While Fusion Splicing uses heat to merge the ends of two cables, Mechanical Splicing joins two or more cables with a mechanical fixture or apparatus. The ends are aligned precisely before the apparatus is applied to hold Fiber Optic Cabling the two ends in place. A special gel is sometimes used to diminish the amount of reflection of light, although there is still a small amount of light lost after splicing, around 0.3 dB (Optical Loss is measured in dB).
Strength members which are typically used in fiber optic cable include Aramid yarn, fiberglass epoxy rods (FGE), and steel wire. Pound for pound, Aramid yarn is five times stronger than steel. It and fiberglass epoxy rods are often the choice when all-dielectric construction is required.
Low Smoke Zero Halogen cables are offered as an alternative for halogen-free applications. Less toxic and slower to ignite, they are a good choice for many internal installations. They are available as simplex, duplex and 1.6mm designs. This cable may be run through risers directly to a convenient network or splicing closet for interconnection.
Still, when examining fiber optics, you must consider cost. Although you get a lot for your money, fiber-optic cabling is very expensive. Network Interface Cards (NICs) for fiber-optic cables can cost over $1,000 each. Right now, fiber-optic cable is used primarily for connecting network segments, making short runs, and connecting buildings and floors; it isn't used for complete network wiring. As fiber optics becomes more popular, however, the price of fiber-optic cable (and related devices) should drop. Until then, you'll want to compare different types of cables before you make any decisions.
| This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |