Due to the rapid pace of global electrification, OMC is experiencing a surge in demand for its optoelectronic cable assemblies and industrial fibre-optic datalinks for high-voltage (HV) applications. Reliable interference-resistant and electrically isolated sensing, monitoring, data transfer, communications, and control in infrastructure across rail networks and power production, transmission, distribution, and supply are examples of mission-critical applications.
The proliferation of wireless, mobile, and smart technologies, the growing use of AI and cloud-based services powered by energy-intensive data centers, the electrification of transportation (via EVs), appliances (like heat pumps), and industry (like electric motors), and the quick expansion of renewable energy sources, along with the required policy support and grid infrastructure investments, are all global megatrends that continue to accelerate the demand for electricity.
In order to fulfill growing energy demands and contribute to the achievement of climate goals, these forces are all hastening the transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon electricity.
Because of the voltages involved, HV applications like power supplies and power distribution networks might benefit from optical isolation; yet, many providers find it difficult to achieve consistent performance in fiber-optic datalinks. In order to manufacture production quantities of complete fiber-optic datalinks with 100% consistency, OMC provides a fiber-optic link service that is specifically developed to fulfill the rigorous needs of the high voltage sector.
In order to guarantee that its fiber-optic datalinks operate consistently and dependably from link to link, OMC has coupled its 40 years of experience in manufacturing glass and polymer fiber optic cable assemblies with its own exclusive Active Alignment technology.
OMC powers on each active element and adjusts the device’s performance during the production of its housed optical transmitters (Tx) and receivers (Rx) to guarantee that each device’s electro-optical characteristics fall within a customer-specific performance window and precisely match the necessary performance specification, said its official release.
Equally, when manufacturing the corresponding optical fibre cable assembly to be used between the Tx/Rx, OMC’s unique production techniques help ensure a very high level of consistency of link attenuation which is matched to the Tx/Rx performance window, meaning that each and every link can be expected to function for the full design life, regardless of how the transmitters, receivers and cables are paired during assembly/installation.
In addition to glass and plastic fiber systems, OMC provides a complete selection of transmitters, receivers, and connector styles. Additionally, the business has extensive experience creating glass fiber and polymer cable assemblies to meet customer requirements.
Design engineers can avoid “mixing and matching” off-the-shelf components, which can lead to unstable systems, by using the company’s full datalink manufacturing solution. Additionally, OMC may offer advice on the appropriate technology to fit the application because it is technology-agnostic.
Global electricity demand is expected to keep growing robustly through 2026, despite economic headwinds, according to a new IEA (International Energy Agency) report. Electricity demand is set to rise by 3.3% in 2025 and 3.7% in 2026 – more than twice as fast as total energy demand growth over the same period. And while this has slowed from the 4.4% surge recorded in 2024, it remains well above the 2015-2023 average of 2.6%.
Leadership Comments
Explains William Heath, Commercial Director, OMC: “The dielectric construction and optical isolation of fibre optic technologies mean they are well-suited for high voltage applications due to inherent advantages including enhanced safety, resistance to high voltage breakdown, high bandwidth capabilities with low signal loss, immunity to electromagnetic interference and resistance to environmental factors.”
“Most manufacturers of optical fibre cables don’t touch the transmitter/receiver part of the link – and similarly, few Tx/Rx providers are specialists in fibre-optic cable assemblies,” explains Heath. “In our experience, most customers don’t want to get involved in either area: they simply have an electrical signal at point A and want a link that will convert it to an optical signal, transmit it, and convert it back to an electrical signal at point B safely, reliably and consistently from link to link. The problem is particularly apparent in high voltage applications, where tolerances can be very tight, and a lack of consistency between transmitter, receiver and cable characteristics means that customers must often go through a lengthy and costly selection process to yield sufficient complete links to satisfy a production demand.
“OMC specialises in the manufacture of both Tx/Rx devices, as well as the fibre optic cable assemblies to link between them. By tailoring our existing technologies to suit each application, we are able to supply production quantities of fully-characterised fibre optic links with 100% link consistency to leading producers of HV equipment used in mass transit, power generation and distribution, medical, radar and x-ray applications.”
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