The fiber optics connector is not as simple as a crimp-on copper connector; it is a multi-part technical connector with many pieces, designed to the specific purpose of the fiber optic line. There are certain inherent technical issues with the fiber optic connector that have to be addressed in any application.
Design of the Fiber Optic Connector
Fiber optic connectors come in a variety of forms based on the needs of the specific application. However, all of them have the same basic construction, varying only for thickness of cable and actual connection type.
The ferrule is a long, thin cylinder that holds the actual fiber optic cable. It differs from the cable jacket in that it doesn’t go the length of the cable, but is only near the fiber optic connector. It serves to align the fibers to facilitate the cable entering the connection in the right position.
The connector body is the end piece that most people think of as the fiber optic connector, when it is only a part of the complicated whole. The body can be made of multiple pieces, but it is all meant to help the ferrule hold the cable in place. Commonly, these are bonded in some way to strengthen members and jackets that help with strain relief, and help the body guide the ferrule through into the connection device.
The cable itself plays its own part in the connection, as it is connected to the connector body typically through the jacket that keeps it from kinking at the connection to the body and ferrule. The main purpose is to provide the point of entry for the fiber into the ferrule.
The coupling device is where the connection is actually made, and typically bares little resemblance to the usual electric connections. It can be little more than an alignment sleeve that lines up the polished ends of the fibers in such a way that an accurate transfer can be made. These don’t have to be strictly cable to cable. They can also be installed in fiber optic transmitters and receivers to connect the network up. In this application they can be known as through-bulkhead adapters.
Once all these parts are together the fiber optic connector is still a fragile piece. It can be damaged by everything, from impact to airborne dust particles. One of the main reasons for this fragility is in the ends of the fibers themselves. After cleaving, the fiber ends must be carefully cleaned and polished. It is during this polishing that they can be so easily damaged, as even microscopic damage can hinder data transmission, so care must always be taken.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
The Future is Here with Fiber Optic Pool Lights
Fiber optic pool lighting came from the ability of the optics to remove the light source from a possibly hazardous environment. While there were watertight lights for pools long before fiber optics, they were bulky, and it was always difficult to change a burned-out bulb. Fiber optics made it possible to not only distance the electricity from the water, but also made changing the bulb a much simpler proposition.
The liquid environment of the swimming pool or spa has always presented certain problems to the designer. Using electricity near water always does, but that is not the only concern. All lights generate heat and the brighter the light the higher the heat.
The nature of the electricity demands that a bulky fixture be used to separate the light source from the water so that a connection can never be made. This usually involves some sort of glass lens held by a metal frame, and then the light has to be of a rather high wattage to shine through the water. It is only natural that a great deal of heat builds up in the lens and frame. The problem here is that if too much heat builds up anyone using the pool is in danger of burning themselves on the fixture.
From a design standpoint, the difficult frames also make it difficult to add or change lighting for the pool lights. The most common method involves changing the bulb with one of the desired colors.
Fiber optic pool lights answer all these problems efficiently. The nature of the fiber optics allow for the source of the light to be not only centralized, but removed much farther than the sides of the pool. Fiber optic pool lights can operate off of one light, and that be distanced from the water so not only is less electricity used, but there is much less chance of it coming in contact with the water. By separating the source fiber optic pool lights automatically separate the heat as well, eliminating the chances for pool patrons to be burned. Designers like the fiber optics because by changing a simple light filter, the colors of the pool lights can be changed, often done by a color wheel attached to a simple electric motor. The color can often be changed at the push of a button.
These benefits are working to integrate fiber optic pool lights into the very basics of pool and spa design, so as the future develops the old style of lights will surely be relegated to the past.
The liquid environment of the swimming pool or spa has always presented certain problems to the designer. Using electricity near water always does, but that is not the only concern. All lights generate heat and the brighter the light the higher the heat.
The nature of the electricity demands that a bulky fixture be used to separate the light source from the water so that a connection can never be made. This usually involves some sort of glass lens held by a metal frame, and then the light has to be of a rather high wattage to shine through the water. It is only natural that a great deal of heat builds up in the lens and frame. The problem here is that if too much heat builds up anyone using the pool is in danger of burning themselves on the fixture.
From a design standpoint, the difficult frames also make it difficult to add or change lighting for the pool lights. The most common method involves changing the bulb with one of the desired colors.
Fiber optic pool lights answer all these problems efficiently. The nature of the fiber optics allow for the source of the light to be not only centralized, but removed much farther than the sides of the pool. Fiber optic pool lights can operate off of one light, and that be distanced from the water so not only is less electricity used, but there is much less chance of it coming in contact with the water. By separating the source fiber optic pool lights automatically separate the heat as well, eliminating the chances for pool patrons to be burned. Designers like the fiber optics because by changing a simple light filter, the colors of the pool lights can be changed, often done by a color wheel attached to a simple electric motor. The color can often be changed at the push of a button.
These benefits are working to integrate fiber optic pool lights into the very basics of pool and spa design, so as the future develops the old style of lights will surely be relegated to the past.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Using Fiber Optic Test Equipment
Running fiber optic networking can be a very technical operation, and the most important of tools are the fiber optic test equipment. This importance grows from the need and sensitivity of digital data to be clear and precise.
