Ribbon Fiber Cable, what do you know about it?

In order to meet the increasing system bandwidth needs, local area network (LAN) campus and building backbones, as well as data center backbones, are migrating to higher cabled fiber counts. Ribbon fiber optic cables can offer the highest fiber density relative to cable size, maximize utilization of pathway and spaces and facilitate ease of termination, which makes them an ideal solution for the need.

Ribbon Fiber Optic Cable Design

Ribbon fiber optic cable is exactly what its name says, the ribbon of the fiber, which is formed by a flat strip. This is achieved by making a series of separate fibers and tiling them and bonding them to each other. Using this technology, up to 24 fibers can be grouped together. Fibers are usually placed side by side to form a flat ribbon. There are 8 fibers, 12 fibers, 24 fibers and other higher fiber counts available on the market. At present the 12-fiber ribbons are readily accessible and identifiable with ribbon identification numbers and TIA-598 compliant fiber color-coding, which make it prevalent in today’s networks.

Usually there are two kinds of outer jacket of ribbon fiber optic cables: non-flame-retardant and formulated flame-retardant. The former is often used in outside plant applications, while the latter is typically used for indoor applications. Here is an example of ribbon fiber optic cable construction.

Features and Benefits of Ribbon Fiber Cable

The first advantage of a ribbon fiber jumper is the ability to save time and reduce installation costs. Since the cables are pre-banded (usually made up of 12 sets of separate fibers), installers and technicians can perform simpler, faster mass fusion stitching so that all fibers in the ribbon matrix can be stitched together at the same time. This means less installation time, lower installation labor costs, and faster recovery during downtime.

The second benefit of the ribbon fiber cable is increasing the fiber density in a given cable. Of particular importance is fiber density, as fiber counts increase in the data center, it is an attractive feature and benefit.

Disadvantages of Ribbon Fiber Optic Cable

Traditional fiber optic cables can bend smoothly in all directions-within the appropriate bending radius specification, the motion plane of the ribbon fiber is limited, but can only bend along its longitudinal axis. This is called “priority bending “-Because the cable only likes to bend along a moving shaft. There is no control over the direction of the ribbon structure inside the cable, so any bending of the ribbon fiber may be perpendicular to its longitudinal banded axis, which may cause stress on the fibers. This can damage the cable and cause insertion loss (signal power loss).

Ribbon Fiber Applications

Ribbon fiber optic cable can be used in indoor FTTH network and indoor/outdoor point-to-point applications, but also for the interconnection and cross-application of MTP fiber wiring box; The 12-core ribbon fiber cable is one of the most widely used ribbon fiber cables, and the 12-core banded fiber jumper can be easily used by LC connectors or SC connectors, such as single-work, Duplex connector or MTP Connector for termination; Ribbon fiber jumper can also be stitched with loose casing cable. The specific approach is to remove the coating of the ribbon fiber jumper and stitch together 12 fiber fuses in batches.

However, ribbon fiber is not always the best choice indoors: when the indoor ribbon fiber is transmitted to the Cabinet, it becomes challenging to operate the cable for termination. In fact, some people say that many ribbon cables feel like “iron bars” When they are processed. As you can imagine, this makes installation difficult. Even if the termination process is faster, time is likely to be saved due to the complexity of routing these cables to cabinets and racks when the cable is installed for too long.

Although there are various fiber counts available with ribbon fiber optic cable, the 12-fiber ribbon cables are the most commonly used ones. With the introduction of innovations such as ribbon splitting tools and field-installable 12-fiber array connectors, 12-fiber ribbons are easily terminated with simplex and duplex connectors such as LC or SC connectors or with the MTP connector. The MTP connector is a 12-fiber push/pull optical connector with a footprint similar to the common simplex connector. Many users like to apply MTP connectors to ensure the highest quality connector insertion loss and return loss performance and to expedite the cable installation.

In order to illustrate how ribbon fiber optic cables are deployed, here take the termination of MTP connector zed ribbon cable with patch panel as an example.

The termination is normally used in an interconnect application where a harness assembly is used on the front of the patch panel. We know the MTP fiber cable has 12-fiber MTP connector on one end of the cable and simplex or duplex style connectors on the other end. Just like the picture below shows.

Except for the application noted above, ribbon fiber optic cables also can be used in both interconnect and cross-connect applications where an MTP connector module cassette is used. In addition, they can be applied to pathways and spaces.

Summary

The ribbon cable is lighter, more compact and easier to handle and splice. It is best suited for future expansion since the transmission protocols progress to higher and higher data rates. Optcore offers different ribbon fiber cables for indoor fiber cabling.

Ribbon fiber optic cables deliver high fiber density in the most compact cable package possible. Moreover, they maximize the number of fibers that can be deployed in a limited space while streamlining fiber termination. At the same time, they can save time and money with easy mass fusion splicing. Ribbon fiber cable is now easily obtained using traditional simplex or duplex connectors as well as MTP Connectors, which make them suitable for various applications.

Using SHINHO X-950 splicer for ribbon fiber cable,it is combined with free thermal stripper, you will get the fast installation, save your time to have more fun with your family. Don’t hesitate to contact us for the favorable price.