August 16, 2007 -- OFS' Specialty Photonics Division has expanded its HCS optical fiber family to include 62.5 micron (core) optical fiber with HCS (Hard Clad Silica) fiber coating.
According to the company, the 62.5 micron HCS fiber is available cabled and pre-terminated from the factory or can be field terminated with ST and SMA connectors quickly and reliably, with minimal training, using the OFS "crimp and cleave" process. The fiber also offers a 125 degrees C temperature rating, high proof test level, and superior resistance to moisture for harsh industrial environments, as well as a bandwidth of >200 MHz-km at 850 nm. For installation of fiber optic cable in enclosed or sealed locations, low smoke zero halogen cables based on 62.5 HCS fiber are also available in simplex or zipcord constructions.
OFS says the 62.5 HCS optical fiber and crimp and cleave system is designed for demanding applications, including utility control rooms, factory automation, indoor and outdoor industrial manufacturing and infrastructure industries. "This fiber offers excellent performance in applications where reliability, durability and ease of connectorization are critical. Crimp and cleave termination is an optimal solution when installing custom, field-made lengths or in difficult-to-access locations such as wind turbines," comments Michael Conroy, marketing manager at OFS.
The company says its proprietary HCS optical fiber coating makes crimp and cleave termination possible by enabling connectors to be installed directly onto the coating. The 230 micron HCS coating remains on the fiber and provides a protective barrier for long life. The process uses proprietary hand crimp and cleaving tools instead of more complex epoxy/polish methods. The crimp and cleave system produces a high-quality endface with a completely mechanical process, says the company, minimizing the potential of operator error and yielding more efficient termination than other alternatives.
OFS contends that the HCS optical fiber design results in a stronger, more durable fiber with greater resistance to moisture than other 62.5 micron fibers with conventional coating. A 200 micron form factor allows for greater application stress. Proof testing to 150 kpsi further ensures a strong, durable, fiber, ready for conditions on the factory floor and other rugged environments. "These coated and ETFE-buffered, multimode graded-index fibers are ideally suited for high bandwidth communication in rugged industrial environments," continues Conroy.
The 62.5/200 micron HCS fiber is fully compatible with the 62.5/125 micron dual acrylate fiber for the data communications market currently offered by the OFS Fiber Division.