Fiber optic cable design

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The fiber optic cable provides the fiber(s) inside it with adequate protection for the installation site. When we say “cable” we mean the complete assembly of fibers, reinforcing elements and jacket. Fiber optic cables are of different types, depending on the number of fibers, the mode and the place of installation. Fiber optic cable is important to choose the cable carefully as this will determine the ease with which the cable will be installed, spliced ​​or terminated, the cost of the cable and its field life.

The function of the cable is to protect the fibers from the effects of the environment in the place where they are installed. Outdoors, it depends on whether the cable is directly buried, run in underground conduit, suspended in the air, or even installed underwater. Will the cable get wet or damp? Will it have to withstand a high tensile stress when installed in underground conduits, or a continuous tension when installing it suspended in the air? Will it be exposed to chemicals or will it need to withstand a wide range of temperatures? What happens if it gets chewed up by a squirrel, beaver, or other rodent? Indoors, the cables do not need to be as strong to protect the fibers, but they must meet all fire regulations, ie the jacket must have fire retardant components.

Cable construction

All cables are made up of several layers of protection for the fibers. Initially, most cables have a standard fiber with a 250 micron diameter primary buffer coating and then add: Tight build buffer coating (for tight build cables such as simplex, zipcord duplex , distribution and breakout cables ) A soft, 900 micron OD protective coating that is applied directly over the 250 micron coating to provide additional fiber protection and allow for easier handling and direct termination when applying a connector to the fiber.

Loose Tubes (Loose Structure Cables)

They are thin and small plastic tubes that contain up to twelve fibers, which have a coating of 250 microns; They are used to protect fibers in cables intended for outside plant use. These tubes allow the fibers to be isolated from high tension and may be filled with water-blocking components (gel, tape, or absorbent powder) to prevent moisture ingress.

Reinforcement elements

The reinforcement elements that are usually used are aramid threads, the same ones that are used in bulletproof vests, usually known through the Dupont trademark, Kevlar, which absorb the tension that occurs when applying a traction force on the cable and provide cushioning to the fibers. Aramid fibers are not only used because they are strong, but also because they do not stretch. If they are pulled hard, they will not stretch but may break if the tension exceeds their limits. This ensures that the reinforcing elements do not stretch and relax and thus the fibers are held together within the cable. The proper method of applying a tensile force on Fiber optic cable is always to attach the rope, cable or tape from which the force is applied to the strength members.

Some cables also include a fiberglass center rod that provides added strength and tightens the cable to prevent kinking and damage to the fibers. If provided, the rod must be attached to latching swivels to apply pulling force on the fiber and to clamps at splice closures and patch panels for splicing or termination.
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Cable jacket

It is the outer layer of protection of the fibers that is chosen so that they resist the effects of the environment in the place of installation of the cable. Cables installed outdoors are usually made of black polyethylene (PE), which resists exposure to moisture and sunlight. Cables installed indoors often have jackets with flame-retardant components; These jackets may be color coded to identify the fibers within the cable. Cables for indoor installation usually have a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) jacket with fire-retardant components for general use or in vertical or ” riser ” wiring installations, and another type of special plastic for use in ” plenum ” applications.”. Cables for both indoor and outdoor installations typically have an outer PE jacket that can be removed to reveal the inner jacket, which has flame retardant components, so the cable can be used indoors.

Protection against water and humidity

Cables installed outdoors need to protect the fibers from water. Either a gel or, more commonly today, an absorbent tape or powder is used to prevent water from entering the cable and damaging the fibers. In general, this applies to loose tubes or ribbon cables .), but water-blocking elements are used in some loose-structured cables for short outdoor runs, for example, between buildings in a campus-level installation, or between a building and a connecting antenna or outdoor CCTV camera wireless.

Protection against crushing or rodent entry

Some cables have a cover, usually metal or hard plastic, under the outer jacket that allows the cable to be insulated from rodents and resist being crushed by a certain weight, such as cables installed under floors in buildings. data centers or under rock floors. Metal enclosures require that the cable be properly grounded.

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