AFL NodeFLEX cable assembly supports 90-degree bends
AFL has introduced the NodeFLEX cable assembly, a node cable assembly with a rubber boot that will support bends up to designed to 90°. The boot, which contains integrated steel rods, will hold the bend in place in both aerial and below-grade or pedestal applications, AFL says.
The company supplies the NodeFLEX cable assembly for armored or dielectric cable up to 24 fibers. Customers can choose from among multiple connector variations and furcation options. The 5/8-inch-24 UNEF fitting is IP68-rated for submersion in up to 3 meters of water for up to 72 hour for long-term reliability in below-grade installations, AFL adds.
“Bandwidth needs continue to rise, especially in our current global climate where working from home has become the ‘new normal,’” explained Will Miller, senior product manager for AFL’s Outside Plant Cable and Connectivity products. “Because the NodeFLEX cable assembly is the only product needed to service aerial and below-grade installations, MSOs utilizing hybrid fiber-coax networks can accelerate their node+0 and fiber-deep deployments.”
Miller added that the ability to use the same cable assembly in aerial and below-grade deployments halves the number of parts that need to be inventoried and maintained. “Additionally, technicians utilizing these products in the field have more flexibility to what is stocked in their trucks, requiring less trips back to the warehouse between work orders,” he said.
AFL’s NodeFlex cable assembly earned a 3.5 rating in sister site Broadband Technology Report’s 2020 Diamond Technology Reviews program.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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