AFL Launches New Mid-Range Cleaver Series

Designed for single fiber and angled cleaves

AFL announces the launch of its new mid-range cleaver series, both providing high quality cleaving at an economical price. Compact and lightweight, both cleavers are ideal for field installations and mechanical splices.

The CT-10A series fiber cleaver is designed for cleaving single fibers only with average angles of 0.5 degrees. The rugged yet scaled-down design offers a simple, single-step operation and high precision cleaves. An optional scrap collector is available.

The CT-11A single fiber cleaver is specifically designed for angled cleaving applications. Supplied with a factory adjustment to the industry standard of eight degrees, the CT-11A has the ability to cleave up to nine degrees. Rugged and durable, this cleaver is ideal for FTTH installers and others working in harsh environments.

Both cleavers incorporate an easily replaceable blade and cleave 250µm and 900µm fibers. The CT-10A and CT-11A are easy to use, simple to adjust and extremely consistent. For additional information, visit www.AFLtele.com.

Fuller Center for Housing of Spartanburg Receives Fujikura Foundation Grant

$3,000 supports revitalization of homes in Spartanburg County

Members of AFL Telecommunications’ Fujikura Foundation committee presented a $3,000 grant to The Fuller Center for Housing of Spartanburg, an organization that repairs and renovates home of senior citizens and disabled residents. The grant will support the revitalization of three homes in the Spartanburg area, ultimately providing the opportunity for citizens to stay at home as long as possible.

AFL plans to further support the Fuller Center by sending out volunteers from the company to assist at a home in the Reidville area. Volunteers will gather over several weekends to provide assistance with home repairs and grounds work in the fall.

“We were struck by the Fuller’s Center commitment to help those in need – especially those who want to stay in their homes, who are able to stay in their homes, and just need a helping hand to make it a safer place to reside,” said Corie Culp, community relations manager for AFL. “AFL is honored to assist our community and to a program that aids those in need.”

In 2005, Millard and Linda Fuller launched The Fuller Center for Housing which is currently building and renovating homes in 17 countries and 57 communities in the United States. Its mission is to help the more than one billion people worldwide who live in poverty housing and the 100 million who are homeless.

For additional information on AFL Telecommunications and the Fujikura Foundation, visit www.AFLtele.com.

AFL Telecommunications Launches New Specialty Fusion Splicers

Innovative fiber fusion splicer first in company's ARCMaster™ product line

AFL Telecommunications is launching two new fiber optic fusion splicers: the FSM-100M and the FSM-100P for splicing polarization maintaining (PM) fibers. Both new specialty fiber fusion splicers offer a host of innovative technologies to address the rapidly expanding splicing needs for factory, manufacturing, laboratory, and R&D applications. The technologically superior splicing machines incorporate multiple pending patents.

"The 100M and 100P series splicers further position Fujikura as the dominant player in the specialty splicer market. We are proud to offer customers around the world splicing products that are adaptable for a variety of specialty splicing needs, reliable, and consistent in performance, while providing a real value," said Kiyoshi Nakajima, General Manager; Splicer Business at Fujikura. "This new family of splicers is being introduced as the "ARCMaster" series because of the unique capabilities to control the plasma zone of the fusion arc. These capabilities will revolutionize the way users splice various types of specialty fibers, including LDF, low contrast PM, and holey / micro-structured."

Fujikura's new "ARCMaster" splicers are engineered with a robust set of features that offer customers technology and reliability not available elsewhere:

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  Patented "split v-groove" clamping system – accommodates optical fiber ranges from 60µm to 2000µm for cladding or coating without changing v-grooves or fiber clamps.
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  Dual PM alignment technologies – Called IPA (Interrelation Profile Alignment), this new technology properly aligns and splices the increasing and technically challenging variety of PM fibers. The FSM-100P includes both traditional PAS alignment as well as the new IPA technology, providing users with the most comprehensive capabilities on the market for splicing PM fiber. IPA also enables accurate PER estimation for all PM fiber types.
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  "Plasma Zone" fiber positioning – "ARCMaster" splicers incorporate multiple fiber and electrode positioning techniques in order to provide unprecedented versatility for splicing LDF as well as heat sensitive or small diameter fibers.
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  Special arc calibration technology – facilitates an easy transfer of high end splicing applications from R&D to production by ensuring consistent performance and enables full exploitation of "Plasma Zone" capabilities.
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  Improved splice loss estimation technology – Combining the best features of both cold and warm splice imaging, these new generation splicers offer unprecedented accuracy for splice loss estimation.
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  Zero degree fiber holder position – For splicing LDF fibers with minimal core angle, the fiber holders are horizontally positioned relative to the v-grooves thus minimizing higher order modes in double clad fibers. LDF splicing performance is also enhanced by the capability to mount the fiber holders in reversed orientation.
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  Enhanced sweep arc technology – Increased travel range for "sweep arc" provides improved MFD matching capability and the ability for reshaping non-circular fibers in preparation for splicing.
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  Production friendly design – A low profile design that eliminates fiber catch points, the dimensions of both splicers are consistent with the most popular production splicing work-benches in use today.
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  Internet firmware updates – An industry first! Customers can now upgrade firmware as new capabilities become available from Fujikura. Upgrading is as simple as connecting a USB cable to your splicer.

