Taking the Stigma Out of Fiber Optics

When faced with the predicament of designing or switching existing data cables to fiber optics, the choice on paper seems to be easy as fiber offers data rates at lengths that copper cannot achieve. Maintenance and sustainability considerations, however, must always be taken into account and these are the aspects that usually cause engineers to raise their eyebrows. When people hear “about the size of human hair” when describing the core of a fiber optic cable, they get both excited and concerned. On the one hand, you have the massive difference in weight between copper and glass, and on the other hand, the fragility that must come with it. Cable and assembly manufacturers now more than ever have the tools to convince all the naysayers that fiber is the way to go. Whether selecting a cable that has gone through extensive qualification to standards such as ARINC 802 or just purchasing practical and easy-to-use maintenance and repair kits, it is possible to design stress-free using fiber optics.