Introduction
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With the advances in fibre optic technology and transmission systems, reliable cabling systems are becoming even more important. Active optical equipment, which is often worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, is all connected into the network via the humble fibre optic patch cord or patch lead. Sub-standard patch cords will affect the performance and reliability of the network and are often the most common source of failure within a network. The risk of network downtime due to unreliable cabling is one that should be avoided.
Modern systems are exponentially increasing the amounts of data being transmitted, requiring ultra high transportation speeds (i.e. 400Gb/s &#; Tb/s) while also transmitting over long distances (i.e. 100km).
These new generation ultra high speed Terabit per second (Tb/s) DWDM networks transporting data over 100km+, require high performance connectivity capable of handling high input optical power (+27dBm), very low return loss (-55dB) and low insertion connection loss (Avg 0.07dB), in order to operate efficiently and to ensure reliable transmission over long distances.
If the quality of the connectors are not of a high standard, i.e. the end face has small blemishes and specks of dust and is connected to a high power laser (+27dBm) output, the connector and the fibre can be badly burnt, sometimes for up to 1Km down the fibre.
It is imperative that telecom companies upgrade their connector specifications, in order to step up to the long distance, super high data transportation speeds around the country.
Therefore, these types of networks, along with many other Data Centre and high speed Commercial networks require reliable cabling infrastructure in order to maximise performance and to ensure long term reliability.
Warren & Brown Technologies is one of the few global manufacturers who have developed a process of quality manufacturing and inspection to meet the stringent specification of the &#;A&#; Grade optical fibre connectors.
IEC standards dictate the connector performance requirement for each grade of fibre optic patch cord connector. These standards guide end users and manufacturers in ensuring compliance to best practices in optical fibre technology.
The IEC standard has not been ratified, but guidelines have been provided, which refer to the connector performance on the fibre optic patch cord.
According to IEC and IEC -3-34 Attenuation Random Testing Method , &#;C&#; Grade connectors have the following performance characteristics &#;
Attenuation: -0.25dB mean, -0.50dB max, for >97% of samples.
Return Loss: -35dB
According to IEC, &#;B&#; Grade connectors have the following performance characteristics &#;
Attenuation: -0.12dB mean, -0.25dB max, for >97% of samples.
Return Loss: 45dB
&#;A&#; Grade connector performance (which is still yet to be officially ratified by IEC) has the following performance characteristics &#;
Average Insertion loss of 0.07dB (randomly mated IEC Standard -3-34) and a Maximum Insertion Loss of 0.15db max, for >97% of samples. While the return loss using IEC -3-6 Random Mated Method is >55dB (unmated &#; only angled connectors) and >60dB (mated), this performance level is generally available for LC, A/SC, SC and E interfaces. For Warren and Brown (WBT) angled SC and LC connectors the Return Loss is -65dB.
To be able to measure accurately very low Insertion Loss of connectors, test equipment needs to be highly stable and accurate to measure losses <0.1dB.
IEC testing method, defines an estimation of Insertion Loss in respect to concentricity and fibre angular alignment in respect to fibre core and ferrule diameter.
WBT uses highly accurate ferrules, to be able to provide low loss connectors and these are additionally tuned to minimise the Insertion loss, using test equipment to measure concentricity of terminated fibres.
The Insertion Loss correlation between the two testing methods (random mated (using high stability test equipment) and concentricity measurements) is extremely high.
There has not been much spoken about optical fibre patch cords with &#;A&#; Grade connectors in the market and many are unaware that this type of performance is available.
&#;A&#; Grade fibre optic patch cords are identified with the letter &#;A&#; printed on the connector side. The symbol is actually the letter &#;A&#; enclosed within a triangle (&#;A&#;).
This identification marker is proof that you are using a high quality fibre optic patch cord.
Grade A connectivity is also available for Optical fibre through adaptors. The same rule applies for A grade fibre optic Thru Adaptors which also have the letter &#;A&#; clearly marked.
Firstly a high quality &#;A&#; Grade fibre optic patch cord begins with using high quality zirconia ferrules and high quality optical fibre cable. However, the manufacturing and testing process must be first class.
In order to meet the stringent performance criteria of &#;A&#; Grade connectors on patch cords, high quality manufacturing, inspection, testing and Quality Assurance (QA) procedures are required. Without the proper expertise in optical fibre technology, many other manufacturers are unable to meet these requirements.
Quality is all about consistency. A quality process ensures consistency, where every patch cord meets the high standards set. To consistently achieve &#;A&#; Grade performance, high accuracy testing using state of the art test equipment as well as constantly assessing testing methods are all required.
In fact, every fibre optic patch cord manufactured by Warren & brown is individually tested and inspected prior to despatch and the test result of every patch cord is kept on a database.
Analysing and ensuring mechanical end face limits and that parameters are within range, ensures that &#;A&#; Grade connectivity is achieved.
Physical attributes giving rise to good IL, RL:
&#; Radius of curvature: 10 to 25um
&#; Pole offset: <50um
&#; Fibre undercut: <0.05um
&#; Concentricity of ferrule: <0.3um (New)
&#; Concentricity, fibre MFD: <0.8 (IEC) Typical <0.3um
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&#; Surface finish and final polish:
&#; Combined Fibre and ferrule concentricity: 0.3 +0.3=0.6 um max
Therefore, there are many factors and processes that go into manufacturing an optical fibre &#;A&#; Grade patch cord.
