January 8, 2014
Fragile Fibers
In the fast moving world of technology we are beginning to move from standard cables to fiber optic cables. However, why are fiber optic cables so fragile? Compared to cables that we are familiar with such as Ethernet cables, fiber optic cables are a lot easier to damage. In order to work properly they have to be handled with care.
Fiber optic cables have been around since the late 1840’s and over time have evolved into a resource that is not only very exciting in today’s technology, but also very unique. Fiber cables give us the ability to transfer data at the speed of light using clear tubes for the light to travel through. They were once made of glass, however are now made of plastic for durability and economic reasons.
As exciting as this new technology is, it is also very costly, especially when you consider how fragile they are. While working with them I asked myself, why are these cables so fragile compared to our standard cables that we currently use? I believe that it is due to the fact that they are made of a breakable material and are transferring light.
To test this theory I would start with two fiber optic cables and scope both of them. By scoping the cables I would document their initial condition. If they came from a sterile lab with good quality control then both cables should be in mint condition and sterile. I would take cable one, scope and document its condition before installation and very carefully install it into the machine I was working with, making sure that I did not remove the terminal casings until time of installation. I would then remove the terminal casings off of the second cable right away, exposing it to the elements that I was working under and allow it to become dirty and scratched before installation. I would scope cable number two as well to document its condition before installation. During installation I would also bend and twist the cables as I would any other cable during installation when plugging it into