The process of manufacturing a custom cable from scratch is a complex one, requiring years of practice and experience to get right. Given the complexities of building a custom cable, the cost can sometimes be quite high, although the performance of the cable in comparison to an ‘off the shelf’ alternative will always make it worth the investment.
However, this cost has led to the rise of counterfeit cables, an issue we have covered in a previous blog post. Counterfeit cables retail at a fraction of the cost of a regular cable but come with the potential to do a lot of damage to equipment, property and even lives through inherent fire risks. What’s more, identifying a counterfeit cable is often extremely difficult and can’t usually be done until the cable has actually arrived. By this point, it’s too late to return or demand a refund, as the supplier will have moved on to their next customer. That means it’s imperative before you commit to buy any new cables that you identify the supplier – or the manufacturer – as trusted. Here are a few ways to go about that:
Previous Work
When shopping for any service, one of the first things you should look for is a good track record. In the cable manufacturing industry, this will come down to the types of cable they have produced in the past, the industries they’d produced cables for and the quality of the end product. In some instances this information will be readily available on the manufacturer’s website or via a company blog, but you can also call the manufacturer direct to enquire about some of their previous work – most will be more than happy to have a chat about relevant projects.
Demonstration of Knowledge
The subject of cable design is quite complex and requires a lot of knowledge learnt over a long period of time. A counterfeit manufacturer, while having this knowledge, won’t take the time to share it with their customer base; it’s far too much effort when they could be knocking up cheap imitations. A reputable manufacturer, however, will disclose some of their processes and explain in detail what kind of cables they build, what the cables are used for, and so on. In some instances, the manufacturer will also have a regularly updated blog – like Custom Designed Cables do!
Contact
Many counterfeit manufacturers will provide a non-specific email address and little else; getting in touch with the manufacturer will also prove nigh-on impossible, as they are likely to be based in the Far East. A reputable cable manufacturer will provide full contact details including where they are based. During the process of your project, they will also provide a direct point of contact for you to get in touch with should you have any queries or complaints. Make sure that this is the case before you pay out for new cables! This direct point of contact will also be able to make amendments to your specific custom cable specifications.
Markings
While not necessarily something that you can check before the cable has been made, proper markings are a sure sign of a reputable manufacturer. One thing to look out for is the manufacturer’s name on the cable; rather than being for vanity or free advertising, this allows the cable to be traced back to the manufacturer should something go wrong. Almost all counterfeit cables will negate this detail. To learn more about how we manufacture cables in a trustworthy manner, get in touch.