Fibre optic assemblies split or combine light signals

24th October 2015

OMC UK LTD

Mick Elliott

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A range of ‘Spider’ fibre optic cable assemblies which can both split an optical signal from a single source into several outputs as well as combine multiple inputs onto a single output fibre has been introduced by OMC. This can be useful for sensor applications and precise triggering, among other applications.

Previously, designers have been forced to use beam splitters for this purpose, but such devices can be expensive as well as complex to set up.

OMC’s new ‘Spider’ fibre optic assemblies, by contrast, are rugged, reliable and much more cost effective. Perhaps the most important feature is that the spider assemblies can be manufactured to suit the customer’s application, with customer-specific lengths, connectors and numbers of input/output channels.

Explains OMC’s Commercial Director, William Heath: “We are known as the optoelectronics problem solvers, so when we were approached by two companies, one which needed to combine several high output sources of various wavelengths for a sensor application, and the other which was looking at simultaneously triggering multiple receivers from a single source, we were immediately able to adapt our core technologies to provide a simple, effective solution.”

OMC has 30 years’ experience producing glass and polymer fibre cable assemblies and fibre optic components in a variety of industry standard housings tailored to suit each application.

The company also manufactures transmitter and receiver devices and has developed its own proprietary ACA (Active Component Alignment) technology which ensures that its fibre-optic data links perform consistently and reliably from link to link, regardless of how they are matched up in production, which is particularly useful when working with challenging optical budgets.

Machine vision systems and data-communications equipment are just two applications where the company has already found success with the new spider assemblies.

“We can offer spider assemblies that feature any number from 2-47 ends from a single input - or the reverse”, adds Heath. “Systems can be glass or polymer fibre and using any standard diode or housing. We can also produce modular systems which can be very flexible and therefore are good for prototyping. In addition, we manufacture a range of diodes which can be tailored to suit the application.”