If you have been following our blog, you know that slip rings help in the transmission of electrical signals from a stationary to a rotating component. As this technology has advanced, new types of slip rings have entered the market to meet growing demand. In this blog post, we are highlighting fiber optical slip rings and their applications. In addition, we will highlight the fiber optical slip rings offered by rotarX.
What are fiber optical slip rings?
Fiber optical slip rings are also commonly called fiber optical rotary joints (or FORJ for short). This solution is used in optical communications, in which light is used to carry the signal. This type of communication was first developed in the 1970s, and is favored when there’s a high bandwidth included, or when the signal needs to travel a long distance. Fiber optics are commonly used in the telecommunications industry to transmit telephone signals, internet communications, and cable TV. In addition, fiber optics is used for imaging tools, lasers, in seismic waves, SONAR and as sensors to measure pressure and temperature.
Advantages of using fiber optical slip rings
Fiber optical slip rings were designed to meet the growing demand for high frequency data transmission, as well as the transmission of large volumes of data. As a result, these slip rings are commonly used in applications where there is a need for high-speed data transmission, as well as video and data transmissions. Due to their design, the chances of the brush wearing out from the sliding contact mechanism is minimal. As a result, the lifespan of the slip ring is increased and maintenance required is minimal.
Fiber optic slip rings are available with both singlemode or multimode fibers. Singlemode have high bandwidth at wavelengths between 1,270 nm and 1,650 nm. Due to their small core size and numerical aperture, singlemode fiber optical slip rings must be precisely designed to mechanical alignments. Multimode fibers have large cores and large numerical apertures, allowing the propagation of multiple modes of optical energy. This allows for larger amounts of light to be transmitted from sources, including LEDs and VCSELs. However, this results in higher attenuation and dispersion, and multimode fibers are therefore typically used for shorter datacom links.
Products from rotarX
Our fiber optical slip rings are highly customizable to fit your needs. We offer 1 to 8 fiber optical channels, withFC, ST, SMA, or LC connectors. The fibers are available as singlemode or multimode fibers. In addition, the customer can select 2 to 72 rings for standard signal or power transmission from 5A to 10A each ring. The main applications of the fiber optical slip ring includes: satellite communication systems, medical treatment equipment, radar antennas, HD network monitoring systems, air traffic control, and camera technology.
At rotarX, we offer both a standardized and modularized design, and all products are fully customizable according to the special requirements needed. Please feel free to consult us in order so we can help you find the best solution.