FutureFlex® Air Blown Fiber System

The FutureFlex® Air Blown Fiber System is a unique fiber optic cabling system which uses either compressed air or dry nitrogen to blow small, light multi-fiber cables ("fiber bundles") into previously installed empty tubes ("tube cable"). Tube cable replaces conduit innerducts used in conventional cable installations. The ABF installation method is ideally suited for installation of fiber networks where a high quality, high efficiency fiber optic network is required, and unknown future network changes are expected. After the network of tube cable is installed, optical fiber bundle is blown into any route of coupled, empty tubing. Splice-free fiber installations up to 2 km can be installed using compact blowing equipment.

The FutureFlex ABF installation method has several inherent advantages over conventional cable pulling methods: (1) The fiber bundles are blown, not pulled, into the tubes, eliminating tensile stress on the fiber. (2) Field fiber splices are eliminated by the ability to easily interconnect tubes to create continuous routes for point-to-point fiber bundle installation. (3) The fiber bundle is installed at speeds up to 150 ft/min with minimum labor - only one trained installer and one assistant are needed. (4) The fiber bundles can be blown out and reused, protecting the initial investment and providing a quick method for restoration if a cable is cut.

Using the FutureFlex ABF System, major material and labor cost benefits can be realized. The initial fiber investment is minimized since there is no need to install extra, dark fiber for future use. Only the actual fiber counts & types needed are installed, and installed extra tubes are used as the cabling network requirements grow and evolve. The end user invests in fiber on an "as needed" basis. The high speed fiber installation technique translates into reduced labor costs and quicker response to the end user's needs. Also, the elimination of field fiber splices can greatly reduce labor costs.

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corp.'s FutureFlex Air Blown Fiber System addresses the concerns associated with designing a flexible cabling network. The FutureFlex ABF System provides a communications cabling network with nearly unlimited flexibility which eliminates network planning guesswork and meets not only today's known requirements, but also the unknown requirements of the future.

Recent Fiber Optic Projects:

• Texaco LAR, Wilmington - Facility Wide Air Blown Fiber Optic Backbone System.
• Texaco LAR, Wilmington - Numerous extensions / additions to the Air Blown Fiber Backbone System.
• Orange County Sanitation Districts - Numerous extensions / additions to existing ABF system.
• Baldwin Park Unified School District - Addition of ABF system to new buildings and classrooms.

Oak Park Unified School District - Extension of ABF system to maintenance building.