Fiber optic cable Application Practice and Prospect in Automobiles

Application Scenarios of Fiber Harness in Automobiles

Although fiber harness has demonstrated its capabilities in numerous fields such as medical, communication, and industry, its initial foray into the automotive field still faces numerous challenges.

Issues such as the need to solidify the basic theory, the urgency to improve technical specification standards, unclear test standards, and a lack of automotive application experience have become obstacles in its development.

1. Application of Fiber Harness in Layout Areas

The internal environment of automobiles is complex and diverse, and different areas have distinct requirements for fiber harness.

Areas such as the engine and chassis are like "vibration zones," where the continuous vibration tests the stability of the optical fiber. Areas such as the engine compartment and underbody are "water worlds," where waterproof performance is of utmost importance. In high-temperature areas such as near the exhaust pipe, high-temperature resistance becomes a difficulty that the optical fiber conductor and connector must overcome.

Based on this, the layout areas of automobiles are ingeniously divided into wet areas, potential wet areas, and dry areas.

Wet areas are the direct contact areas with the harsh external environment of the automobile.

The harness connectors in areas outside the passenger compartment such as the chassis and engine compartment are constantly at risk of being soaked by liquids under the impact of rain and snow. Potential wet areas are like hidden "minefields."

Unexpected situations such as opening the door on a rainy day or a water cup being knocked over can cause the harness connectors in areas such as the passenger compartment floor, door armrests, and seat surfaces to encounter water damage.

In contrast, the absolute dry areas composed of the interior of the instrument panel and the interior of the ceiling provide a relatively stable "shelter" for the fiber harness, with a very low risk of liquid contact.

It is worth noting that the waterproof and sealing requirements of the harness connectors also change in a gradient manner, from strict in wet areas to relatively loose in dry areas.

2. Application Solutions for Fiber Harness

To enable fiber harness to gain a firm foothold in automobiles, a series of targeted solutions have emerged.

Regarding optical fiber cables, their performance is ensured in all aspects, from material selection to process optimization and then to vehicle layout adjustment.

High-temperature-resistant materials such as silicone wires and XLPE wires are preferred, as they can maintain their insulation in high-temperature environments.

Special processes such as double coating and ultraviolet curing technology enhance the durability of the cables.

When arranging the vehicle layout, high-temperature hot spots are cleverly avoided, and at the same time, high-temperature-resistant aluminum foil fiberglass tubes are used for wrapping, providing an "insulating armor" for the cables to resist aging.

In the face of the challenges in wet areas, the optical cable constructs a multi-layer protection system, with a plastic sheath, a metal jacket, a water-swelling water-blocking layer, and an oil-filled cable core, providing layer-by-layer protection to ensure that the optical fiber remains dry and stable in a humid environment and can transmit signals stably.

The automotive optical harness solution of kaweei Optical Fibre and Cable is a powerful example.

Fiber connectors also spare no effort in enhancing their performance.

• There are continuous ingenious designs in heat dissipation structures, and multiple measures such as reserved metal parts, heat dissipation fins, and metal shells are used together to dissipate working heat in a timely manner.
• The selection of high-temperature-resistant materials is strict, and high-quality engineering plastics and special alloy materials each perform their duties to strengthen the high-temperature and deformation resistance of key components.
• The waterproof treatment is even more meticulous, with heat shrinkable tubes fitting tightly and sealants being airtight to prevent the intrusion of moisture and pollutants.
• The non-contact optical connector of Laitas Optics stands out with its excellent performance.

In addition, high-speed connection is achieved through optical fibers, and the electrical connection port is dedicated to supplying power to the sensor, with a clear division of labor and efficient coordination.

3. Conclusion

The tide of the intelligent development of automobiles is surging, putting almost harsh requirements on communication systems, with high speed, low loss, and anti-interference becoming essential elements.

Optical fiber communication wires have emerged in this transformation with their unique advantages.

Through an in-depth analysis of the application scenarios and countermeasure solutions of fiber harness, we can clearly see its unlimited potential.

Looking ahead, with the rapid progress of the automotive intelligence process, vehicle-mounted optical fibers will surely be deeply integrated into every corner of automobiles, becoming the mainstay in the field of automotive communication and driving automobiles to move forward steadily in a more intelligent and efficient direction.