New-Tech Europe | June 2017

Connectors & Cables Special Edition

Copper vs. Fiber: Which Cable Do You Need?

Brian Shuman, Belden, Inc.

Copper cables: The classic cabling mix Copper cabling is the traditional option in industrial installations and is best suited for the majority of industrial data transmission needs. Copper cables come in a variety of forms, including Cat 5e, Cat 6 and Cat 6a twisted pair cables using any number of conductor types, insulations, shielding and jackets. Armoring is also available for extremely harsh environments. Cat 5e cables are the most widely used copper cables today, but new installations favor the use of Cat 6 cables to meet required Gigabit speeds and increased headroom. Cat 6a cables are also an option for extreme future-proofing, minimizing the lack of bandwidth and headroom. Teams must be careful when using copper cabling as it can stimulate potential failure points due to ingress from electrical noise, as also known

as, electro-magnetic or radio frequency interference. In light of this risk, these cables can also limit bandwidth capacity and signal transmission at extended distances. Fiber optic cables: The ultimate for future-proofing Fiber optic cabling is ideal for industrial environments where high-speed, high- bandwidth data solutions are needed. Because fiber optic cables are typically superior in bandwidth, low attenuation and complete electrical noise immunity, more information can be carried across the network without interruption. They are also smaller and lighter than copper cables, extremely durable and intrinsically safe, with no risk of spark hazards. Fiber optic Ethernet cables are available for both indoor and outdoor use, including situations where cables need to be buried underground. For example,

Engineers strive for maximum productivity with minimal downtime, but this goal is only attainable with the right network infrastructure. No matter the industry, if a team doesn’t have the right cabling system in place, network reliability and performance can be compromised, leading to very costly production downtime. This is why investing in high-quality, rugged cabling is crucial – it can reduce both the direct and indirect costs of network failure and give you peace-of-mind that the system is working properly. There are a variety of cabling options out there, so how do teams know they have the right one to support their specific infrastructure and network requirements? Deciphering whether you need fiber or copper cabling is a great place to start.

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