Simple Tools + Safe Methods = Minimal Effort by Design

摘要

Network technicians must access numerous types of cable jackets, frequently without proper instructions and in some cases without special fiber optic training! It is always preferable if installation, fiber access, splicing, and termination can be accomplished with minimal effort, simple tools, and safe methods! The worldwide growth of broadband services has increased the demand for network technicians, bringing novice and intermediate level field personnel into the industry. This expanding network of technicians and their varied levels of experience are two primary factors that drive the need for innovative jacket designs that take less effort, require simple tools, and are safer during installation and fiber access. In this paper, two newly developed jacket designs are compared to conventional jacket designs for fiber optic distribution and fiber optic drop applications. The new designs have three functional advantages over conventional designs. 1.1 The new designs do not rely on problematic ripcords. 1.2 The new designs do not require special fiber optic tools. 1.3 The new designs do not require razor blades for access. The innovative tear-facilitating co-extruded material discontinuity in the new jacket designs enables simple, safe, and fast access procedures for the network technician and the network owner/operator. 2.1 The new designs reduce the risk of fiber damage! 2.2 The new designs improve ease of technician access! 2.3 The new designs reduce the fiber access time by 50%! Simple, safe, and fast fiber access is helpful during installation and termination and in the unfortunate event that cable and/or fiber damage occurs in the operating network causing the need for repair and/or reconnection. The new designs enable fiber access in 50% less time than conventional cables utilizing simple tools carried by all installation technicians with less risk to the fiber. The innovative cables were developed with rigorous design, modeling, and simulation methods and are manufactured with precision co-extrusion technology to meet industry standards. The results of the study indicate that the innovative jacket designs exhibit significant improvements in simplicity and ease of access over conventional jacket designs. This results in easier fiber access for novice, intermediate, and experienced technicians while reducing the risk of optical fiber damage.