There is a new Roxtec solution for shielding and sealing of fiber optic cable entries. It protects against environmental risks and shields better than any other solution. It is the result of the research and development in the electromagnetic laboratory located at the Roxtec headquarters.
“This combination of waveguide technique and seal performs way better than what is possible to measure and verify, even in our optimized lab. Even so, we can be sure that it covers all demands,” says Mikael Grudd, Technical Product Manager and Electromagnetic Specialist at Roxtec.
Finding the right balance
Roxtec experts within sealing and electromagnetic shielding have developed the Roxtec WGS (WaveGuide Seal) ES, to preserve the shielding performance of the system barrier even when routing unshielded fiber optic cables through it. Dealing with non-metallic fiber optic cables that contain nothing electrically conductive, neither a shield nor a metallic armor, requires new technologies. The idea behind the invention is to use the great sealing performance along with an efficient waveguide technique. Calculating on the speed of light, Roxtec has found the perfect balance between size and depth of the waveguide bores, like a filter preventing unwanted electromagnetic wave frequencies to pass through.
“It is a question of designing the waveguide system so that the electromagnetic waves cannot fit. When the wavelength is too large it cannot propagate through the opening of the waveguide which therefore acts like an efficient filter system,” says Mikael Grudd.
Challenging the extremes
The thing is that Roxtec has not just challenged existing attempts to meet basic needs. The experts have included the effects of plastic materials and created a solution that cannot even be compared to any other product. No other supplier can offer a combination of fire, gas and water sealing and extreme shielding effectiveness in a single solution.
“We decided to aim for the best. Even in the worst-case scenario, we know that our solutions can reach an attenuation of minimum 100 dB at 18 GHz. With this technique we have no problem reaching even higher if needed,” says Mikael Grudd.
For demanding applications
Suitable application areas for the high-end Roxtec WGS ES are laboratories and military applications. It can protect a wide range of non-metallic fiber optic cable applications.
“We always perform our tests with sealing systems packed with cables or pipes. In this case, theory corresponds to reality. The solution exists in several versions aiming for different demands. All versions cover at least HEMP requirements, while most of them aim for even higher demands.”
In other words, the new seal in stainless steel and rubber protects against the effects of high-altitude electromagnetic pulses generated by events such as nuclear weapon explosions in space. The solution meets the toughest standards and will be available on the market in 2022.
“Our customers can really rely on our sealing solutions for peace of mind,” says Mikael Grudd.
