Category: Fiber Transceivers

Optical transceivers, Active Optic Cables, data center switches, and cable management in data centers.

WHEN WAS FIBER OPTIC CABLE INVENTED?

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There are many people who believe fiber optics are the future of communication in this country. And for good reason. Fiber optic cables are currently being used to send voice messages, images, videos, and more at the speed of light. The fiber rods are made of glass or plastic and have the capability of sending data quicker and more effectively than the old metal wires that have been used to do the same thing for many years now. But when and where were fiber optics first invented?
THE HISTORY OF FIBER OPTIC CABLES
The history of fiber optic cables actually dates back to the mid-1800s. While the cables themselves weren’t invented back then, the technology behind them was first researched when scientists and inventors like John Tyndall, Alexander Graham Bell, and William Wheeler started toying around with the idea of using the speed of light to transmit information. Over the next 100 years or so, other researchers continued to push forward with the idea of using light to send data before a group of Corning Glass researchers, including Robert Maurer, Donald Keck, and Peter Schultz, first invented fiber optic wires—then called “Optical Waveguide Fibers”—that could carry about 65,000 times more data than copper wires. It was a huge development.
The U.S. government was one of the first big organizations to start using fiber optic cables when they utilized them to link a network of computers together in the NORAD headquarters in Colorado in 1975. Two years later, the first telephone communication system using fiber optic cables was created in Chicago. And fiber optics grew from there. By the end of the 1990s, about 80 percent of the globe’s long-distance data traffic was transmitted through fiber optic cables, according to ThoughtCo. And the fiber optics craze continues today with many companies using it to transmit data quickly both within their own walls and out in the world.

THE PROCESS OF FIBER OPTIC SPLICING

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If and when fiber optic cables get accidentally severed, they can be joined together again using one of two methods. There’s “termination” and there’s “splicing.” Fiber optic splicing is the preferred method for joining two different types of cable together or when cable runs are considered too long for just a single length of fiber.
MECHANICAL VERSUS FUSION SPLICING
Speaking of splicing, there are two types: mechanical and fusion. When mechanical splicing is performed, simple alignment devices are used. These hold two fiber ends in such a position that light can pass from one fiber into the other. Fusion splicing, on the other hand, involves a machine that aligns fiber ends while welding them together using heat or electric. Fusion splices result in lower loss light transmissions than mechanical splices do. Cost-wise, mechanical may be a lower investment initially, but then costs per splice are expensive, whereas fusion’s the opposite: a higher investment initially followed by a lower cost per splice.
Depending on the industry, mechanical or fusion splicing both work well. Many telecom/cable companies go with fusion splicing for long haul singlemode networks and then use mechanical splicing for shorter cable runs.
For proper fusion splicing, first the fiber is prepared by removing its protective coatings, jackets, etc. Once it’s just clean, bare fiber showing, it’s time to cleave that fiber in a mirror-smooth manner, perpendicular as possible. Ideally, the cleave angle is at .5 degree or less. Next, to fuse the fiber, alignment occurs followed by using a heat/electrical arc to then melt the fibers, welding them together as intended. Finally, the fiber needs protection from bending and tensile forces, so heat shrink tubing is added, and/or silicone gel/mechanical crimping protectors.
Regarding mechanical splicing, fibers aren’t held together via a permanent bond. Instead, they get aligned at a centerline whereas light can pass through from one to another thanks to a self-contained assembly that links the two pieces of fiber together. Like fusion splicing, the fiber needs to be prepared and cleaved, but then instead of heat, the index matching gel inside the mechanical splice unit ends up helping to couple the fiber together. Finally, the fiber needs protection, and the completed mechanical splice ends up providing it.
Should you ever perform the act of fiber optic splicing, remember that cleanliness is of utmost importance.

COMMON USES FOR FIBER OPTIC CABLES

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Fiber optic cables have been around for years now, but over the last decade or two, companies have come up with all sorts of ways to put them to good use. Fiber optic cables contain a few thousand optical fibers inside of them, and they are used to transmit data by utilizing light. They have changed the way that information is sent all over the world, and in the coming years, they are going to be used even more than they already are today. Let’s take a look at some of the most common uses for fibers optic cables.
INTERNET
Because fiber optic cables are able to take incredibly large amounts of data and move them quickly, they are primarily used by those who use the internet. Data used to be moved around through the use of copper wires, but those wires weren’t equipped to move the data as quickly as fiber optic cables can do it. So there are more and more places that are turning to fiber optic cables for their internet needs.
TELEPHONE
People from all over the globe have always been able to keep in touch by using the telephone, but they’ve never been able to do it as easily as they can do it today through the use of fiber optic cables. You can connect with anyone in the world faster when you rely on fiber optic cables, and you can have an entire conversation with someone without experiencing any lag or disruptions.
AUTOMOBILES
While most people think that fiber optic cables are only used for communications, there are lots of other practical uses for it as well. Those in the automotive industry rely on fiber optic cables when installing lighting and safety features in many of today’s cars. Fiber optics can provide excellent lighting without taking up much space, and they can also transmit information within the various systems located in vehicles quickly and effortlessly. It’s why so many car companies are starting to find interesting new ways to use fiber optic cables.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEANING FIBER OPTIC CABLES

