Optical fibre installation system

16 March 2011 Interconnection

The recent upsurge in bandwidth demands from corporate and domestic clients has led to the requirement of high-bandwidth communication links being designed and built. Fibre-optic networks are best suited to this requirement both from a bandwidth and a cost point of view.

Unfortunately, installing a fibre-optic network as a post-construction exercise tends to be a messy and destructive process: roads are ruined due to the large scale digging and trenching, designer gardens are ruined in business parks, shopping mall entrances and walkways are never the same once a post-construction network is installed.

SMS and Blown Fibre have developed a solution to address these problems in the form of a technique called Micro Slotting. Micro slotting is the process where a very narrow slot (5 mm–20 mm) up to 200 mm deep is cut into the ground’s surface (be it tar, cement, etc). Micro ducts are then installed in the slot through which the optic fibre is ‘blown’. The surface is rebuilt either by using the material which was removed or through the use of synthetic filler which can be coloured to match the surroundings. The small/narrow cut in the surface means very little rubble is produced and repair is a comparatively simple task. The process of cutting a narrow slot is faster and cleaner than other methods of trenching, and the machines used for micro slotting are not particularly bulky, making the whole process less disruptive to the normal daily operations of the site in question.

The micro slotting methodology is well suited for short haul (eg, industrial fibre-optic networks, connectivity to GSM towers and fibre-to-the-home); medium haul (eg, metro fibre-optic networks), and long haul (eg, intercity fibre-optic networks).

For more information contact Scimitar Micro Slotting, +27 (0)12 346 5667.

Further reading:

Connectivity solutions for hydrogen technologies
Hiconnex Interconnection
As the production distribution and utilisation of hydrogen continue to scale, connectivity becomes a key enabler for efficient energy transmission, data communication, and system control.

Read more...

---

Mixed-density Combo-D connectors
Hiconnex Interconnection
Positronic’s SCBM connector series is a rugged, high-performance family of mixed-density D-sub connectors engineered for demanding environments.

Read more...

---

Same Sky expands rectangular connector portfolio
Future Electronics Interconnection
The portfolio includes male pin headers, female pin headers, and box headers, giving engineers the flexibility to select the most appropriate connector style for their specific design requirements.

Read more...

---

Rugged USB-C for modern designs
Interconnection
Same Sky has expanded its USB Type-C connector portfolio to meet the growing demand for faster data transfer and higher power delivery in modern electronic designs.

Read more...

---

Designing with PCIe
Spectrum Concepts Editor's Choice Interconnection
PCI Express has become the backbone of modern high-performance systems with each new generation promising higher bandwidth, but that performance comes with a cost.

Read more...

---

Robust single-pole power connectivity
Hiconnex Interconnection
Designed for cable-to-cable and cable-to-equipment use, Radiall’s single-pole power connector support current ratings from 250 A to 750 A and operating voltages up to 1000 V AC or DC.

Read more...

---

M12 push-pull connectors
IOT Electronics Interconnection
Phoenix Contact’s M12 push-pull connectors with internal locking set a new benchmark for fast, secure, and space-saving connectivity in industrial automation.

Read more...

---

Versatile outdoor waterproof connectors
Vepac Electronics Interconnection
The LP-20 outdoor waterproof connector series offers a versatile range of rugged, circular connectors with 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12 and 14-pin configurations.

Read more...

---

Comprehensive range of data connectors
IOT Electronics Interconnection
Phoenix Contact’s comprehensive range of data connectors provides reliable connection solutions for modern networked applications across industrial, infrastructure, and commercial environments.

Read more...

---

Compact inline connector for aerospace
Hiconnex Interconnection
Radiall’s Small Inline Connector series is a fully qualified wire-to-wire solution designed to simplify harness creation, installation, and modification in aerospace applications.

Read more...

---