Formboard
A formboard layout generated from the harness drawing
Harnessora generates a formboard layout from the harness drawing for harness assembly and wire routing. The board shows where each connector sits and where each wire runs, so assemblers build the harness at full size instead of working from a small print.
What the formboard is
A formboard is the full-size work surface for harness assembly. Connector positions, breakout points, and wire paths are laid out on it, and the assembler routes real wire along the drawn paths.
Because the formboard comes from the same drawing as the BOM, cut list, and work instructions, the positions and paths the assembler follows are the ones the engineer drew — not a hand-redrawn interpretation of them.
How it comes from the drawing
The engineer draws the harness once. The formboard layout Harnessora generates reflects the connector positions, branch points, and wire runs from that drawing. The wire cut list for preparation and the work instructions for assembly come from the same source, so all three documents describe the same harness.
Who uses it
Assembly operator
Works at the board: places connectors at their drawn positions, routes wires along drawn paths, and terminates each wire at the drawn endpoint.
Production manager
Uses the formboard to organize assembly work and to keep the shop building to the drawing the customer approved.
Illustrative example: positions from the drawing
The illustrative example harness HAR-EX-101 (drawing rev B) has four connectors. On the formboard, each connector sits at its drawn position:
Formboard layout — HAR-EX-101, drawing rev B
Illustrative example. Positions are example values, not manufacturing guidance.
| Connector | Drawn position on the board |
|---|---|
| J1 | Sits at the position drawn for it — rectangular connector, 12-position, 6 of 12 positions occupied |
| J2 | Sits at the position drawn for it — rectangular connector, 8-position, 5 of 8 positions occupied |
| J3 | Sits at the position drawn for it — rectangular connector, 6-position, 3 of 6 positions occupied |
| J4 | Sits at the position drawn for it — rectangular connector, 4-position, 2 of 4 positions occupied |
What the formboard is and is not
The formboard is the assembly layout: it tells the operator where each connector sits and where each wire routes on the board. It works alongside inspection of the finished harness; the formboard supports assembly, it does not by itself confirm the built harness is correct.
Next page
The formboard works together with the wire cut list and the digital operator work instructions — all three come from the same drawing. See the complete Draw → Generate → Instant Quote → Prepare → Build & Route workflow or request a demo.
See Harnessora generate every output from one drawing
Request a demo and watch a single harness drawing produce the digital work instructions, the instant quote, the BOM, the formboard, and the wire cut list.