Wirewerks unveils NextSTEP fiber splice trays for loose tube, tight-buffered and ribbon cable fiber

Network infrastructure specialist Wirewerks (Montreal, QC) announced the launch of its NextSTEP Technology brand Fiber Splice Tray and Ribbon Fiber Splice Tray products. Per the company, the new splice trays offer "features including two exclusive industry-firsts -- magnetic splice sleeve holders in the Fiber Splice Tray and integrated ribbon cable slack management wheels in the Ribbon Fiber Splice Tray."

The NextSTEP fiber splice tray (above) manages up to 24 splices per tray using loose tube or tight-buffered fiber, and holds up to 2 bare-fiber splitters. The tray's magnetic splice sleeve holders secure fibers in place magnetically without having to press-fit newly spliced sleeves into rigid plastic/foam holders or clips, eliminating performance impairing ‘micro-bends’ in the splice sleeve. Fiber splice trays are available in either 12F or 24F capacities, with the 12F tray is easily field upgraded to 24F capacity. Each fiber splice tray includes 12/24 splice sleeves, cable ties, and a clear plastic cover to protect/contain fibers within the tray.

The NextSTEP ribbon fiber splice tray (above) manages up to two 12F ribbon cables per tray. The ribbon cable mass-splice is mounted "standing up" into either of two ribbon slack wheels integrated into the tray. Each slack wheel manages up to 2’ of slack on either side of the mass-splice (up to 4’ per slack wheel) within the tray itself. The "on edge" orientation of the ribbon cables means that the cables spool neatly around the slack wheels and never crossover or twist within the tray. Proper bend radius and strain relief are assured at all times.

Edouard Tabet, Wirewerks’ head of engineering, comments, “The magnetic splice sleeve holder means that fusion splices can go directly from oven to splice tray without risking performance impairing micro-bends in the splice sleeve. The ribbon fiber slack wheel manages up to 4’ of slack per ribbon cable neatly within the splice tray itself. Both features are exclusive to our NextSTEP system, and both contribute to faster, easier installations and maintenance in customer networks.”

Both splice trays are precision manufactured from high-impact yellow thermoplastic. This high-contrast yellow color improves visibility and reduces eyestrain, contends Wirewerks, making installation and maintenance easier and faster, with better results. Integrated tabs, routing features and cable tie attachment points control bend radius and secure cables; and both splice trays allow cable entry at all 4 corners for maximum installation flexibility.

Further, both splice trays are fully compatible with all NextSTEP patch panels and support up to 288F in 1RU; 1,152F in 4RUs; and up to 144F in NextSTEP wall mount patch panels. Both splice trays may be inserted or removed from the front or rear of any NextSTEP patch panel, and both trays may be mixed or matched in any combination with other types of NextSTEP fiber modules.