FAKRA Cable Assembly for Robotics

A FAKRA cable assembly is a keyed 50 ohm RF coax assembly that connects robot antenna, GNSS, LTE/5G, telematics, safety-radar, and camera-radio modules without leaving connector choice to the final build technician. Procurement teams usually reach this page during RFQ because three suppliers can quote the same drawing with different cable grades, color codes, exit angles, shield terminations, and test assumptions. Those differences do not show up in unit price alone; they show up later as weak wireless range, intermittent localization, or a harness that cannot be routed through the robot chassis.

In a 2025 Croatian robotics program, the buyer needed custom cable assemblies built around 5 premium connector brands (JST, TE, MOLEX, ANDERSON, SUMITOMO) while keeping ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, and IPC/WHMA-A-620 expectations visible in the RFQ. That is the supplier-side situation we see with FAKRA as well: the RF lead is small, but it touches connector sourcing, crimp tooling, shield handling, test records, and revision control. We qualified the manufacturing route, secured 1 initial production order, and kept the cable build aligned with the robotics quality file instead of treating it as a catalog jumper.

A 50 ohm coax is a controlled-impedance cable that keeps RF energy predictable from the module to the antenna. A 360° shield termination is a termination method that carries the braid or foil shield into the connector body so EMI does not leak at the most fragile point. FAKRA coding is a mechanical key and color system that prevents the wrong antenna or radio lead from being mated during robot assembly. These definitions matter because a robot buyer may be sourcing RF, power, Ethernet, and sensor branches in the same package, and the RF branch cannot be accepted with only a continuity test when the application depends on GNSS, 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi, UWB, or radar performance.

Our engineering review covers FAKRA code, connector gender, cable family, frequency band, attenuation budget, bend radius, installed route, strain relief, panel pass-throughs, and whether the cable sits in a fixed cabinet, moving mast, drag chain, or serviceable robot module. We build straight, right-angle, pigtail, bulkhead, and overmolded options using RG174, RG316, low-loss micro coax, and robotic jacket constructions. Workmanship is planned against IPC-A-620, wire-material expectations are checked against UL-758 where relevant, and IATF 16949-style traceability can be used when mobility or automotive robotics buyers need lot history.

For RFQ, send the drawing, BOM, FAKRA code, mating connector, target frequency band, installed length, minimum bend radius, routing photos or CAD screenshot, sample quantity, annual forecast, and required reports. We return DFM notes, open risk items, unit pricing by quantity, sample timing, production lead time, and the test package. Prototype samples are typically 7-10 business days after drawing and connector availability are cleared; production normally runs 3-5 weeks after sample approval.