Wires, wires, wires. Everywhere we go in this modern world they are there. They are the overgrowing vines of the urban jungle. They are the arteries delivering binary bursts of data and news to the pumping heart of the digital revolution. They are also very, very annoying. Or, at least, they can be. We trip over them. We get them tangled. When setting up a desktop computer or television set, many of us just end up shoving them down the back of the desk in an untidy mess; mortgaging our futures and trying not to think of when we%u2019ll have to repay it by fighting through those wires the next time we want to plug in a printer or change monitors. Bespoke cable assemblies (also known as cable harnesses, wire harnesses or wiring looms) help us tidy up this clutter.

Cable assemblies, for those unfamiliar, are manufactured by binding together a number of wires and cables with clamps, cables ties or conduits. This allows multiple wires to be laid along the same path at the same time. Nowadays, they are commonly used in all sorts of context. They are often to be found in cars and automobiles, where a large number of wires have been fitted into a relatively small space. They are also used in computer rooms and server stacks, where there isn%u2019t necessarily such a shortage of space, but where the sheer quantity of cables and wires about the place means that grouping together those performing related tasks can make organising the whole mess a lot easier.

Cable assemblies offer a whole heap of advantages over simply laying loose wires. We%u2019ve already discussed the space saving and organisational opportunities, but there are also other benefits. Binding cables together offers increased resilience. They are better secured against such adversities as vibrations and abrasions; the combined strength of the bound cables gives them a shared strength akin to corded string. Cable assemblies also allow the cables to be easily bound up and away from potential areas of moisture or heat which might damage them: this can of course be done with single wires as well, but a cable assembly makes the job a lot quicker.

As the cables cannot flex so freely, the insulating sleeve about each one is less likely to become torn or to perish. This reduces the risk of shorts - because bare wires are less likely to be exposed to each other - and thus of resulting dangers, such as power outages and electrical fires. Cable assemblies can also be fitted inside a single insulating sleeve, further reducing the risk of power shorts and (if the sleeve is flame retardant) of electrical fires.

There are also a number of safety benefits in using cable assemblies. Wires and cables are a notorious trip hazard; a cable assembly binds several wires together, meaning there is now only one obstacle where there were once six or seven, and one which can be easily secured or tidied away. In busy offices, classrooms or IT rooms, it also allows for the quick and simple routing of power cables to one power outlet.

Labour costs can also be reduced through the use of cable assemblies. If an electrician has only to fit one bundle rather than six individual cables, installation time and any future repairs are instantly decreased. It also means jobs requiring an electrician can be easily standardised.

Wires may be a necessary part of our digital world, but they don%u2019t have to be a problem. Cable assemblies are more aesthetically pleasing, practical and safe. Bind your wires and tame the urban jungle.