Month: November 2013

Fiber Resistant LS0H Cables

With the increased demand for safety in public areas and buildings, contractors are now being advised to install materials thar are zero halogen cables to peoples in case of fire. It is now understood that smoke and poisonous fumes can be a greater risk to lives than that of fire alone.

What is Resistance to Fire?
Resistance to fire is the property of a material of assembly to withstand fire or give protection from it and it is measured as the time a product can mantain a level of functionality during a fire.

Fire resistance may be built-in both structurally and by the correct choice and application of building materials. The resistance-to-fire (of a cable) is the term used to describe how long a cable continues to operate in a fire. This may be of primary concern, for instance, in life safety of fire fighting installations.Cable resistance to fiber concerns: the ability of a cable to maintain functionality during fire; the duration of survival in working condition.

To be assured you are buying a cable that will offer security during fire, it must pass 3 tests pertaining to halogen content, low smoke density and flame propagation. The resistance-to-fire performance of cable is indicated in term of survival time which are 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes of operation in a standardized fire condition at European Level and equipment international (IEC). Local standards and customers specs include their own requirements witch are achieved as well by FiberStore local or tailor-made products.

Fiber-retartant, low smoke halogen free cable (LSZH) and wire has been commercially available fro shipboard applications since the 1970S, offshore marine platforms, rapid transit and similar applications where people are present in confined areas. When worked with other fiber prevention and suppression practices, fire-retardant LSZH cables can help minimize fire-rated deaths and property damage. However, gases produced by all burning materials – whether LSZH or not – are extremely toxic.

Advantages and Disadvantages of LS0H cables

Pro: LSZH wire and cable produces less smoke when burned, which permits people to exit a burning building more quickly and results in less damage.

Con: Because LSZH is more susceptible to jacket cracking caused by pulling lubricants or cable bending, special lubricants has been developed to minimize cable damage during installation.

Pro: Because LSZH releases little or no halogen gas when burned, it reduced the damages to the human respiratory system if inhaled and contributes to less corrosion damage to equipment near the fire.

Cons: LSZH jacket compounds usually have very high filler content to provide the required flame and smoke performance. As a result, most have poorer mechanical, chemical resistance, water absorption and electrical properties than non-LSZH compounds.

Pro: LSZH jackets have a lower coefficient of friction than some non-LSZH jackets, which can make installatin easier.

Cons: The current generation of LSZH cables has not yet established a proven history of long-term performance.

Construction Design And Jacket Materials Of A Cable

Fiber optics has high bandwidth and can transmit data over longer distances. Turn to buy fiber optic cable, you may confused as  there are so many types of cables and it’s difficult to  figure them out. An optical fiber cable consists of a center glass core surrounded by several layers of protective material. The outer insulating jacket is to prevent interference. The construction design and choices of materials are vital in determining characteristics of a cable. The design factors for some types of fiber optic cables are listed below.

Indoor cables– Fire safety is the number one factor in selecting indoor cables, particularly those that run through plenum spaces. Indoor cables must pass the flame-retardant and smoke-inhibitor ratings specified by NEC.

Outdoor cables– Moisture resistance and temperature tolerance are the major factors when choosing materials for outdoor environment cables, like waterproof cables and outdoor cables do. They also need to be ultraviolet (UV) resistant.

Aerial/Self-Supporting Cables– Aerial cables must endure extreme temperature ranges from sunlight heat to freezing snow. They also must survive high wind loading.

Cable Jacket Materials

Polyethylene (PE). PE (black color) is the standard jacket material for outdoor fiber optic cables. PE has excellent moisture – and weather-resistance properties. It has very stable dielectric properties over a wide temperature range. It is also abrasion-resistant.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). PVC is the most common material for indoor cables, however it can also be used for outdoor cables. It is flexible and fire-retardant. PVC is more expensive than PE.

Polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF). PVDF is used for plenum cables because it has better fire-retardant properties than PE and produces little smoke.

Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) plastics. LSZH plastics are used for a special kind of cable called LSZH cables. They produce little smoke and no toxic halogen compounds. But they are the most expensive jacket material.

