products

FIBER OPTIC CABLING Unaffected by electrical noise (EMI, RFI, and lightning), fiber optic cabling provides a versatile, highly reliable means of extending signal communications. It can be used in areas containing rotating machinery, arc welders, and so forth, and can be installed in cable trays containing high voltage power lines, or in outdoor areas exposed to lightning hazards. Its electrical isolation characteristics provide protection from voltage differentials and ground loops. Fiber optic cabling used in this configuration is purchased by the customer. The recommended fiber optic cable is a multimode, graded-index glass fiber with a 62.5 micron core and 125 micron cladding with 0.275 NA (numerical aperture). Maximum allowable signal loss is 1 dB per km at a wavelength of 1300 nm, and 3.6 dB per km at a wavelength of 850 nm. Cables with different characteristics may not be used. Four fiber optic cables are required for redundancy, two for transmit and two for receive connections. For this reason, it is recommended that the customer purchase duplex cabling, which consists of two fibers intertwined in a single cable. The cables must be terminated with ST-type connectors and cable length may not exceed that specified for the module. Other cable requirements (such as flexibility, or durability) depend on the particular application. Check with your cable vendor/installer for a listing of application-specific cable characteristics. FCM10Ef MODULE DESIGN FCM10Ef modules convert 2 Mbps signals used by the FBMs, to 10 Mbps fiber optic Ethernet signals used with fiber optic cabling, and vice versa. FCM10Ef modules have a compact design, with a rugged extruded aluminum exterior for physical protection of the circuits. Enclosures specially designed for mounting of the FBMs and FCMs provide various levels of environmental protection for the FCM10Ef modules, up to harsh environments per ISA Standard S71.04. The FCM10Ef can be removed/replaced from the baseplate without removing power. Six light-emitting diodes (LEDs) incorporated into the front of the FCM10Ef indicate the status of network activity to/from the associated FBMs, and the FCM10Ef module’s operational status.