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Net-Link Home Page : Fiber Optics : Case Study 6

CASE STUDY 6: Bifrangi UK Ltd, Steel Forging Manufacturer

	Location		Lincoln, Lincolnshire
	Duration		2 Weeks
	Client		Bifrangi UK Ltd (Lincoln Plant)
	Scope of Works		Installation of: Fiber Optic Backbone Cabling Voice Backbone Cabling Communication Cabinets & Accessories Fiber Optic Testing & Certification to 1000BASE-SX (Gigabit Ethernet) OTDR Testing Video Fiber Endface Inspection
	Project Focus
	Bifrangi UK’s manufacturing plant in Lincoln required a network & telephone cabling solution to enable the re-locating of various recourses & departments within there Lincoln site. This included the re-location of their CAD engineering department from there existing offices to a new purpose designed offices located within the Die Shop machining area and the demolition of the old unused Steel Cutting Store.
	The existing network infrastructure including servers & telephone system were located within the Communication Room in Bifrangi’s main offices and provide both computer networking and telephone services across the entire site. The existing CAD engineering department was also located within the same building as the main communication room & servers and required new fibre & voice backbone cabling installing to their new offices within the Die Shop machining area. A solution was sought to install a new 4-Core Fibre Optic backbone cabling link along with a new 20 pair multcore Voice backbone link to provide network & voice connectivity whilst maintaining existing services throughout the re-location programme. Both the Fibre & Voice cabling was installed from the existing communication room to the new CAD offices around the perimeter walls and underground ducting. The cable length was in excess of 450 metres and 0M3 grade fibre optic cabling was chosen along with external 1308 grade voice cable. Designation labels were attached to both the fibre & voice cablings outer sheathing at 10 metre intervals to enable future identification. The installation of the cabling was very demanding with site transport along with heavy machinery operating around the site.
	Within the new CAD offices new Category 5e cables were installed within new compartment trunking at the user outlets and terminated within a new wall mounted communication cabinet. Both the fibre and voice backbone cabling were installed and terminated within the same communication cabinet to enable simple patching and provide network & voice connectivity to the new offices. In addition existing network cabling circuits required re-connecting within new communication cabinet to maintain connectivity & production of CNC machinery which uses dedicated network servers to download production programmes. Monitoring equipment & Telephone services also required maintaining until switching over onto the new backbone links. Termination of the ST fibre optic connectors was carried out using a core alignment fusion splice used to terminate factory polished pigtail connectors onto the new cables ensuring minimum losses, and a far superior finish compared to other methods of termination including hand polishing & crimping connectors etc…
	An OTDR was used to test the losses by sending a trace along the entire length of the link which recorded each individual event and recorded the losses along the entire length of the cable. We further tested each link using a Fluke Certification tester which will simply give a pass or fail when testing Fibre optic cabling to a standard which in this case was 1000BASE-SX. (1000mbps). Finally a Video probe was used to capture end face images of each fibre core installed. These captured images form part of our testing criteria which provides our clients with the assurance of a quality installation. Following the full testing and certification of both copper & fibre optic cabling the network was patched onto the new backbone links and the existing CAD equipment including PC’s, Printers, & Telephones were re-connected to the network and telephone system and services were resumed. Following the successful installation, testing & deployment of the new Voice, Category 5e & Fibre Optic cabling a full comprehensive set of test results & warranties were handed over to the client.