Fibre-optic cable and accessories manufacturer AFL is introducing two new products at OFC 2017 in Los Angeles this week: its range of optical card edge and on-card assemblies, and Wrapping Tube Cable with SpiderWeb Ribbon (SWR) technology.
AFL’s new board-level connectivity products are designed for high density and fast interconnections on server, switch and router line cards. They link embedded optical modules to the card edge or on- card locations, such as blind-mate mid-plane connectors, and backplanes. Standard MT ferrules and expanded beam ferrules are available in MPO connectors and ganged MT connector systems as well as the US Conec MXC-style connector. AFL also offers a variety of on-card assemblies such as fibre arrays and V-groove assemblies that interface directly onto the card. These assemblies offer excellent core position accuracy and are customisable to suit the application.
AFL will also show its new Wrapping Tube Cable with SpiderWeb Ribbon (SWR), which is an ultra-high-density fibre-optic cable that is ideal for applications in metro and access networks. The bonded ribbon-cable design of SWR employs an intermittent UV-curable resin bond; the intermittent nature of the bond allows the ribbon to be bunched and collapsed as if it were a bundle of loose fibres. This means fibre can be spliced as a ribbon or broken out as individual fibres. Fully qualified to Telcordia GR-20, the cable is available in dielectric or double jacket single armour, and in fibre counts from 144 to 1,728.
AFL’s products can be seen on parent company Fujikura’s booth #2939 at OFC 2017, where Fujikura’s suite of fusion splicers including specialty fusion splicers, cleavers and accessories, will also be demonstrated.