quality over-moulded cable assemblies, wiring harnesses, rack builds, electronic enclosures, control panels, control systems and more. For more than 25 years, our priority has been that our clients, ranging from Oil & Gas, Mining, Forestry, and Defense, can continue to rely on us to deliver their products on time and on budget. We are committed to providing the best service possible throughout the engineering, manufacturing, and implementation process of our products.
Keep reading to learn more about what MRO does and how they can support your next engineering or manufacturing project.
Electronic Products and Expert Reviews
MRO delivers quality cables, wiring harnesses, rack builds, electronic enclosures, control panels, control systems and more. We also deliver the answers to very complex and sometimes daunting questions that could change the course of history, or at the very least, impact science and peoples lives. One exciting project that MRO provided expertise and product for was a cutting-edge telescope.
In British Columbia Canada, there is a facility known for science and technology research called the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, or “DRAO”. The facility is internationally known and is home to astronomers, astrophysicists, engineers and technologists, all working towards the design and development of world-class instrumentation. One of these leading-edge projects is the CHIME telescope.
When the CHIME radio telescope was under construction, they required specialized cable assemblies with high signal velocity capabilities. The project was extraordinarily complex, consisting of fixed linear reflectors with a bridgework of many antennas at the focal plane of the reflector. There are several reflectors. The signals from each antenna are connected to a coaxial cable. These signals are cabled into a combiner. The important thing is they have to be very precise in phase. It is not much different from an optical lens where all the rays of light have to focus at the same point or the image will be fuzzy. The time the signal travels from one end of the cable to the other has to be the same for each cable, give or take 1 nanosecond. A rough definition of a nanosecond is the time it takes light to travel one foot in a vacuum.
Even with the same type of cable from the same lot, the transit time will vary, so a method had to be found to measure that time. A couple of methods were tried, and the optimum one was a network analyzer. We used an Anritsu S331E. The astronomy staff at the UBC wrote a script that allowed the cable serial number barcoded and linked to the cable loss and the electrical length of each unique cable.
Our Schleuniger automated cable cutting and reeling machine was set up to cut over 2000pcs of these 50-meter cables very consistently, however, getting all our cable for that job from the same lot, a number of cables were out of tolerance and had to be re-terminated if they were too long, even though the physical length was within the specification. The short ones were repurposed.
General Dynamics Systems Canada is a global aerospace and defense company. Manufacturing products from Gulfstream business jets and combat vehicles to nuclear-powered submarines and communications systems, people around the world depend on their products and services for their safety and security. MRO is thrilled to have worked with General Dynamics, who had this to say about our work:
“MRO has a proven track record of consistently exceeding our strict specifications, challenging requirements and aggressive lead times. Our Military Spec Cable Assemblies require superior manufacturing techniques, not common in conventional cable assembly manufacturing. MRO has the required experience and capabilities for our Military Specifications and complex designs. Effective communication is MRO’s strongest point. Particularly, openness to listen. Recently, we introduced MRO to some of our end customers. The key takeaway was that they were impressed with MRO’s understanding and execution of the customers’ complex designs.
MRO has become an integral part of our success by effectively delivering tight schedule requirements, from large orders to small design verification. On time and with a high level of quality.”
Vertically Integrated Manufacturing Dynamic for a broad range of industries
MRO Electronic Supply offers a suite of vertically integrated manufacturing solutions across a broad range of sectors. We are able to offer our clients world-class quality, engineering and services because of these 8 capabilities and approaches.
- High Mix / Low to High Volume: At MRO Electronic supply we pride ourselves on offering high mix electronics. We are able to provide services for a range of electromechanical interconnects from low to high volume. This means that we provide custom services for customers of any size.
- Quick-turn New Product Introduction (NPI) to full production: MRO is committed to providing our customers with the best service possible, this means being on schedule. Our NPI or “new product integration” is set up to provide rapid turnover for full production for time sensitive projects. This means our customers can hold us accountable for providing quality products on schedule. We have followed and can meet the requirements of AS9102 Aerospace First Article Inspection Requirements.
- 100% testing of every unit produced: At MRO every single unit we produce undergoes 100% testing to ensure its reliable operation upon delivery. To date, we have maintained an ISO quality rating of 99.7% for all shipped units. MRO is committed to providing our customers the highest quality product, our testing guarantees that.
- Industry Specific Certifications and Regulatory Requirements: MRO is an ISO:9001 2015 certified company, as well as IPC/WHMA-620-A Class 2 and Class 3 electronics manufacturing service provider. We have been doing this work for more than 25 years. In addition to our experience, we also offer certified work.
- Defense and Industrial Specialization: MRO goes through security inspections and successfully registered under the Canadian Controlled Goods Program and the US / Canada Joint Certification Program and holds an NCAGE code. We currently work with four prime defense contractors, and the Canadian National Defense, and several NATO member defense departments.
- In-House CAD Operators: MRO Electronic supply offers leading-edge engineering. From drawing creation and updates to custom cnc tooling, we have the expertise on staff to handle your CAD designs. This approach means we can handle custom projects of any size of complexity.
- In-House Custom Molding and Tooling: MRO’s cable molding and custom tooling is all in-house, reducing turnaround time on custom overmolded cable assemblies and providing flexibility for engineering changes. We provide both low-pressure and high-pressure injection molding for cable assemblies, PCBs and other electronics. This approach ensures that we are providing customers with the quality products they are expecting on schedule.
