Dust-proof bulkhead receptacle protects fibre optic connectors
An enhanced version of OMC’s FDH1 SMA bulkhead housing, the FDH1M SMA housing has an integrated dust seal for signal integrity in materials processing applications and high dust environments.
Fibre optic datalinks are often used in processing plants, transmitting data to and from equipment such as industrial weighing scales and control devices. In environments with airborne particulates, such as flour mills or spray shops, dust or powder particles can over time work their way inside optical connector systems, becoming trapped between the fibre end face and the transmitter or receiver device. This, over time, can attenuate the optical signal and cause the link to fail.
The FDH1M SMA housing is designed to protect signal integrity in fibre optic links in dust or powder contaminated environments, such as materials processing plants. The housing is a rugged, all-metal design with square base flange, featuring mounting holes in each corner to bolt down to the bulkhead, securing it firmly and helping to resist vibration and strain. The all-metal construction is more robust than plastic housings, explains OMC and also helps screen the active device against radio frequency interference.
In this design, once the connector is inserted, the integral dust seal forms a barrier between the optical interface and the outside world, helping to eliminate particulate ingress.
The FDH1M SMA bulkhead receptacle is precision-machined and assembled in OMC’s purpose-built facility in the UK, and is available with a range of transmitter and receiver diodes aligned and housed within to form a dust-resistant transmitter or receiver module. The company’s engineering team has over 30 years’ of experience in the design of fibre optic datalinks and components, and specialises in tailoring their solutions to meet a customer’s bespoke requirements.
OMC was founded over 30 years ago as The Fibre-Data Group. It is one of the longest-established specialist manufacturers of optoelectronics in Europe, and is headquartered in Cornwall, UK. The company is accredited to ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007.
OMC pioneers the development, manufacture and application of LED and fibre-optic technologies for a range of industries, with four manufacturing divisions: fibre optics; LED backlights and optical mouldings; discrete optoelectronic components; and semiconductor (LED) lighting.
