The SC-compatible Crimplok+ Connectors From 3M Combine The Speed And Ease-of-installation Of Mechanical Splice Connectors With The Performance Of Fusion Splice-on Connectors. (Photo: 3M)

Attendees of the BICSI Winter Conference and Exhibition will have the opportunity to learn how the new Crimplok+ Connector from 3M can save them time and money on enterprise and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network installations without sacrificing signal performance or reliability. The 3M Communication Markets Division plans to demonstrate the connector in booth number 737 at the conference, taking place Feb. 12-16 in Orlando, Fla. Conference goers will also have the chance to try out the connector for themselves.

The SC-compatible Crimplok+ Connectors from 3M combine the speed and ease-of-installation of mechanical splice connectors with the performance of fusion splice-on connectors. (Photo: 3M)

The Crimplok+ Connector is the first-known commercially available FTTx field-mounted connector for 900 µm singlemode fiber that meets indoor and outdoor performance requirements without a splice, gel or adhesive. The SC-compatible Crimplok+ Connectors combine the speed and ease-of-installation of mechanical splice connectors with the performance of fusion splice-on connectors.

Using Crimplok+ Connectors can reduce equipment costs as much as 75 percent and save as much as 50 percent on labor compared to the common field-installation method of fusion splicing. Installing the connector does not require expensive equipment, such as fusion spicing machines. In addition, the installation process for the connector is faster and less craft-sensitive than fusion splicing. Technicians can quickly and easily install Crimplok+ Connectors using simple hand tools.

The connector is designed without a splice, eliminating a potential optical loss point. The absence of gel or adhesive alleviates performance concerns historically associated with mechanical connectivity. The Crimplok+ Connector is thermally balanced and is tested for indoor and outdoor FTTx and premises application conditions from -40° F to 167° F. The APC version of the connector maintains optical reflections of less than -60 dB. The connectors are RoHS compliant.*