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Fiber optic cables are becoming more and more important in our daily lives. They’re used to transmit large amounts of information very quickly, and we rely on them to maintain strong phone, cable, and internet connections. In addition, there are plenty of other practical applications for fiber optic cables, as they’ve found a home in the medical and dental industries and have even been worked into many vehicles and lighting systems.
If you use fiber optic cables regularly, you should take the time to clean them so they don’t slow down on you. If a small amount of oil from your hands or dust is able to make its way into your fiber optic cables, it could send your entire system crashing down. Something as small as a dust particle could potentially stop the light inside the cables from getting where it needs to go. That in turn could slow down the transmission of data and reduce the benefits of using fiber optic cables in the first place.
You can use a dry or wet cleaning approach to cleaning your fiber optic cables, though you should avoid using wet cleaning when it comes to bulkheads and receptacles. Dry cleaning should also be the first course of action you take when cleaning fiber optic cables. You want to use a swab to gently clean your fiber optic cable connections so that data is able to pass freely through the cables and arrive at its final destination. You should never scrub connections or get too rough with them since that could cause damage. You also want to shy away from touching connectors with your bare hands since that could defeat the purpose of cleaning them in the first place.
While cleaning fiber optic cables is important, it’s also important to leave the tough fiber optic jobs to the professionals. If you don’t understand how to clean your cables or you need other services completed, please contact us at sales@fiber-mart.com to schedule service. We can keep your fiber optic cables clean and allow you to maintain strong connections with them at all times.

WHY FIBER OPTIC CABLING NETWORKS ARE A GOOD INVESTMENT

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Keeping up with technology is tough to do these days. New technology products drop, and by the time people understand how to use them, there are already newer products released to take their place. It’s why investing in technology is usually not a great idea. Nevertheless, despite this, fiber optic cabling networks are proving to be a solid investment. Here are some reasons for it.
FIBER OPTIC CABLES ARE DURABLE.
The first thing that makes a fiber optic cabling network such a good investment is its durability. When you install fiber optic cables properly, they shouldn’t have to be replaced for decades. They will be able to withstand almost any conditions, and if a problem does pop up, it’s usually simple enough to replace a portion of fiber optic cabling rather than ripping out the entire network.
THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND FIBER OPTIC CABLES ISN’T CHANGING MUCH.
While just about all technology is changing and evolving more rapidly than ever before right now, fiber optic cables are more or less staying the same. It’s the equipment that uses the fiber optic cables that is changing instead. That means that you can make a fiber optic cabling network faster and more efficient by introducing new equipment into it rather than replacing the network itself.
INSTALLING FIBER OPTIC CABLING ISN’T EXPENSIVE.
One of the best parts about installing fiber optic cables is that they won’t cost you very much money at all. While fiber optic cables used to command a hefty price, that price has gone down over the last decade and made it more affordable than ever to go with fiber optic cables. When you couple that with all the other benefits of using a fiber optic cabling network, installing this kind of cabling is really a no-brainer.

WHICH MATERIALS ARE COMMONLY FOUND IN FIBER OPTIC CABLES?

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There is a wide assortment of applications for fiber optic cables, which is why they’re popping up in more and more places today. You will find fiber optic cables in telecommunications networks, in hospitals, in cars, and even in certain types of outdoor lighting. But do you know what fiber optic cables are actually made from? Here are some of the materials commonly found in fiber optic cables.
POLYVINYL CHLORIDE, BETTER KNOWN AS PVC
PVC can be found in fiber optic cables that are used both inside and outside. It features flame retardant properties and is resistant to many different environmental factors. It’s not quite as flexible as polyethylene, or PE, but you will still find it in many fiber optic cables despite this.
POLYETHYLENE, BETTER KNOWN AS PE
PE is one of the most popular cable jacket materials used in those fiber optic cables found outdoors. It’s resistant to both moisture and weather and is also known to be a great insulator. It can become very stiff when it gets cold outside, but PE is more flexible than PVC in most instances. You can make PE flame retardant by treating it with special chemicals.
FLUOROPOLYMERS
Typically found in fiber optic cables that are used for indoor applications, fluoropolymers are flame resistant and include low smoke properties. They also make fiber optic cables very flexible.
STEEL ARMOR
When fiber optic cables are buried deep underground for outdoor applications, they need to be protected. Steel armor provides them with all the protection they need. It can offer them crush resistance and prevent rodents from doing damage to the cables. Cables that include steel armor do need to be grounded properly, but there are advantages that make it worth the effort on the part of a fiber optic cable installer.
ARAMID YARN
You will often find aramid yarn inside of the cable jacket of fiber optic cables. It surrounds the fibers inside of the cables and protects them. It’s one of the things that makes fiber optic cables so durable and long-lasting.