December 3, 2007
Furukawa Electric has developed, as a successor machine to ID-H, an optical fiber identifier ID-H/R adapted to the recent installation and maintenance work of optical fibers. The new fiber identifier has significantly improved the functionality and ease of operation while inheriting the design of the conventional model that has acquired a good reputation, in which the new identifier has enhanced sensitivity by optimizing the fiber bending configuration, adopted a newly designed fiber bending part that needs no replacement, in addition to an LCD panel.
The new product is scheduled to be launched in December, 2007 at a standard price equivalent to that of the conventional model. The number of sales is expected to be 1,000 units per year. The export type is scheduled to be released in April, 2008.
Developmental Background
In the installation and maintenance work of optical fibers for FTTH systems, it is required to identify without fail the optical fiber to be handled, in order to prevent such serious accidents as cutting “live fiber” already in use for transmission. By using the local detection method in which leakage light due to macro-bending is detected, an optical fiber identifier can identify every optical fiber without cutting the fiber. Thus by excluding the optical fibers in which the contrast light launched in by the separate light source is not detected, the identifier makes it possible to identify the optical fiber to be handled, making itself indispensable equipment for such work.
In recent years, however, there have been some cases in which conventional identifiers are unable to cope with the diversified optical network configurations and improved bending characteristics of optical fibers which lead to reduced leakage light. In addition, influenced by the price competition in FTTH services, there is an increasing need for improving the work performance in installation and maintenance works.
Accordingly, in order to cope with the various aspects of fiber contrasting work anticipated in the future, the new product has been developed with two objectives of functionality upgrading focusing on sensitivity enhancement in light detection, and work performance improvement based on the customers’ requirements for the conventional model.
Product Features
Wide Dynamic Range
Recent years have seen various light intensity levels to be detected including reduced optical power per fiber due to branching of transmission lines, reduced leakage light due to the improved bending characteristics of optical fibers, as well as increased leakage light due to upgraded output power of light sources. Due to its sensitivity improvement, the new product can detect down to -50dBm (15dB lower than the conventional), while it can deal with higher power up to approximately +20dBm, in terms of 0.25mm fiber and in-fiber optical power.
No Need for Replacement of Fiber Bending Part
The newly designed adaptor head has enabled coping with the single fibers with coating diameters ranging from 0.25mm to 3mm and ribbon fibers containing up to twelve fibers, thus eliminating the need for replacing the adaptor head according to the applicable fiber.
Adoption of LCD Panel
The panel displays standing details of equipment information including measurement results of detected light level and tone frequency of contrast light in addition to residing mode and remaining battery power.
Inheriting the Conventional Model
The new model inherits the design of the conventional model that has acquired a good reputation. Since the direction display and the discriminating mode are the same as before, it allows easy operation for conventional users.
Specifications
| Applicable fiber | SM fiber |
|---|---|
| Applicable wavelength | 900 ~ 1700nm |
| Contrast tone signal frequency | CW, 270Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz |
| Insertion loss | 1.0dB or lower at 1550nm |
| Minimum optical receiving level | -50dBm at 1550nm, in-fiber optical power |
| Main unit dimensions | W40 × D65 × H153 in mm |
| Mass | Approx. 160g including two AA cells |
Example for Application
