Molex Introduces Expanded Reinforced Cable Assembly

Harness probe HRS150-H can be customized for other specifications

Photocoupler

Molex Corporation announced on May 20, 2014 that it has expanded its ruggedized fiber optic cable assemblies to provide high-reliability interconnect products for demanding environments, including aerospace and defense tactical communications, secure communications, live broadcast, petrochemical plants, mining, and marine systems. These highly rugged and user-friendly connectors require minimal cleaning and ensure repeatable, error-free optical transmission. They are designed to withstand thousands of plug-in cycles and support field installation and repair, helping to reduce maintenance downtime in critical applications.

The connectors use a lens system to expand and calibrate the light emitted from the fiber through a sealed connector interface. This creates a larger effective beam area compared to the original fiber core, making the system less sensitive to dirt and debris. As a result, alignment between connectors is more efficient, reducing the risk of signal interruption due to contamination.

Mark Matus, global product manager at Molex, stated, "In critical applications, any downtime is unacceptable. However, in harsh environments, traditional optical interconnects can become contaminated by dirt, dust, moisture, or oil, leading to system failures that require trained technicians to clean using specialized tools and solvents. Our new fiber optic components are less sensitive to these contaminants and can be easily cleaned on-site with simple methods like cloth and common cleaning solutions, ensuring reliable performance without long downtimes."

The fiber optic cable assemblies come in configurations with 2 or 4 fibers, supporting multi-channel optical interfaces. The contactless lens interface minimizes connector failure by preventing dust and damage during insertion or handling. A stainless steel housing option makes them suitable for use in highly corrosive environments. All components meet the MIL-DTL-83526/20 and /21 standards, ensuring high performance and robust communication links. Additionally, they are compatible with other similar products in the market, offering flexibility and reliability for a wide range of industrial and military applications.