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DIN 72036 - Road vehicles - Automation of wire harness production

A standard is not a mere formality - it is a lever for real change. It creates the basis for consistent processes, structured data and automation that is not only technically possible but also economically viable. Without common standards, wire harness production remains fragmented: Everyone works with their own formats, individual interfaces and manual transfers. The result: high costs, low scalability, stagnating innovation. DIN 72036 is the way out of this dilemma. It brings structure to data flows, comparability to product development and connectivity for systems along the entire value chain.

The standard arises from practice - for practice

DIN 72036 is being developed by the DIN working group AK 51. It is based on the content and results of the Wire Harness Standardization Initiative (SILS), in which OEMs, assemblers, contact part manufacturers, machine builders, software providers and system houses work together.

The special feature: The standard is not an abstract piece of paper. It grows step by step with practice - along concrete use cases, real requirements and validated design guidelines. It deliberately relies on established data formats such as KBL and VEC, which are already widely used for data exchange between development and production in the automotive industry.

Current status of the standard

• May 29, 2024: Publication of DIN 72036:2024-06 in German language
• November 27, 2024: Publication of the official English version ("Automation of the wiring-harness production")

Both versions are available from DIN Media: https://www.dinmedia.de/de/norm/din-72036/376689255

Version 1 forms the normative basis:

• Basic design guidelines for low-voltage wiring harnesses
• Structured data profiles for components and wiring harnesses
• Initial approaches for evaluation systems (e.g. testability of designs)

What happens next?

Version 2 of DIN 72036 was completed at the end of 2024 and is currently in the public comment phase. Publication of the final version is planned for Q4/2025.

Focus of the V2:

• Extension of the design guidelines (88 rules and recommendations)
• Introduction of the "DDA" - degree of conformity to standards
• First specific content for high-voltage and high-frequency applications
• Updated data profiles, coordinated with the responsible bodies

Version 3 of the standard is already in preparation and is expected to be published in 2027. It focuses on key topics for the future:

• Modularization of wire harnesses
• Digital description of components and processes
• DDA extension for HV and HF
• Integration of production-relevant process data