Typical fiber cables are made from silica glass, which causes refractions that delay the signal. The standard line is that fiber optic networks transfer data at the speed of light. But in reality, light travels about 31 percent slower through fiber optical cables than it does through a vacuum. But that’s changing, researchers at University of Southampton in England have found a way to build cables that work at 99.7 percent of the speed of light in a vacuum. The researchers’ solution — is a hollow cable with special walls to prevent refraction. They call it an “ultra-thin photonic-bandgap rim”.

Several recent breakthroughs in fiber optics research. For example, scientists at AT&T Labs-Research announced a new record in speed/distance through standard bulk fiber optic cable. And a DARPA-backed team at IBM has found a way to cut the energy use of short-distance fiber optics for supercomputing while doubling the speed.

FiberStore Military Grad Fiber Patch Cable Introduction

Several new lines of military tactical rated optical fiber patch cable assemblies has recently introduced by FiberStore Inc. The new military grade fiber patch cable includes single mode, multimode OM2 and OM3 and in three versions LC, SC, or ruggedized ST connectors. The new lines include stock lengths from 1 to 10 meters. FiberStore online custom cable configurator can new be used to create custom lengths with no minimum order quantities to be built-in a little as two days.

Military Grade Fiber cable are built with specialized military tactical fiber cable that features impact and crush resistance characteristics which comply with miliary requirements. Additionally, these robust assemblies are rated for operating temperatures of -40o to +75o Celsius. Three versions are available including Duplex ST, SC and LC types in any cut lengths. These assemblies are excellent for use in military vehicles and in field deployed communications equipment.

FiberStore military tactical fiber optic cable is built for the abuse of battlefield utilization. It has an outdoor-rated polyurethane jacket that resists UV radiation, cuts, abrasions and chemicals. The cable are impact resistant (meeting TIA/EIA-455-25 military specifications), crush resistant (meeting TIA/EIA-455-41 military specifications), and they support a max tensile load of 1000 Newtons (N) with a minimum bend radius (MBR) or 5.0 cm for installation.

Characteristics:
Used to connect communications equipment that utilize ST, SC or LC OM1 62.5/125 Multimode fiber interfaces
Cable meets Military requirements for crush and impact resistance & rugged Polyurethane jacket protects against cuts, abrasions and chemicals
Impact Resistance: EIA/TIA-455-25, (Military Req.) Crush Resistance: EIA/TIA-455-41, (Military Req.)
Multiple off the shelf lengths provide design flexibility and FiberStore’ Custom Cable Configurator can be create your own lengths and /or connector combinations
The connector are stainless steel bodies which resist rust and corrosion

Applications
Military networks
Industrial Ethernet
Harsh environment applications
Combat vehicles

About FiberStore
FiberStore is a one of the main fibre optic cable manufacturers of broad range of fiber optic and copper data communication cabling and connectivity solutions primarily for the enterprise market, offering an integrated suite of high quality, warranted products which operate as a system solutions for seamless integrate with other providers’ offerings. FiberStore products include fiber optic and copper cabling, fiber optic and copper connectors, specialty fiber optic and copper connectors, fiber optic and copper patch cords, LSZH cables, pre-terminated fiber optic and copper cable assemblies, racks, cabinets, datacom enclosures, fiber optic and copper patch panels, faceplates, fiber optic accessories and other cable and connectivity management accessories. FiberStore products are designed to meet the most demanding needs of end-users, delivering a high degree of reliability and outstanding performance characteristics.

Bulk Fiber Optic Cabling System

Fiber optic cables are designed for long distance and high bandwidth (Gigabit speed) network communications. Bulk fiber optic cables carry communication signals using pulses of light. While relative expensive, these cables are increasingly being used instead of traditional copper cables, because fiber offers more capacity and is less susceptible to electrical interference. So-called Fiber to the Home (FTTH) installations are becoming more common as a way to bring ultra high speed Internet service (100 Mbps and higher) to residences.

