In a multi-channel system, the usual way to connect each fiber optic cable to the correct transmitter or receiver on the PCB is to label each cable with an identification sleeve and pair them according to an installation plan. However, this method is not foolproof, and it's easy to make time-consuming mistakes. Each variant of OMC's new family of key-coded SMA housings and connectors has all the benefits of the SMA connector: robust design, ease of installation, and a secure locking nut. But it also features two slots: a master slot at the 12 o'clock position to fix the orientation, and a second slot that can be in one of several positions clockwise to fix the channel number. With this key-coded system, it's impossible to connect the wrong fiber optic cable to the wrong transmitter or receiver. Connectors and device housings with custom slot positions for a higher number of channels are also available upon request if the application requires it.
The key-encoded system is available across OMC's entire range of SMA device housings, including its popular H22 PCB-mount housings (pictured), as well as its H1 turret-style receptacle and its proprietary Vertical SMA (VSMA) housings that occupy only 7 mm x 8 mm of board space. This new series of all-metal housings and connectors is precision-manufactured at OMC's UK manufacturing facility, and the company can align and house its entire range of multimode fiber optic transmitter and receiver diodes in any of the key-encoded housings.
As an added benefit, the slot system eliminates rotational variation in the pairing of SMA connectors, further improving performance consistency and link reliability.
Furthermore, the multi-slot system is precision-machined using OMC CNC sliding head lathes with a highly innovative iterative program developed by the company. This program continuously increases the angular separation between the two slots automatically from one part to the next, then etches the connector with a unique channel number for that angular separation. This means that a transmitter or receiver housing and connector will only match if they have the same channel number, identified through the etching. This unique and novel approach allows for the automatic production of more than 50 different unique pairings by the machine, providing consistency that was previously only achievable through laborious and costly manual operations.
Widely recognized as one of the world's leading manufacturers of industrial fiber optic systems, OMC's housed fiber optic connectors, transmitters, and receivers are primarily manufactured with all-metal designs and are used in industrial and other environments, such as mass transit systems, where longevity, reliability, and durability are essential. For many demanding applications, such as MRI scanners, life support equipment, power grid equipment, and secure, interference-free communications for defense and banking systems, standard off-the-shelf fiber optic components cannot meet the required optical performance window. OMC's patented active alignment technology optimizes each device and is fundamental to its broad end-customer base worldwide.
