You may have heard about Mil Spec. Are you aware of it? Most people talk about selling something Mil-Spec. Are they selling or talking about Mil-Spec? What does it mean? Let us delve into the meaning of Mil-Spec by explaining a few important aspects.
Recently, the aftermarket automotive industry began using a new term when marketing wiring harnesses, electrical components, and sensors. It would make consumers believe that regular automotive products have been Mil-Spec, as they have been marketed and sold in that way.
Understanding Mil-Spec
Before getting into the different aspects of Mil-Spec, let us go through the term itself and the definition. The US military has been using standardization in everything it does. Having standardized things enables reliability, commonality, ensuring products meet specific requirements, compatibility between systems, and overall operational capacity in defense-related objectives. A benefit that general consumers could take advantage of would be the pricing on those parts.
When a connector has been Mil-Spec, the US Government would own the rights to the design. It would enable other companies to compete in the market for making and selling those parts to the US DoD along with its contractors.
How Mil-Spec support motorsport activities
You may wonder how Mil-Spec wiring would support motorsport activities. Presently, electronic systems of motorsport vehicles have been deemed as important as the engines. They tend to keep the driver safe, provide speed and agility, and assist the vehicle to adapt to various driving conditions. Therefore, it would be important for the wiring to be precise for design, qualitative materials, and durable manufacturing process. Mil-Spec wires would offer immense assistance when designing and manufacturing wiring for sporting vehicles.
Wiring engineers look at specific aspects that would hamper the overall performance of racing vehicles. You would find a suitable solution for all of them.
- Weight
In racing, heavyweight has been the biggest enemy of the car. The weight of the car would be determinant for aspects such as speed and maneuverability. A compact and light-speed design assists in reducing the weight of the vehicle. It would enable the driver to quickly increase and maintain speed. It would also enable improved maneuverability.
Racing vehicle manufacturers would utilize a wide variety of Mil-Spec products for saving space and weight. A few examples would be inclusive of small size, circular connectors for cramped spaces, and concentric twisting for compact wiring flexibility and bundles.
- Adhesives
While adhesives have been important when using specific plastic components, they could also act as deterrence, as they easily stick to wires and hamper the function of connectors. As a result, the adhesive creates problems for engineers during remodeling and repairs.
- Performance
The overall performance of a motorsport vehicle could be improved immensely by utilizing specific Mil-Spec components. A few essential examples would be inclusive of protective glue shrunk boots, service loops for strain reduction, and shrink tubing and tube labels.
The use of Mil-Spec elements would help racing cars become relatively lightweight, safe, quick, and more efficient. Therefore, Mil-Spec wiring has become a great solution for enhancing automotive motorsport technology.
