In emergency medicine, the first 60 minutes after an emergency occurs are referred to as the “golden hour.” This is the time window when there is the greatest chance of saving patients’ lives or preventing serious long-term consequences. Speed is of the essence here: the faster, the better. In many countries, such as the US and the UK, there is therefore a maximum response time of just seven to eight minutes within which an ambulance must arrive at the scene of an emergency. In Germany, this time limit is ten to twelve minutes.
However, emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances do much more than just transport people quickly to the scene of an accident: they are mobile care units whose technical systems must function flawlessly at all times—a failure during an emergency call can have life-threatening consequences. Electronics in particular perform central functions, from powering medical devices and controlling warning systems to transmitting data.
This requires robust connectivity solutions in emergency vehicles that are flexible, space-saving, and absolutely fail-safe. To ensure maximum reliability and quality, European vehicle manufacturers such as a Finnish company specializing in fire trucks and a Polish manufacturer of highly specialized ambulances rely on customized system solutions from LAPP. The collaboration offers technical safety and economic advantages through shorter installation times, reduced susceptibility to errors, and faster integration into existing processes. “In vehicle construction, coordinated systems are essential. We not only supply individual components, but also complete, ready-to-connect solutions that integrate seamlessly into series production,” emphasizes Erik Karlsson, Head of Sales Harnessing Solutions, Nordic Cluster.
Ambulances with complex, safety-relevant components
A glance at the cabling shows how much technical precision goes into every vehicle: if you were to line up the individual wires of a cable harness in an average car, they would stretch for over seven kilometers. In ambulances and fire trucks, there are additional safety and rescue-related electrical components that require even more cables for power and data. This makes the planning, manufacturing, and testing of such emergency vehicles and their electrical equipment a complex task that requires specialized partners with the necessary technical expertise.
A manufacturer of firefighting and rescue vehicles in Finland therefore turned to LAPP with its requirements: They needed high-quality, reliable cable harnesses for the signal and power supply of its vehicles that meet the company’s critical safety standards. LAPP, the global market leader for integrated solutions and branded products in the field of cable and connection technology, took on the development and manufacture of the customized harnessing solutions as well as the fully automated final testing. The systems supplied are pre-assembled for series production and can therefore be integrated into existing systems without further processing.
All-inclusive package: LAPP Harnessing Solutions
However, LAPP Harnessing Solutions offers its users more than just components. LAPP’s experts are available to advise customers from the start of the project and provide support in requirements analysis, planning, and design, as well as in process optimization, quality assurance, and the implementation of automated tests. This means that companies receive complete solutions that are optimally tailored to their application and offer the quality and reliability that LAPP is known for in continuous use.
This is also the opinion of a Polish manufacturer of highly specialized ambulances, which also sources its cable assemblies from LAPP. LAPP supplied single and multi-core cable harnesses with up to 700 connectors and switch boxes for around 360 vehicles. These electrical systems meet the highest technological and ergonomic standards. In addition to technical expertise, LAPP’s flexibility in providing technical advice throughout the project from start to finish was also a decisive factor in the collaboration. Despite a tight schedule for the production of the ambulances, LAPP was able to deliver just-in-time and respond flexibly to requests thanks to its fast processing of the order and local production capacities.
Erik Karlsson comments: “With our LAPP Harnessing Solutions, we offer our regional and international customers real added value. We provide them with a complete connection technology solution, featuring high-quality components from LAPP and comprehensive quality testing. Our customers can focus fully on their core competencies, safe in the knowledge that the connection solution will work reliably.”
Secure partnerships for the future
What both projects have in common are high standards of quality, safety, and availability, as well as trust in a cooperative partnership. The next steps are already planned for both customers. These range from integrated assemblies and rapid prototype development to long-term series production. With LAPP’s all-inclusive package, the companies can concentrate on what matters most: building vehicles that save lives. “We are delighted to be able to support our customers in the field of emergency vehicles, thereby ensuring safe and reliable emergency services,” says Saku Mitrunen, Key Account Manager at LAPP Finland.