What Fiber Optic Test Equipment is Needed
There are several specialized pieces of fiber optic test equipment, and it is important to know the type of plant to determine the type of equipment needed, but in any case there are certain basics.
Among the most basic of fiber optic test equipment pieces is the source and power meter. This is important because the power meter is calibrated to the source, allowing it to better determine the transmission quality of the fiber optics in between. This can not only be important to the final transmission quality, but also protect the technician’s eyes. While most sources are safe, there are certain CATV and telecom applications in which the source is powerful enough to cause damage to the retina if the eye is unprotected. Therefore it is always important to know what strength is being dealt with to determine the level of protection needed.
Some other important pieces of fiber optic test equipment are the carefully matched reference test cables. These work with adapters to connect the test equipment with the lines and sources to be tested, so not having the correct ones can bring an entire test session to a halt, rendering all the rest of the specialized fiber optic test equipment useless.
The last piece in the basic kit of fiber optic test equipment is the fiber tracer or visual fault detector. This seems like a normal pen light, and is a regular or LED visual light source attached to one end of the fiber optic to send light through to the other end. One simply looks to see if it made the full trek. This is, of course, a gross simplification, because the sources are typically bright enough to reveal the leak as well, by shining through the orange or red covers, if not the black or gray jackets.
These are in no way the sum total of all pieces of fiber optic test equipment. There are many more tools needed based on the specifics of the plant being worked on. One other universal might be the fiber optic microscope used to visually inspect the quality of the polish on the ends of the connections. Yet these are the basics to start a fiber optic tool kit.
What Fiber Optic Test Equipment is Needed
There are several specialized pieces of fiber optic test equipment, and it is important to know the type of plant to determine the type of equipment needed, but in any case there are certain basics.
Among the most basic of fiber optic test equipment pieces is the source and power meter. This is important because the power meter is calibrated to the source, allowing it to better determine the transmission quality of the fiber optics in between. This can not only be important to the final transmission quality, but also protect the technician’s eyes. While most sources are safe, there are certain CATV and telecom applications in which the source is powerful enough to cause damage to the retina if the eye is unprotected. Therefore it is always important to know what strength is being dealt with to determine the level of protection needed.
Some other important pieces of fiber optic test equipment are the carefully matched reference test cables. These work with adapters to connect the test equipment with the lines and sources to be tested, so not having the correct ones can bring an entire test session to a halt, rendering all the rest of the specialized fiber optic test equipment useless.
The last piece in the basic kit of fiber optic test equipment is the fiber tracer or visual fault detector. This seems like a normal pen light, and is a regular or LED visual light source attached to one end of the fiber optic to send light through to the other end. One simply looks to see if it made the full trek. This is, of course, a gross simplification, because the sources are typically bright enough to reveal the leak as well, by shining through the orange or red covers, if not the black or gray jackets.
These are in no way the sum total of all pieces of fiber optic test equipment. There are many more tools needed based on the specifics of the plant being worked on. One other universal might be the fiber optic microscope used to visually inspect the quality of the polish on the ends of the connections. Yet these are the basics to start a fiber optic tool kit.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
About Fiber Optics Christmas Tree
The future of our Christmas traditions includes some of the latest fiber optics. This year we bought a small fiber optics Christmas tree. It is white with about four different colors of light that it fades through.
Fiber Optic Sources
Fiber optics are not cheap, so it is hard to fathom how the manufacturer could afford to make a fiber optics Christmas tree from it that the home user could afford. The answer lay in the fact that it isn’t the same level of fiber optics as the network lines that are so well known. When the manufacturer makes this kind of fiber, the have to use a lot of specialized tests to weed all the fibers that have flaws and that won’t allow perfect data transmission out. These flaws can be as slight as an impurity in the line; light will still pass through, it just loses too much transmission quality to be used for data.
This leads to a completely new line of use. Rather than just toss these seconds out, they instead go to good uses in everything from fiber optics toys to the fiber optics Christmas tree. These find their way to the more casual consumer. The light will still pass through these lines, and since the most detailed data they will need to transmit is the color of that light, they are perfect.
Color, Lights and Action
Just how they get that color into the light is interesting in its simplicity. The fibers still have to be bundled into a fiber optic package, and then between that and the source a filter of the desired color is placed. When the light passes through the filter, it takes the color and transmits it to the connector. For a special magic, manufacturers will put more that one color onto a wheel, usually stored in the base of the fiber optics Christmas tree. They then attach this wheel to a motor that can rotate the colors before the connector. Then the light show can begin.
Traditions should never be stagnant things, most especially around the holidays. It wasn’t that many years ago that the artificial trees made their debut. Now most homes have one lurking in the attic. That will probably be the case with the fiber optics Christmas tree. A little odd at first, but more common as people circumvent the yearly detangling of the lights. Yet, I don’t expect the verse to change to how shiny are your branches anytime real soon.
