Sep 12 2007
Stratos Optical Technologies, a leader in fiber optic connectivity and OEO solutions for commercial and military applications, announced that the company now offers increased packaging density as a new custom manufacturing option for their optical flex circuit products. This newly available option enables increased OEM miniaturization and lower assembly costs for in-device and between-device fiber management.
Stratos named their new optical flex circuit design the "Shuffle" because the fiber channels can criss-cross each other for optimum routing paths.
For fiber management within OEO devices operating in harsh environments such as military tactical applications, Stratos backplane flex circuits are now available with chemical-resistant coating, which encapsulates the individual fibers for added protection against exposure to jet fuel, de-icer fluid, harsh cleaners, alcohol, and other corrosive liquids.
For fiber management between OEO devices on a single rack, Stratos Shuffle flex circuits are now available with custom over-molding, which provides improved strain relief, customized mounting capability, and superior fiber management aesthetics. Custom over-molding also eliminates the need for additional cable management equipment or straps.
Stratos Optical Technologies is the only supplier of optical flex circuits that combines custom design with fully-automated manufacturing for both backplane and Shuffle flex circuits, delivering the highest level of build consistency available in the industry.
"These new custom manufacturing options enable us to meet a wider range of OEM and enduser fiber management needs than ever", said Rob Wheeler, product manager of Stratos Optical's flex circuit product line. "For commercial and military applications, we now offer the broadest possible range of high-reliability fiber management solutions to satisfy any on-PCB and between-device requirement."
Stratos Optical's flex circuit design accommodates all fiber types, including singlemode, multimode, plastic fiber and radiation-hardened fiber. Stratos is also the only manufacturer that can deliver 100% compatibility with all optical connector types. Standard design features include controlled radii to eliminate fiber optic bend loss, three-dimensional fiber management, multifiber bus creation, and precision-matched fiber lengths. All Stratos Optical flex circuits operate in a temperature range of -40°C to +85°C.