EuroWire January 2016

Technology News

New plenum cable compounds with enhanced flame and smoke performance

generically similar compound in the marketplace,” said Mike Patel, director of marketing and business development for the vinyl division of Teknor Apex. “They require no special equipment to process and can be extruded at the same high rates as standard Fireguard compounds.” Teknor Apex Company, a privately held firm founded in 1924, produces flexible and rigid vinyl, thermoplastic elastomers, nylons, colour masterbatches, speciality chemicals and hoses. manufactures compounds based on PVC, including Apex flexible and rigid vinyl, Flexalloy vinyl elastomers, Fireguard low-flame, low-smoke compounds for wire and cable, and BioVinyl™ compounds with bio-based plasticiser. The division is an international supplier to the appliance, automotive, construction, medical device, wire and cable and other industries. Teknor Apex – USA Website : www.teknorapex.com Its vinyl division

New flame retardant and smoke suppressant technologies have enhanced the performance of wire and cable compounds that were already the leading PVC-based low-flame/low-smoke products for plenum applications, according to Teknor Apex Company. Four new grades in the Fireguard® line of plenum cable compounds exhibit oxygen indices from 49 to 51.5 per cent. Shore C hardness levels range from 80 to 90. The new grades are Fireguard 910A-72-NL for jacketing ‘hybrid’ insulation in Category 5e and Category 6 unshielded plenum cables; Fireguard 910A-76-NL for jacketing ‘hybrid’ insulation in Category 5e and Category 6 shielded plenum cables; Fireguard 910A-79-NL for jacketing RG6 coaxial cable; and Fireguard 910A-80 UVF-NL for jacketing indoor/ outdoor fibre optic distribution cables. “In NFPA 262 flame tests, these new compounds generate lower levels of smoke and flame spread than any attenuation higher transmission quality: these are the significant benefits passed on to Datwyler customers, as the company switches to two new single-mode fibres: G.652.D (BLO) and ITU-T G.657.A2 fibre. In future the FO Indoor cables previously incorporating bend-optimised single- mode ITU-T G.657.A1 fibre will be supplied as standard by Datwyler with bend-optimised G.652.D (BLO) fibre – or optionally with bend-optimised ITU-T G.657.A2 fibre. The latter has been tried and tested in FTTx networks and data centres, with users benefitting from a low bending radius of 10 to 7.5mm for added operational safety. FO Universal and FO Outdoor cables will also no longer be offered with ITU-T G.657.A1 fibre but from now on – in addition to ITU-T G.652.D – will be available with G.652.D (BLO) fibre. BLO stands for ”Bend Losses Optimised”. The convincing argument for this new fibre is not only that it has improved attenuation properties, e.g. ≤0,21dB/km @ 1,550nm (installed), but also that it incorporates the essential advantages of properties and Smaller bending radii, improved

Single-mode cables with improved fibres

▲ ▲ Datwyler’s single-mode cables with improved fibres

the ‘old’ fibres, namely the comparatively large mode field diameter of G.652.D and the low bending losses of G.657.A1. Planners and network operators of LANs, data centres, FTTx and city networks gain from using cables with the new G.652.D (BLO) fibres in that they no longer have to allow for additional attenuation losses when connecting fibres of different mode field diameters. These fibres therefore give them and the companies installing them a greater safety buffer. Datwyler Cabling Solutions – Switzerland Website : www.cabling.datwyler.com

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January 2016