Optical cable assembly minimises signal transmission failure

Requiring minimal cleaning and delivering repeatable and error-free optical transmissions, the Expanded-Beam Ruggedized Optical Cable Assemblies can withstand thousands of mating cycles and feature a field-installable and repairable design to minimise maintenance downtime.

The connectors work by utilising lenses that expand and collimate the light emitting from optical fibres across a sealed connector interface. The expanded and collimated light beam has an active area much larger than the original optical fibre core, making it less sensitive to data transmission interruption due to dirt and debris particles, while also being more efficient to align across the two connector halves.

The assemblies are available in two- and four-fibre counts for a multi-channel optical interface. The non-contacting lens interface reduces connector failure by preventing debris from becoming imbedded or damaging the optical surface during the mating or handling process. The stainless steel housing option is suited for highly corrosive environments and all the assemblies meet MIL-DTL-83526/20 and/21 standards to ensure high-performance, ruggedised communication links that are compatible with other like products in the market.

Mark Matus, Global Product Manager, Molex, commented: “Downtime in critical applications is unacceptable, but debris such as dirt, dust, mud, moisture and oil can foul traditional optical interconnects in harsh environments, leading to system failure and require cleaning by trained technicians using special tools, solvents and materials to get back to optimal performance. Our expanded beam fibre optic assemblies provide reliable and repeatable optical performance because they are less sensitive to these contaminants and can be easily cleaned in the field with simple methods such as a cloth and any handy liquid wash.”