Simplifying Inter-Building Fiber Networks With Superior Signal and Serviceability

A New “Blade-Like” Approach

Users in many industries are actively seeking solutions for these problems. A new solution is offered through the OCC Blade Solution, the most recent addition to the Procyon family of high-density connectivity and structured cabling solutions. The OCC Blade system provides flexible cable subgroups that protect the installer from damaging the fiber during the installation process, and a connectivity system that provides easy access to every fiber in the system without disrupting peripheral fibers during servicing. As Dr. Timmins explains, this is a fiber network solution designed for building-to-building applications, incorporating a unique “blade-like” splicing system along with OCC’s HC-Series cable, a proprietary high-count indoor/outdoor fiber optic cable.

“With our new Blade connectivity solution, network managers have a product offering available to them that is ‘splice-centric,” Timmins says. “The OCC Blade Solution in combination with OCC’s HC cable uses an ‘in-line flow’ of individual fiber groups that provides slack storage, splicing, and access to industry standard couplers, all in a form factor that can be easily accessed from either the front or back of the rack-mount chassis and wall-mount enclosures. The real benefit is that fiber subgroups can be accessed independently of all other subgroups, as there is no arbitrary stack of splice trays located behind a wall of adapter plates. The Procyon Blade system provides a single solution for an organized, accessible, high-performance and dense network system.”

The new Blade system can be coupled with OCC’s distinct HC-Series cable, which has been designed specifically to be a flexible high-density, riser-rated and rugged fiber cable with a very small diameter. It contains tight-buffered fiber units, which consists of 12 fibers being encapsulated by a matrix material and then surrounded by a tightly bound buffer material, which gives it a very rugged characteristic. Each of the 12 tight-buffered fiber units is two millimeters in diameter, providing in total a relatively small cable containing a lot of fibers.

“The conception of the HC-Series cable was a high fiber count, small diameter cable, reducing the outer cable diameter by 20 percent or more compared to similar cables,” says Michael Stover, OCC Senior Engineer. “The cable is extremely rugged, with good mechanical (crush and flex) and environmental characteristics. Unlike traditional ribbonized cables, the HC cable has no preferential bend, making it ultra flexible for tight bends and much easier to work with and splice. Each of the 12 tight-buffered fiber units can be easily routed into the Blade enclosures for splicing or can be terminated with MTP or MPO connectors for patching.”

Timmins adds that the Blade system is a cabling and connectivity solution that will directly integrate with existing networks or Passive Optical LANs.

“You patch into the network with jumpers from the switch right into this system. That will provide the highest quality channel performance from building-to-building, to fulfill both current and future infrastructure needs.”