Fiber Optic Sources
Fiber optics are not cheap, so it is hard to fathom how the manufacturer could afford to make a fiber optics Christmas tree from it that the home user could afford. The answer lay in the fact that it isn’t the same level of fiber optics as the network lines that are so well known. When the manufacturer makes this kind of fiber, the have to use a lot of specialized tests to weed all the fibers that have flaws and that won’t allow perfect data transmission out. These flaws can be as slight as an impurity in the line; light will still pass through, it just loses too much transmission quality to be used for data.
This leads to a completely new line of use. Rather than just toss these seconds out, they instead go to good uses in everything from fiber optics toys to the fiber optics Christmas tree. These find their way to the more casual consumer. The light will still pass through these lines, and since the most detailed data they will need to transmit is the color of that light, they are perfect.
Color, Lights and Action
Just how they get that color into the light is interesting in its simplicity. The fibers still have to be bundled into a fiber optic package, and then between that and the source a filter of the desired color is placed. When the light passes through the filter, it takes the color and transmits it to the connector. For a special magic, manufacturers will put more that one color onto a wheel, usually stored in the base of the fiber optics Christmas tree. They then attach this wheel to a motor that can rotate the colors before the connector. Then the light show can begin.
Traditions should never be stagnant things, most especially around the holidays. It wasn’t that many years ago that the artificial trees made their debut. Now most homes have one lurking in the attic. That will probably be the case with the fiber optics Christmas tree. A little odd at first, but more common as people circumvent the yearly detangling of the lights. Yet, I don’t expect the verse to change to how shiny are your branches anytime real soon.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Everyday Fiber Optic Technology
The most exotic technologies eventually become ubiquitous, so common that one doesn’t even notice them anymore. Fiber optic technology has made that transition. Once the exclusive wonder of the laser labs and scientists, it can now be found in everything from fiber optic pool lights to children’s toys.
What Makes Fiber Optic Technology So Common?
To put it the most simply, flaws make the technology so common.
The primary use of fiber optic technology is the transmission of digital data. This data consists of intermittent on and off bursts, making it quite fragile. The amount of data a line can hold is controlled by the rapidity of the switching it can handle, which is in turn determined by its purity. This is why testing is so vital to the equation. Without it, there would be no way to sort out the best fibers for data usage. Therefore, before it is ever bundled into a fiber optic cable, each fiber has to pass stringent tests for data quality. This creates a certain amount of waste in the form of discarded fibers. While these fibers cannot pass the sensitive data cleanly, they still hold onto the property of transmitting light waves.
Why Waste A Good Thing?
The rejected fibers don’t have to be thrown out. They are still able to channel light to whatever location the user wants. This has given rise to everything from toys to modern efficient lighting, all based on the same principles of fiber optic technology.
Some of the earliest people to use the waste fiber optics were special effects model makers. The fibers made it easier to add realistic lighting to the models without adding the heat that could melt the fragile plastics. It wasn’t long before these very same properties came to the attention of designers. Soon, little penlight fiber optic toys could be seen anywhere there were dark events. Then they entered the home. Soon no coffee table was complete without the colorful little fiber optic bonsai tree. Over time, the designs have become more elegant, blending the fiber optic technology in a less obtrusive way. Now, designers have started using fiber optics to actually replace home lighting applications, allowing a much higher level of efficiency
These hidden design trends have brought the little light pipes home, made them a part of our everyday lives, and make those lives better for it. As the designers learn more about the fiber optic technology, the designs will grow in sophistication.
What Makes Fiber Optic Technology So Common?
To put it the most simply, flaws make the technology so common.
The primary use of fiber optic technology is the transmission of digital data. This data consists of intermittent on and off bursts, making it quite fragile. The amount of data a line can hold is controlled by the rapidity of the switching it can handle, which is in turn determined by its purity. This is why testing is so vital to the equation. Without it, there would be no way to sort out the best fibers for data usage. Therefore, before it is ever bundled into a fiber optic cable, each fiber has to pass stringent tests for data quality. This creates a certain amount of waste in the form of discarded fibers. While these fibers cannot pass the sensitive data cleanly, they still hold onto the property of transmitting light waves.
Why Waste A Good Thing?
The rejected fibers don’t have to be thrown out. They are still able to channel light to whatever location the user wants. This has given rise to everything from toys to modern efficient lighting, all based on the same principles of fiber optic technology.
Some of the earliest people to use the waste fiber optics were special effects model makers. The fibers made it easier to add realistic lighting to the models without adding the heat that could melt the fragile plastics. It wasn’t long before these very same properties came to the attention of designers. Soon, little penlight fiber optic toys could be seen anywhere there were dark events. Then they entered the home. Soon no coffee table was complete without the colorful little fiber optic bonsai tree. Over time, the designs have become more elegant, blending the fiber optic technology in a less obtrusive way. Now, designers have started using fiber optics to actually replace home lighting applications, allowing a much higher level of efficiency
These hidden design trends have brought the little light pipes home, made them a part of our everyday lives, and make those lives better for it. As the designers learn more about the fiber optic technology, the designs will grow in sophistication.
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