Copper cabling uses electricity to transmit signals from one end to another, bulk fiber optic cable uses light pulses to accomplish the same purpose. The fiber optic cable is made of a transparent glass core surrounded by a mirror like covering called cladding. Light passes through the fiber optic cable, bouncing off the cladding until it reaches the other end of the fiber channel – this is called total internal reflection. As fiber-optics are based entirely on beams of light, they are less susceptible to noise and interference than than other data-transfer mediums such as copper wires or telephone lines. In today’s high speed networks, Graded Index Multimode fiber or Step Index Single mode fiber cable is used to improve light transmission over long distances. Multimode fiber optic cable has a larger core like large core fiber and is typically used in short runs within buildings. Single mode fiber optic cable has a smaller core and is used in long distance runs typically outside between buildings.

While fiber optic cables have so many advantages and widely used in today’s communication. You should take in mind that fiber optic cables are fragile. Fiber cable can be pulled with much greater force than copper wire if you pull it correctly. Just remember following rules:

Do not pull on the fibers. The fiber optic cable manufacturers give you the perfect solution to pulling the cables, they install special strength members, usually Kevlar cutter or a fiberglass rod to pull on. Use it! Any other method may put stress on the fibers and harm them. Most cables cannot be pulled by the jacket. Do not pull on the jacket unless it is specifically approved by the cable manufacturers and you use an approved cable grip.

Do not exceed the maximum pulling load rating. On long runs, use proper lubricants and make sure they are compatible with the cable jacket. On really long runs, pull from the middle out to both ends. If possible, use an automated puller with tension control or at least a breakaway pulling eye.

Do not exceed the cable bend radius. Fiber is stronger than steel when you pull it straight, but it breaks easily when bent too tightly. These will harm the fibers, maybe immediately, maybe not for a few years, but you will harm them and the cable must be removed and thrown away!

Do not twist the cable. Putting a twist in the cable can stress the fibers too. Always roll the cable off the spool instead of spinning it off the spool end. This will put a twist in the cable for every turn on the spool! And always use a swivel pulling eye because pulling tension will cause twisting forces on the cable.

Check the length. Make sure the cable is long enough for the run. It’s not easly or cheap to splice fiber and it needs special protection. Try to make it in one pull, possible up to about 2-3 miles.

FiberStore Fiber Optic Pigtails

Optical fiber pigtails are recommended for sometimes required when there is a need to make a transition from thin buffered fibers (250-900 um), typical for distribution cables and not suitable for direct optical fiber connector termination, to cross-connection or equipment connection points. Pigtail fiber optic cable mechanically for fusion connected to the distribution cable fibers simplify cabling system installation and servicing significantly.

FiberStore pigtails are manufactured to meet TIA, IEC and Telcordia standard requirements. FiberStore pigtails based on 900-um buffered white cable are available in multimode 62.5 um OM1 and 50um OM2, OMC3, OM4 and singlemode, simples and multistrand, ST, SC, FC and LC versions.

Single-mode and multimode fiber optic pigtails shall be available in 3-meter lengths, made of OFNR fiber optic cable, and be compliant with TIA-568-C.3 Single-mode pigtails shall come in ST, SC, and LC connector styles, and offer UPC and APC polish types. Insertion loss shall average.3dB, but not exceed .5dB at 1310 nm and 1550 mm per mated pair. Multimode pigtails shall come in ST, SC, and LC connector styles, and offer 50 um (10G, 300 m) lazer optimized, 62.2 um core styles. Insertion loss shall average . 3dB, but not exceed .5dB at 1300 nm per mated pair.

Fiber optic patch cords include duplex LC, SC, ST, and duplex MT-RJ connectors on both ends. Fiber optic pigtails include simples LC, SC and ST on one end and open (unterminated) on the other end. Patch cords and pigtails meet requirements of TIA/EIA-568-C.3. 1. The fiber connectors are FOCIS compliant or compatible and meet the requirements of TIA/EIA-455-21A.

FiberStore fiber optic patch cords and pigtails support high speed data applications over installations that include entrance facilities, carrier equipment, telecommunications, patch field and CATV. The APC patch cords pass all TIA/EIA-5868-B.3 and ISO/IEC 11801 OS1 performance requirements and offer optimum performance compared to standard single-mode patch cords. The APC connectors provide a lower insertion loss and a higher return loss than standard UTP singlemode connectors. The pigtail fiber optic cable include LC, SC, MTRJ, ST pigtail and more in standard meter lengths.