UNCOVERING THE LAYERS
Mark Froggatt , Technical Director at BASEC
to reduce or eliminate the undesirable effects of electromagnetic interference ( EMI ). Pair geometry , choice of dielectric and shielding are all design considerations when manufacturers are looking to negate the impact .
The progression of established standards IEC , ANSI / TIA and EN , which specify the requirements of structured cabling systems has imposed higher requirements , in respect to the measurement of data integrity
and immunity to EMI . Test parameters have become more onerous . The key performance indicators for a data cable are attenuation and crosstalk , therefore in-depth tests have been developed to measure both . The tests determine the interference experienced , which in turn impacts the ability of the cable to transmit data without errors .
To enable verification of cable , it is advisable to ensure that structured cabling is purchased from a manufacturer who is certified by a third-party approval company . Approved cable benefits the end-user and installer alike , in that the likelihood of infrastructure failure down the line is significantly reduced .
Approved cable products are assessed to ensure that they are produced using only high-quality components and process , or factory controls are also audited as part of any certification to ensure standards compliance is maintained .
During the certification process , cables are measured against various performance parameters which reflect those the cable will experience during operation , considering environmental challenges it may encounter during installation and its life span . For example , thermal ageing and chemical resistance exposure are targeted tests used to qualify performance .
These tests act to give both the installer and end-user piece of mind that the cable being used can accommodate high demands for data while withstanding external influencers that would otherwise compromise performance and , potentially , the integrity of data for end-users .
The adoption of data cables in almost all industries has meant that transmission testing alone may not indicate the cable ’ s overall performance . For this reason , ANSI / TIA standards have developed a mechanical , ingress , chemical and electromagnetic ( MICE ) classification to determine the harshness of the cable ’ s surroundings .
Helping you safeguard networks
Any manufacturer going through the approval process is assessed on the basis of many contributing factors , www . intelligentdatacentres . com
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