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Wire harness production is one of the most labour intensive and costly areas of aircraft production. Reduction in manufacturing cycle times and costs are presently key drivers in all areas of aerospace manufacture. The introduction of ultraviolet (UV) laser wire marking technology has already had a dramatic effect in helping to achieve these goals in the area of harness manufacture. The development of UV laser marking and its application to aerospace electrical harness production is reviewed. The advantages of laser technology in relation to factors such as machine set up times, throughput, print quality, wire handling automation and downstream manufacturing processes are considered. The latest developments are presented, including the direct bar code marking of wires, which for the first time offers reliable access to a full range of manufacturing data via machine readable code.