Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1192126
44 I ICT TODAY conduit. Costs associated with the pathway are there regardless of which fiber installation method is chosen. For this scenario, consider an industrial facility that is in its infancy and is anticipating that future expansion will be needed as its manu- facturing processes increase. Blown fiber systems have been adopted by many vertical industries, including corporate campuses, airports, broad- casting studios, universities, health- care facilities and many government and military installations. An indus- trial scenario is chosen as an example due to its often challenging installa- tions, such as hazardous conditions, smart manufacturing's move to IoT that requires advanced networks and sensors for communication and automation, and the necessity to keep operations up and running 24-7 with little or no costly down- time or disruptions. The pathway in this industrial scenario is ladder tray that has been installed between the network rooms and control rooms at a 20-foot height (approximately 6.1 meters). The plant currently has one MDF where all the core equipment is located, and the customer has requested homerun fiber runs from each of the required locations in the plant. There are three IDFs in the plant, and the cus- tomer has requested 48-count SMF to each; additionally, the two sepa- rate control rooms require 6-count SMF to each. If conventional cabling had been chosen, a 48-strand SMF cable would have been installed from the MDF out to each IDF and to each of the control rooms. When using the blown fiber solution, an indoor-riser 19-tube cable is installed from the MDF out to a central location within the plant where a TDU would be placed. Each of the 19 tubes from this TDU loca- tion becomes a pathway for a fiber bundle. From the TDU at the central location in the plant, an indoor-riser 7-tube cable is installed out to each of the three IDFs; a TDU is placed in each IDF location. From the TDU at each of the IDFs, an indoor-outdoor special applications 2-tube cable is installed out to the two separate control rooms and is terminated directly into the equipment by splicing to a pre-terminated pigtail. The indoor-outdoor tube cable is used because the tube cable is going outside before entering the control rooms. A 48-count SMF bundle is blown from the MDF out to each of the TDUs in the IDF locations; then a 6-count SMF bundle is blown from the MDF to each control room, each passing through the TDU in the central location where the tubes are coupled. As a result of this installa- tion, five of the 19 tubes in the MDF have been used; one of the tubes was used in the 7-tube cable in each IDF and one tube was used in the 2-tube cable in the control room. With this solution, this facility can add addi- tional fiber to any existing location by having fiber bundles blown in with very few or no disruptions to the facility in the process. The labor required to add fiber conventionally would be much greater as access to the pathway would be needed again, requiring several technicians and lift equipment, thereby increasing safety risks and disruptions to the plant and its operation. ADDRESSING CUSTOMER CONCERNS There are some concerns regarding the blown fiber solution. One is whether it meets certain manufactur- ing cable standards. It must be kept in mind that blown fiber is consid- ered a field installable cable. The various types of tube cables comply with different ratings as previously discussed, and the overall products in the system comply with EIA/TIA If the network infrastructure is anticipated to be more static with few upgrades or expansions, then conventional cabling would most likely be the preferred solution.