SmartReel™ revolutionizes the entire process by offering an efficient mean to assess the cable’s status. An LC patch cord with an OTDR are all you need to get accurate length and attenuation readings, without any preparations!
Ensuring the integrity of the cable and determining the responsible party at each stage of the operation is vital. Traditionally, this involves a sweep testing process that can be time-consuming and requires a highly trained individual.
To perform a sweep test on a fiber optic cable, one must first remove the protective wooden slats from the cable reel. This step alone can consume up to 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the reel’s size. It will also leave the cable exposed and vulnerable to potential damage.
Then the cable sheath must be opened, fibers must be stripped and cleaned before it is ready for the operation. This preparatory phase can be an lengthy process, requiring anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, particularly for cables with a larger fiber count. Ribbon cables or gel-filled cables may demand even more time.
Labor expenditure has consistently constituted a substantial proportion of the total expenses associated with the establishment of fiber optic infrastructure. In some instances, labor costs can escalate to as high as 80% of the overall project outlay, with the remaining portion primarily designated for material expenses. Notably, fiber optic cables represent a fraction of the materials involved.
The sheer magnitude of labor costs within the fiber optic industry is nothing short of remarkable. To illustrate, the preparation and testing of a reel of cable with stranded loose tubes containing 288 fibers can demand the dedicated efforts of a technician for up to two full days, incurring a cost reaching up to $500 USD. The savings achieved with SmartReel™ are cumulative over time, and the reduction in costs is directly proportional to the number of reels that require preparation.
In the telecommunication industry where labor costs constitute a substantial share of the entire project budget, not only will the introduction of SmartReel greatly reduce the reliance on specialized expertise, but also ensure predictable project timelines, which in turn translates directly into substantial, tangible cost savings.
