HD Flex Fiber Optic Cassettes
HD Flex Fiber Optic Cassettes offer a variety of deployment options to support Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks. Cassette types available include 1-MPO-to-6-duplex-LC; 1-, 2-, and 3-MPO-to-12-duplex LC; 1-MPO-to-4-duplex-LC (for breaking out parallel-optic applications), as well as 6-port duplex LC cassettes (for splice terminations). Panduit explains the cassettes allow system designers to tailor configuration, reach and breakout construction to application requirements. Each of these cassettes helps minimize waste, optimize cable management, speed up deployment time, and improve manageability, the company adds. The cassettes are part of Panduit’s HD Flex Fiber Cabling System, which is engineered to accommodate a data center's dynamic lifecycle.
Panduit, panduit.com
Cassette-enabled distribution center, connector housing
Corning recently added an environmental distribution center (EDC, pictured) and an industrial connector housing (ICH) to its cassette-enabled portfolio. All the company’s local area network (LAN) fiber-optic hardware is compatible with its CCH (Closet Connector Housing) pigtail cassettes, capitalizing on fusion splicing’s growth in popularity. The EDC and ICH are modular, which allows for simplified moves, adds, and changes. They are compatible with multiple termination types including single- and ribbon-fiber splicing, as well as mechanical and splice-on connectors. The EDC and ICH enclosures' fiber capacity eliminates the need to buy multiple housings for most deployments, Corning emphasizes.
Corning Optical Communications, corning.com
PrecisionFlex Fiber Optic eXchange Cassette
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s Fiber Optic eXchange (FOX) Cassette accepts all types of cordage to eliminate splice trays and terminate cables into cassettes quickly, safely and elegantly. Featuring a removable splice shuttle for more-convenient installation, the cassette’s white ABS body permits excellent visibility for fiber colors, Sumitomo points out. The eXchange Cassette also features wall-mounting holes in the body, allowing users to mount anywhere. In addition to accepting all cable types, including air-blown fiber tubes, the cassette’s entry points double as MPO adapter ports, giving flexibility to convert the cassette into an MPO cassette. The LC adapters are shuttered and the faceplate can be removed even after installation into a patch panel, allowing for easy cleaning or repair of the internal connectors.
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave, sumitomoelectric.com
Ascend Optical Cassette Series
AFL’s Ascend optical cassette series includes conversion cassettes, tap cassettes and WDM (wavelength division multiplexing) cassettes. Part of the Ascend platform—a modular high-density rack-mount system designed for a broad range of applications—these cassettes add unique options for scalability and fiber flexibility, says AFL. The conversion cassette provides a quick solution to transition from one BASE platform to another. The tap cassette offers easy access points for monitoring live signals. The WDM cassette enables the expansion of fiber bandwidth in CWDM (coarse WDM) or DWDM (dense WDM) applications.
AFL, aflglobal.com
Clearview Blue Cassette
Through the Clearview Blue Cassette, Clearfield says it “continues to deliver the most scalable fiber management platform in the industry.” The cassette’s integrated design elements achieve a wide range of application support and a high degree of deployment flexibility, the company says. The ability to splice 24 fibers (ribbon or loose tube) in a single cassette, with buffer-tube and ribbon-slack storage, ensures fiber protection and route diversity. A design addition implemented in 2019 includes an expansion ring that allows a single cassette with SC connectors to offer 24 splices in a single modular unit. The cassette’s MPO capabilities include single or dual MPO plug-and-play exit points on both the left and right sides, which increases fiber-routing flexibility. "Clearview Blue Cassettes are a core building block of every product in our FieldSmart fiber management system," Clearfield explains.
Clearfield Inc., seeclearfield.com
LGXtra Patch Module
New from Wirewerks, the LGXtra Patch Module is a fully LGX-compatible module providing up to 12/24 SC/LC connectors for fiber patching and crossconnect applications. Key LGXtra innovations, according to Wirewerks, include an integrated, removable fusion-splice tray, a removable faceplate, and the exclusive new “no-cable-tie” strain-relief sleeve. The LGXtra Patch Module breaks down into three main elements, which the company describes as follows: “1) a heavy-duty chassis featuring two cable entry points at the rear; 2) a removable mini-splice tray providing fiber management, routing and bend-radius protection; and 3) a removable adapter strip available with SC/LC duplex/quad adapters.” The LGXtra patch module uses push/pull mounting clips for tool-less installation or removal in any LGX-compliant panel or enclosure. The module’s chassis is also predrilled for direct wall mounting, accommodating users who prefer that method.
Wirewerks, wirewerks.com
HD82 High Density Fiber Optic Patching System
The HD82 High Density Fiber Optic Patching System is designed for ease of installation and economy of space. The system’s producer, Tactical Deployment Systems, explains that its key benefits include as much as a 75% to 85% reduction in installation time, space savings of up to 100% over other MTP/MPO cassettes, and lower dB loss. The smaller square cassette used with this unit’s proprietary design, versus the typical flat-and-wide cassette, lends itself to a smaller profile. The cassettes come with a snap-on pulling eye cap, which attaches to the front of the cassette and acts as both a pulling eye and a cover to protect the internal connectors. According to Tactical Deployment Systems, this design simplifies the installation process of preterminated trunk cassettes, and as a result can reduce signal loss by reducing the number of termination points throughout the cabling system. “Older style designs are cumbersome and either do not allow for pretermination or, if they are preterminated cassettes, are too large to pull through existing infrastructure,” the company says. The pulling eye cap facilitates installation through ladder rack, innerduct, or raised-floor applications, Tactical Deployment Systems emphasizes. Installers use the cassette's internal strain relief and eye ring in conjunction with the fiber-optic cable's Kevlar strength member. The cassettes are rear-entry loaded and can be hard-wired using terminated fiber cable along with Heyco brand strain relief.
Tactical Deployment Systems, tacreadydeploy.com
Fiber Splice Cassette
OCC describes its Fiber Splice Cassette as “a flexible, versatile, scalable addition” to the company’s enterprise solution. It is designed to provide a speedy and easy installation experience. Compatible with any common fusion splicer, the cassette snaps securely into the front of OCC enclosures, and has a removable adapter plate preterminated with fiber pigtails. The removable adapter plate can be replaced quickly, OCC emphasizes, for for density upgrades and to incorporate new connector standards into an existing infrastructure. It includes two straight and two angled entry points, allowing the user to choose the point of entry to maintain proper bend radii in a variety of enclosures. The cassette uses the same installation procedure for 900-µm and 250-µm fiber, and accepts multiple diameters of cables. A cable-retention block holds small cables and subunits without the need for cable ties, blue felt, or spiral wrap. The cable-retention block can be removed for larger-size cable. For installation convenience, the cassette’s removable splice sleeve holder houses 12 splice sleeves and allows access to all splices. The cassette’s design offers a range of fiber and connector types. The installation procedure for this cassette remains the same whether the application is a telecommunications room, central office, remote terminal, distributed antenna system, data center or other environment. In summary, OCC says the cassette is a flexible, versatile, and scalable part of its enterprise solution.
Optical Cable Corp., occfiber.com