What determines cable lead time?

Material availability, process queue and test capacity — not the number of days written on a website.

Answer: three things drive lead time — material availability, process queue and test capacity.

  • Material — copper, connector shells, E-Marker ICs and jacket compound have their own lead times; a shortage in any one stops the line.
  • Process queue — extrusion, braiding and injection are shared resources; your order waits behind others.
  • Test capacity — 100% high-frequency testing is a bottleneck in a way continuity testing is not.

Ask for the lead time broken down by these three, and ask which one is currently the constraint.

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Frequently asked questions

What drives cable lead time?

Material availability, process queue and test capacity — ask which one is currently the constraint.