Highlighting honorees from the 2019 Cabling Innovators Awards program. Profiles include solutions from Cailabs, Esticom, and EXFO.
Platinum: Aroona-POL
Aroona-POL from Cailabs is compatible with any multimode fiber, from OM1 to OM5, which can be plugged directly into the system’s optical line terminal (OLT) or optical network terminal (ONT). Aroona-POL makes the existing multimode fiber pluggable to new singlemode fibers, and is available in singlemode-to-multimode and multimode-to-singlemode versions. In the multimode-to-singlemode version, downstream, the modal adapter converts the fundamental mode from the OLT to the fundamental LP01 mode of the backbone multimode fiber, and Aroona-POL converts the mode from multimode to singlemode, and splits the signal into distribution singlemode fibers. Upstream, Aroona-POL converts the singlemode fiber mode from ONTs, recombines the signals into the backbone multimode fiber, and the modal adapter converts the signal from multimode fiber to a singlemode-fiber OLT. In the singlemode-to-multimode version, the same principle applies. Downstream, Aroona-POL splits the singlemode signal from the OLT and converts it to the fundamental LP01 distribution mode for singlemode fibers. Upstream, Aroona-POL adapts and filters out modes from multimode fiber and recombines the signals in the backbone singlemode fiber.
Esticom is a comprehensive software-as-a-service (SaaS) tool that incorporates modules for takeoff, estimating, and job management. It serves mid- to large-size structured cabling, security, fire-alarm and other low-voltage contractors. Tapping into the power of machine learning and the cloud, Esticom’s AutoCount feature simplifies takeoffs and improves the accuracy of counting similar symbols or shapes across an entire plan set, which reduces the time it takes to produce a construction takeoff and estimate. The AutoCount feature is accessible from the system’s takeoff screen. A user identifies the symbol they want counted by highlighting it, then clicks on the AutoCount button to automatically perform bulk counts across all the drawing’s pages. Esticom says the significant time savings that AutoCount achieves can reduce the return on investment to less than one day.
EXFO describes its Optical Xplorer as the world’s first optical fiber multimeter. It is a purpose-built fiber test tool that upskills frontline field technicians to carry out installation, activation and repair operations more quickly and more effectively than could be achieved previously. Optical Xplorer speeds up link-health verification with embedded fault tracking, going beyond the obvious identity to locate all causes of failure in seconds. Combining power checking and light-source capabilities in a single tool, it equips frontline technicians of any skill level to find and fix problems as part of their daily tasks. Optical Xplorer is an intuitive, go/no-go job aid that boosts technicians’ efficiency, ensuring better network quality, minimizing delays and minimizing costs associated with escalations to expert technicians. The tester verifies optical links by measuring power, insertion loss, return loss, and length, in seconds.