- Global supply chain and Long-term vendor relationships: MRO has been in business since 1991 and this has resulted in long term dependable relationships with our vendors in North America and around the world. Today, more than ever before, these relationships matter. COVID19 has resulted in substantial supply chain disruptions and is putting immense pressure on manufacturers around the globe. MRO is confident we have the relationships and know-how to avoid these pitfalls.
Leveraging the 5 Pillars of Manufacturing
There is a well-known manufacturing theory that was first made famous by Toyota. The theory dictates that there are 5 pillars for lean or successful manufacturing. MRO is committed to achieving these 5 pillars of manufacturing for every product and customer.
- Value: MRO understands that the value of our products is based on the needs and wants of our clients. We are committed to providing our customers and clients with the quality product they want at a price point that is fair. We know that a cable is more than a cable, it is an integral component of the client’s larger puzzle.
- Value stream: MRO Electronic supply believes that the products we produce are more than just the finished product. We know how much goes into each wiring harness, rack build, electronic enclosure, control panel, or control system. There is a process and supply chain behind each of these products. We have been in this business for more than two decades, we know what the value stream looks like and we know how to successfully achieve it.
- Flow: At MRO Electronic supply, our vertically integrated manufacturing dynamic ensures that we are developing the product that our customer expects in the most efficient and thoughtful manner possible. MRO removes the silos and works across the company and with the client to produce the best possible solution for our client.
- Pull: MRO’s NPI/First Article Inspection process is set up to provide rapid turnover for full production for time sensitive projects. This means that while we love producing custom solutions, we can provide our NPI at rapid speed when needed. MRO is focused on providing the highest quality service to our customers.
- Perfection: MRO lives and dies by the quality of our products and solutions. This is why every product that leaves our manufacturing facility undergoes 100% testing to ensure it is reliable for operations upon delivery and can withstand different field applications. To date, MRO has maintained a quality rating of 99.7% for all of our shipped products. We are committed to providing our customers as close to perfection as is possible.
Top quality manufacturing for prototypes and large orders
MRO Electronic Supply Ltd is proud to provide top quality manufacturing for prototypes and large orders. We have experience in custom, one-time solutions, and in large or high-volume orders. With a total of 35,100 sq ft of office and production facility, MRO is positioned to take on every project. Our Calgary Headquarters is over 28,000 sq ft, with 3000 sq ft Showroom and Offices and 9000 sq ft Production Area and Warehouse. The Calgary, Alberta, location also includes, 9000 sq ft of High Security Production Area, and a 3500 sq ft Molding and CNC Shop. Additionally, we have offices and showrooms in Edmonton and Vancouver. While we pride ourselves on developing solutions for complex problems, we are also prepared to take on large, high-volume projects.
Quality electronics and custom cable assembly manufacturing
Our clients range in size from SMEs to Multinationals, with orders ranging from a few units to a few hundred thousand. Our specialty is providing rugged, long lasting IPC Class 2 and IPC Class 3 certified cable assemblies.
We provide cable assembly solutions for a wide range of applications, from basic RF cable assemblies to more complex and demanding cables assemblies where performance such as signal velocity and other factors are critical for operation.
Examples of types of cable assemblies we manufacture:
- Coax cable assemblies
- Technical cable assemblies
- RF cable assemblies
- Mil-spec cable assemblies
- Molex cable assemblies
- SMA cable assemblies
- Medical cable assemblies
- Test cable assemblies
- Microwave cable assemblies
- BNC cable assemblies
- Industrial cable assemblies
- Power cable assemblies
- Industrial ethernet cable assemblies
- Micro coax cable assemblies
Whether you need a simple coax cable assembly or a rugged overmolded mil-spec cable assembly, MRO has the capability to manufacture your design reliably and within your budget.
6 Critical processes for quality control in electronic manufacturing
At MRO Electronic Supply Ltd we know high quality manufacturing is no accident—it requires a dedicated, disciplined effort to produce cable assemblies, wiring harnesses, and box builds that meet and exceed our clients’ expectations, industry standards, regulatory requirements, and can be relied upon in mission critical environments.
All materials and every component used by MRO Electronics are inspected for quality and conformity before entering the manufacturing supply stream. Every cable assembly, wiring harness and box build produced by MRO undergoes 100% testing before shipping.
Our testing capabilities include:
- Flex/Bend
- Pull/Tensile Strength
- Low Voltage/ Short Open/Multi-conductor continuity
- High-Pot AC/DC – up to 1500 DC and 1000 AC – dielectric testing
- Component Value (Resistance, Inductance, etc.)
- Bonding Test
Dependable high-quality products delivered to industries
MRO provides high-quality products and unwavering service across industries. Some of our most notable industries include defense, mining, robotics, and oil and gas.
For more than six years MRO has been a reliable partner for prime contractors in the defense industry. Providing electronic manufacturing services for custom cable assemblies, wiring harnesses and box builds for military vehicles, shipboard electronic systems, combat and communications systems, and other command and control electronic systems for our defense partners located in North America and Europe.
Mining in today’s world means you need tough and reliable connectivity solutions. Damage due to abrasion, vibration, tension and cut-throughs are frequent. Down time is costly, and at MRO we understand your need to know that you can keep operating, even in the harshest conditions. Our team has many years of experience providing rugged cable assemblies for vertical and horizontal power feeds, data acquisition, onboard systems, seismic telemetry, sensors, cameras, proximity transducers, GPS antennas, and other devices.
Written by MRO Electronics on May 24, 2021