AFL – Fiber Broadband Association

AFL Receives Five New Patents

AFL — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 04:00:00 +0000

AFL, an international manufacturer of fiber optic cable, equipment and accessories, was awarded five new patents over the past quarter for technology and developments in connectivity and fiber optic cable.

Four patents were received for connectivity, two of which coincide with AFL’s ASCEND® high-density platform. The first invention is for the ASCEND high density patch panel with modular cassettes. These panels can be deployed in a chassis system with extendable drawers to facilitate moves, adds and changes within a connected network. The second invention is for a splice cassette that includes a splice holder that supports single and mass splices using the same components. This Poli-MOD splice cassette fits in locations where other ASCEND cassettes fit without requiring changes.

The next patent is for AFL’s NodeFLEX Bendable Cable Assemblies. The assembly’s fitting includes a flexible boot with integrated steel wires that allow installers to flex and hold the fitting at any angle up to 90° depending on the cable installation requirements. The fourth patent is for optical fiber trunk cable breakout canisters and assemblies in which the canister is designed to use like parts and provide ease of manufacturing.

Lastly, AFL received a patent for reduced-diameter composite downhole logging cables that contain both copper and fiber components. The design is smaller, lightweight and a more flexible alternative to traditional downhole cables.

For more information about AFL, its products and services, visit www.AFLglobal.com.

Patent recipients pictured (top to bottom, left to right):
Mark Vogel, Brett Villiger, Kyle Marchek, Tom Sawyer
Shirley Ball, Will Miller, Wink Courchaine

About AFL
Founded in 1984, AFL is an international manufacturer providing end-to-end solutions to the energy, service provider, enterprise, hyperscale and industrial markets. The company’s products are in use in over 130 countries and include fiber optic cable and hardware, transmission and substation accessories, outside plant equipment, connectivity, test and inspection equipment, fusion splicers and training. AFL also offers a wide variety of services supporting data center, enterprise, wireless and outside plant applications.

Headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, AFL has operations in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujikura Ltd. of Japan. For more information, visit www.AFLglobal.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and “like us” on Facebook. Review our blog or subscribe to our bi-monthly e-newsletter.

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AFL Introduces Compact, Long-range Visual Fault Identifier

AFL — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Westford, MA and Spartanburg, SC – AFL, a manufacturer of fiber optic cable, accessories and equipment, is launching the VFI4 Visual Fault Locator, an essential troubleshooting tool for fiber installation and maintenance technicians. This compact unit injects a high-powered red laser light that provides exceptional brightness and range for locating defects in single-mode and multimode fibers.

“As with all of our tools, the VFI4 is designed for real-world field testing,” explained Arun Jain, director of product marketing for AFL. “The VFI4 is small enough to fit on a keychain, yet has enough power to reach up to 10 km. It’s a must-have tool for any technician working on fiber-optic networks.”

The light generated by the VFI4’s eye-safe Class 3R laser “leaks out” from sharp bends and breaks in jacketed or bare fibers, as well as poorly mated connectors, enabling technicians to quickly spot faults. Uses include quick continuity checks, fiber tracing, splice verification and Pass/Fail validation for mechanical connectors.

AFL designs a host of test and inspection equipment that are easy-to-use and provide quick results, including OTDRs, fiber identification tools, optical power meters, test kits, cleaning and more. For additional information about AFL, its products and service, visit www.AFLglobal.com.

About AFL
Founded in 1984, AFL is an international manufacturer providing end-to-end solutions to the energy, service provider, enterprise and industrial markets as well as several emerging markets. The company’s products are in use in over 130 countries and include fiber optic cable and hardware, transmission and substation accessories, outside plant equipment, connectivity, test and inspection equipment, fusion splicers and training. AFL also offers a wide variety of services supporting data center, enterprise, wireless and outside plant applications.

Headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, AFL has operations in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujikura Ltd. of Japan. For more information, visit www.AFLglobal.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and “like us” on Facebook. Review our blog or subscribe to our bi-monthly e-newsletter.

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AFL Launches Apex Splice Closure Product Line

AFL — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 05:00:00 +0000

AFL has introduced the Apex family of fiber optic splice closures. The devices are designed to reduce installation time with easier to use sealing and cable retention methods. The Apex splice closures can be purchased in X-2 and X-2S sizes which have maximum capacities of 1,728 and 3,456 fibers, respectively, when using 200 µm SpiderWeb Ribbon. AFL plans to offer more sizes with lower and higher capacities next year. The company says the closures are ideal for use in enterprise/campus LAN, ADSS core, utility fiber-to-the-home, service provider access, long line and dark fiber.

Read more on AFL.

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AFL and SENKO Enter Into a License Agreement for the SN Connector

AFL — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 04:00:00 +0000

AFL and SENKO Advanced Components have signed an SN technology transfer and patent license agreement for SN connectors and adapters. According to the agreement, AFL will manufacture SN connectors and adapters while the intermateability standard is under development in IEC as IEC 61754-36 Type SAC connector. The SN interface has already been adopted in transceiver specifications of QSFP-DD and OSFP MSAs. The SN connector is a new, duplex optical fiber connector that uses LC-style 1.25mm O.D. Zirconia ferrules, designed for the next generation Hyperscale, Edge, Enterprise or Co-location DCI.

Read more on AFL.

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AFL Expands FlexScan Family With New One-Touch Optical Troubleshooter

AFL — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 04:00:00 +0000

AFL has added a new product to its FlexScan product line. The company’s new FlexScam TS100 is an optical troubleshooter that can identify, locate and resolve last mile network issues. The product allows beginner technicians to troubleshoot PON and point-to-point networks with ease. The new device also features a touchscreen display, Bluetooth interface and a 12-hour battery life. The FlexScan TS100 comes in a variety of kits that also come with launch cables, cleaning supplies and FOCIS Flex connector inspection probe and tips.

Read more on AFL.

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AFL’s Fujikura 90R Mass Fusion Splicer Receives 4.0 Diamond Rating

AFL — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 04:00:00 +0000

AFL reports that the Fujikura 90R Mass Fusion Splicer has received a rating of 4 diamonds by the 2020 Broadband Technology Report’s Diamond Technology Reviews. The Fujikura 90R, released in January, features an automated splice start, tube heater, wind protector and blade rotations. It is the ideal tool for mass fusion splicing. The splicer also has cleaver tracking, 200 m and 250 m SpiderWeb Ribbon universal ribbon prep accessories and a 5.0 touchscreen.

Read more on AFL.

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