Common Armored Fiber Optic Cables

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Armored fiber optic cables are often installed
in a network for added mechanical protection, as they have extra reinforcing in
the cable housing to prevent damage. Two types of armored fiber optic cables
exist: interlocking and corrugated. Interlocking armor is an aluminum armor
that is helically wrapped around the cable and found in indoor and
indoor/outdoor cables. It offers ruggedness and superior crush resistance.
Corrugated armor is a coated steel tape folded around the cable longitudinally.
It is found in outdoor cables and offers extra mechanical and rodent
protection.

 

The Structure of an Armored Fiber Optic
Cable

In basic armored fiber cable designs, the
outer sleeve provides protection against wind, solvents, and abrasion. This
outer sleeve is usually made of plastic such as polyethylene. The next layer
between the sleeve and the inner jacket is an armoring layer of materials that
are difficult to cut, chew, or burn, such as steel tape and aluminum foil. This
armoring material also prevent the fiber from being stretched during cable installation.
Ripcords are usually provided directly under the armoring and the inner sleeve
to aid in stripping the layer for splicing the cable to connectors or
terminators. The inner jacket is a protective and flame retardant material to
support the inner fiber cable bundle. The inner fiber cable bundle includes
strength members, fillers and other structures to support the fibers inside.
There are usually a central strength member to support the whole fiber cable.

 

There are several potential jacket materials
are considered for armored indoor outdoor cable. The choice of jacket material
depends on the required level of flame retardance in the final cable, including
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) jacket, Halogen Free Polyolefins (HFPO) and Coated
Steel Armor. Armored cable is also available with a double-armor protective
jacket for added protection in harsh environments. The steel armor should
always be properly grounded to an earth ground at all termination points,
splice locations and all building entrances.

 

Benefits of Installing Armored Cable

 

During some fiber optic installations,
there is a need to provide extra protection for the cable due to the
installation environment. That environment may be underground or in buildings
with congested pathways. Installing an armored fiber-optic cable in these
scenarios would provide extra protection for the optical fiber and added
reliability for the network, lessening the risk of downtime and cable damage
due to rodents, construction work, weight of other cables and other factors.

 

But one inconvenience is the need to bond
and ground the cable. This inconvenience can be eliminated by using a
dielectric-armored cable. Dielectric-armored cable options exist that offer the
required protection without the hassle of grounding and bonding the armor, or
the extra steps of installing a conduit and cable when the cable is without any
armored protection.

 

Compared with Other Common Fiber Optic
Cables

 

These armored
fiber optic cables are the same diameter with commonly seen 2mm O.D or
3mm O.D cables, and their optical performance is also same as the common fiber
optic cables. The difference is armored fiber cables are with stainless steel
armor inside the cable jacket and outside the optical fiber, this stainless
steel armor are strong enough to make the cables anti-rodent and the whole
cable can resist the steps by an adult people.

 

Armored fiber optic patch cables are also
can be single mode and multimode types, the connectors optional including
commonly used LC, SC, ST, FC, E2000, MU, SMA, etc. Cable structure can be
simplex, duplex or multi-fiber types. Armored fiber cables from fiber-mart.com
can be with custom made colors and cable length, they are manufactured
according to industrial and international standards.