Fibre optic cable designed for mining keeps dust and water out
Harting’s Expanded Beam Cable Assembly enables high-definition video signals that are used to control boring machines and associated equipment to be transmitted in harsh environmental conditions where standard fibre optic cabling may fail.
Digital applications are becoming more important to the mining sector, and as Conventional optical interfaces are sensitive to contamination, HARTING has developed a solution.

The industry requires high bandwidths to cover long distances, making the use of fibre optic cable essential, but since conventional optical interfaces are very sensitive to contamination, a hardy and reliable solution has had to be developed.

HARTING’s solution for data transportation under these extreme conditions is the Expanded Beam Cable Assembly. The assembly’s high bandwidth allows the high-definition video signals used to control the boring machines and associated equipment to be safely and securely transmitted. The fibre is contained in a connector housing that cannot be penetrated by dust, water or other environmental factors.

The hermaphroditic mating design of the expanded beam connectors ensures that regular disconnection and re-connection of the cabling in these environments is simpler than standard fibre optic cabling. The length of the optical connection is as simple as connecting an additional cable, with no need to spend time organising the laying direction or adding additional adaptors. As a result, the new assembly saves time and money by eliminating the need to match different mating faces in the field.

Apart from application in the mining sector, HARTING's Expanded Beam Cable Assembly can also be used to link networks in other harsh and intensive environments, including outside broadcast events, concert and music festival stage installations and container ports.