Custom fiber optic data link design and manufacturing services for Industrial iot applications

     OMC now offers custom fiber optic data link design and manufacturing services for industrial applications that require the secure transmission of information in environments that are subject to electrical interference or contain combustible dust, which can lead to explosions.

     William Heath, Director of the OMC, explained: "The growing popularity of industrial iot practices means that more and more information needs to be transferred between the machinery and the control center of the plant. Wireless transmission is generally not suitable for harsh electrical noise environments, and traditional electrical solutions struggle when considering interference, high pressure or flammable materials."

     Industrial fiber data communication links utilize LED light sources, solid state receivers, and glass or plastic fibers to securely and reliably transmit data in industrial systems. Fiber optic SMA connectors are still widely used in the industrial sector due to their good track record and "fit and forget" nature. Due to their inherent robustness and low cost, polymer fibers are often preferred for short transmission lengths. OMC manufactures its own Tx/Rx components, as well as polymer and glass fiber components. As a result, the company can design and deliver fully featured fiber optic data links to meet the specific needs of a wide range of applications.

     In addition, its proprietary ACA (Active Component Calibration) technology ensures reliable operation of its fiber optic data links with 100% link consistency. During data link manufacturing, each transmitter and receiver device is powered on, calibrated and secured in place before the transmit power or receiver sensitivity is measured, device characteristics are recorded, and the performance range required for a particular application is ensured. This enables tighter performance tolerances, which greatly improves long-term reliability - and in particularly demanding applications, this can be combined with the company's proprietary KSMA connectors, with identifiable channel numbers, to ensure that the entire link performance measured during the manufacturing process is repeated by design in the field.

     Heath continued, "Our components and systems are designed to meet the requirements of industrial iot installations. Key-coded connectors avoid incorrect fit, locking nuts enhance safety, and all-metal housing construction reduces thermal problems. Rugged housing with flanges at secure mounting points to resist vibration and strain. In addition, when the application environment may contain very fine airborne particles (such as dust, flour, paint, or spray oil), the design of the device container allows fine particles that optionally bind OMC to enter the shield. If these particles enter the optical path between the transmitter/receiver and the cable, the link is broken. With the entrance shield, once the connector is inserted, an automatic airtight barrier is formed between the optical interface and the outside world, thus eliminating the entry of particles."