The need for Accurate, Reliable, and Consistent splicing is expanding to new applications beyond telecommunications. Today splicing is used for fiber lasers, sensors, medical applications, and research and development. These new "ARCMaster" fusion splicers from Fujikura have been developed to provide the ultimate in performance and flexibility for a variety of customers and markets.

Additional information can be found at www.StateoftheARC.com. Stay tuned to www.StateoftheARC.com for forthcoming additions to the "ARCMaster" family of specialty fusion splicers where incremental capabilities, such as X-LDF splicing, will be announced.

Fujikura Europe Ltd Opens European Service Centre for AFL Noyes Test & Inspection Equipment

AFL Telecommunications and Fujikura Europe Ltd. today announced its new European Service Centre for AFL-Noyes fibre optic test and inspection equipment will open on 1 September 2010. Highly skilled technicians will be available to service, calibrate and repair the entire Noyes product line including, OTDRs, optical power meters and fiber identifiers.

"Both Fujikura Europe and AFL-Noyes have an exceptional track record of providing our customers with excellent service. Adding a repair facility in Europe is another way we are working to add value and to enhance our efforts to please our customers," said Max Penfold, Sales Director for AFL-Noyes. "This facility will provide a more convenient and efficient option for our customers that require quick-turnaround repairs."

Fujikura Europe Ltd. and AFL Telecommunications are sister companies and co-operate closely to ensure customers receive the highest levels of support for Fujikura fusion splicers and now Noyes test equipment. For further details, please contact service@fujikura.co.uk or call +44 (0) 208 240 2020.

AFL Launches New RFoG WDM Module

AFL Telecommunications is introducing its newest WDM module supporting the latest platforms in PON technology. The RFoG WDM Module supports wavelength management requirements of 1310, 1490, 1550, 1590 / 1610nm wavelengths. Designed in a traditional LGX® module, virtually all connector types are an option including high density platforms delivering up to three discrete devices in a single-width module.

The RFoG WDM module’s features include flexible packaging options, low excess and PDL (Polarization Dependent Loss) monitoring / tap ports. Applications include FTTx networks, access networks and CATV links. For additional information, www.AFLtele.com.

AFL Expands Interconnect Premise MicroCore™ Cable Product Line

AFL Telecommunications announces the expansion of its Interconnect Premise MicroCore cable product line of high density fiber optic cables. Now encompassing up to 48 optical fibers in a single high performance package, this interconnect cable has an overall diameter of 4.8mm, is approximately 20% smaller than other similar industry solution's and is uniquely suited to support high density array-type MT/MP connectors. Integration of the all-dielectric strength members within the core of the cable enables the potential for direct termination schemes eliminating the need for bulky transitions that rob valuable space. Additionally, the round construction of this line of cables eliminates concerns over preferential bend radii in traditional premise-stacked ribbon designs.

The inclusion of OM3 or OM4 Laser-Optimized 50µm Graded-Index multimode fibers provides a high performance connection to meet the emerging bandwidth demands of 40Gb Ethernet or greater network architectures. For additional information on this product and other fiber optic cables and accessories, visit www.AFLtele.com.

AFL and Winchester Electronics Partner Offering Fujikura Fusion Splicers for Broadcast SMPTE Cable

AFL Telecommunications and Winchester Electronics have partnered to develop a customized Winchester KINGS® brand Fujikura fusion splicing system for installation of their Fiber Optic Tri-Loc® Camera Connectors for SMPTE 311 hybrid fiber optic cable and the AFL FuseConnect™ field installable connectors.

Splicing of the Tri-Loc connector is performed using a special cable clamping system along with fiber holders designed to accept the Tri-Loc termini. This design allows for the use of a standard length connector housing for the connector. Both the V-groove and core alignment splicer models retain standard splicing functionality while incorporating enhanced features to provide the most reliable fusion splicers in the market today. The new rugged construction adds improved reliability by resisting shock, dust and rain.

"Customers using Fiber Optic Tri-Loc Camera Connectors now have an easy and affordable way to install these in the field," said Greg Pickeral, Product Manager of Fusion Splicing Systems at AFL Telecommunications. "Our design retains all the standard functionality of both the 60S and 18S making this a truly versatile tool for those who install the Winchester Tri-Loc connectors or just splice standard fiber optic cables."

Winchester Electronics, a leader in design, development and deployment of interconnect technology, designs and manufactures an extensive range of interconnect products, value-added cable and electromechanical assemblies. In partnering with AFL, Winchester adds a new product to the mix – a fiber optic fusion splicer customized for the broadcast market.

"Winchester is excited to offer our customers the ability to fusion splice our Fiber Optic Tri-Loc Camera Connectors using customized Fujikura splicers," said Mark Yanzo, Marketing Manager for Winchester Electronics. "The partnership of Winchester and AFL delivers the best performance and value in the industry."

The broadcast fusion splicer is available now from Winchester Electronics. For additional information, visit www.AFLtele.com or www.winchesterelectronics.com.