One of the important physical attributes is the concentricity. Concentricity of the hole and fibre is very important for a good repeatable result. Concentricity defines how central an object is. When aligning two connectors the cores must match perfectly for good IL and RL. Concentricity error allows area miss match which in turn causes loss of optical power. In order to optimize performance and achieve the desired results the concentricity must be firstly measured and then tuned to perform at the highest level.
Other end face limits that effect performance that are all tested and tuned as required include the fibre undercut, radius of curvature as well the final finish and polish.
The effects of Insertion Loss
One of the key factors that effects the performance of optical fibre networks is insertion loss.
Insertion loss refers to the reduction in optical power across the link caused by applying a connector or splice. Insertion loss measurement, in simple terms, involves first measuring optical power through a length of optical fibre, cutting the fibre, applying connectors and remeasuring. The power transmitted through the optical fibre will be lower because the interconnection causes some loss of optical power.
In addition, when joining or terminating an optical fibre link, fusion splices have generally been regarded as providing the lowest IL, ensuring an accurate and acceptable Optical Loss budget. Fusion splicing is the process of melting or fusing 2 glass fibres together. Fusion splicing permanently joins the optical fibre and losses for Fusion splices can generally range from 0.01dB to 0.08dB.
&#;A&#; Grade connectors offer virtually the same IL performance as a fusion splice, with the added benefit of providing a physical contact which can be connected, disconnected and moved when required.
Therefore, low insertion Connection loss is important for two main reasons:
Testing Methods for Insertion Loss
As highlighted above, it is extremely important to verify the randomly mated performance results of the fibre patch cord due to the unpredictable nature of field installations. As there are many different fibre and ferule types in the field, having a good quality patch cord with excellent randomly mated results will ensure that the patch cord will perform with any other compatible interface.
Importance of Proper Field Use of Patch cords
Cleaning and inspection of the contact surface is very important for good long term performance. In fact, one of the major problems in the field that affects connector performance is lack of cleanliness. Even though patch cords may come direct from the manufacturer fully tested and inspected, poor handling and installation practices may cause the connector face to become compromised with dirt and grime as well as oils from your hands. These are invisible to the naked eye, however they can be seen under a microscope. Proper handling and cleaning procedures must be followed.
Mild hand oil on the connector face. MUST be removed for good long term performance
Conclusion
It is important to fully understand the benefits of using reliable, good quality optic fibre patch cords and connectivity. A reliable and high performing connector ensures link integrity over the long term.
Good quality connectors with low Insertion Loss will meet large bandwidth and high speed requirements of the latest active optical equipment allowing large streams of data to be transmitted reliably over long distances.
Good quality connectivity begins with a world class manufacturing, testing and inspection process. &#;A&#; grade connectors on optical fibre patch cords are an example of the advances in this technology and Warren & Brown Technologies&#; continue to innovate and meet the demand required for high speed networks.
At Warren & Brown we are Driving Networks Further&#;.
Your team spent endless hours designing and engineering a custom cable assembly. You can not afford to use sub-optimal off-the-shelf cable assemblies that may result in additional costs, poor performance, safety issues, equipment damage, recalls and revenue loss, lawsuits, and reputation damage.
Using custom cable assemblies help mitigate these potential downsides. They allow you to improve cost-efficiency, ensure safety, achieve the highest performance level, stay compliant with various regulatory standards (e.g. ISO ), shorten time-to-market, and gain better control over your bottom line.
However, putting together an in-house team and setting up a dedicated facility to design and manufacture custom cable assemblies is not feasible for most companies. Outsourcing manufacturing can help you reap the benefits of custom cable assemblies without the added resource needs and capital expenses.
You can outsource manufacturing for various cable assemblies, such as RF cable assemblies, ethernet cable assemblies, fiber optic cable assemblies, and power cable assemblies. You can also use outsourcing to augment existing in-house manufacturing capabilities and add agility to the production process.
Here are some key advantages of outsourcing to a contract manufacturer:
Outsourcing manufacturing gives you access to skilled labor at a low cost. You do not have to hire and manage a large team so you can reduce administrative overhead. Since you don&#;t need to rent facilities or purchase equipment, there&#;s little to no upfront fixed cost. You only pay for the labor and materials involved in the production process, so it is much easier to control your budget.
Outsourcing manufacturing allows you to scale up or down production or pivot to offering different products with short notice and no additional fixed costs. You can quickly address changes in market demand to improve inventory management, boost revenue, and increase profitability. You can also bring new products to market faster, so you can gain a first-mover advantage and win more market shares.
Most in-house assembly plants do not have the resources to address inefficiencies or the capacity to upgrade processes because they need to accommodate different product design requirements within one facility. An outsource manufacturer has the dedicated resources and specialized capabilities to fine-tune processes and optimize cost-efficiency, so you can get more done in less time and at a lower cost.
A reputable custom cable assemblies manufacturer offers an end-to-end process that ensures design integrity. They also conduct extensive testing and quality assurance to ensure that your products perform at the highest standard. Appropriate compliance can help expedite product launches while minimizing risks, such as revenue loss or reputational damage, associated with recalls and legal issues.
Gearing up a production process for a new product requires a lot of time and resources. Outsourcing manufacturing takes this off your plate so you can bring innovative products to the market much faster. The right outsourcing manufacturing partner can also help you create prototypes, allowing you to test various product ideas without reallocating internal resources.
Finding the right partner is the key to reaping the benefits of outsourcing manufacturing.
Work with a custom cable assemblies manufacturer with a wide range of experience and capabilities relevant to your production needs. They should help you maximize process repeatability and reliability so you can optimize cost-efficiency. Also, look for a partner known for superior product quality and on-time delivery to minimize unpleasant surprises in the production process.
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