Glass - Fiber-optic cables for PROFIBUS and Industrial Ethernet

The fiber-optic (FO) cable is used for transmitting signals with the help of electromagnetic waves in the optical frequency range. Fiber-optic cables are always recommended as an alternative to copper cables in environments subject to strong electromagnetic interference (EMI) if no equipotential bonding is to be provided, if the system is in the open air, or if no EMI is desired.
Glass fiber-optic cables are used to establish optical network topologies covering long distances, while for shorter distances, plastic fiber optic cable made of light-conducting plastics like polymer optic fiber (POF), or plastic covered glass fibers such as polymer cladded fiber (PCF), are used. Siemens offers a comprehensive system solution as part of its Totally Integrated Automation concept. In order to ensure high availability, the cables are monitored during startup and runtime for attenuation resulting from material aging.