Ortronics' exceptional Engineering capabilities and first-class R&D labs allow us to lead the industry in innovation and technology by developing, designing and manufacturing the most advanced, highest performing, easy-to-use connectivity products and structured cabling systems available worldwide. At Ortronics, we recognize the critical nature of our engineering resources. Our growing team of accomplished electrical, optical and mechanical engineers, with extensive design and development backgrounds, are responsible for an ever-increasing number of patents. As participants in many governing bodies, such as the TIA/EIA TR-42 Engineering Committee, the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Standards Committee, BICSI and ISO, the Ortronics Engineering team plays an active role in developing industry standards. More importantly, our ability to develop new products and technology at such a rapid pace continues to drive industry standards. "Currently, a heightened focus of our R&D efforts is on active testing for both copper and fiber," states Mark Martich, Ortronics vice president of Engineering. "We are one of the first companies in the world with the ability to conduct active testing on both copper and fiber at up to 10 Gigabits per second data rates, using Spirent Communications' SmartBits network performance analysis system. We use the data gathered to make sure our products are future proof. Our substantial investment in the best equipment and the most talented team of engineers sets us apart." In 2004, Ortronics will expand our copper lab by 50%. This will further enhance our mechanical capabilities with the addition of environmental stress testing, force measuring equipment and metrology tools. Because our labs are ETL certified, we are able to conduct testing on-site, and have ETL review the data in order to provide third party ETL Verification. In fact, Ortronics was the first in the industry to introduce an ETL verified Category 6 component compliant product in 2001. This groundbreaking line of Clarity® connectivity accounts for seven pending patents. Internationally, third party testing is conducted by 3P in Denmark. In addition to our work in copper connectivity, our outstanding fiber lab supports process development for advanced polishing techniques as well as a multitude of test equipment for all fiber types. Geometric measurements of fiber ends are made in nanoscale increments, utilizing the most advanced interferometric techniques available. The fiber lab employs multiple interferometers, each with a unique purpose, ranging from single connector to multi-fiber, ribbon array connector analysis. One of the most significant assets of the Ortronics fiber lab, and a direct benefit to the Ortronics customer, is the capacity to analyze dynamic transmission for applications destined to run over fiber in Premises or Enterprise networks, including Ethernet through 10 Gigabits per second. Active transmission testing is a critical process that allows Ortronics to understand, define and specify optical performance in order to develop the most advanced fiber based structured cabling systems available. Ortronics' commitment to engineering and design for maximum network performance is carried on through NetClear®, the Berk-Tek/Ortronics alliance. Ortronics and Berk-Tek have coordinated their lab facilities to ensure the unmatched, above the standards performance guaranteed by the NetClear solutions. NetClear combines the strengths of two industry leaders to provide optimized cabling systems that are backed by superior research, systems planning, certified installation, a 25-year warranty, and unsurpassed engineering and technical support. The capabilities of the Ortronics engineering team are enhanced not only by the state-of-the-art equipment and tools used in our labs, but also by the advanced software used for research and development. Product development and comprehensive systems design is done using both SolidWorks® and AUTOCAD® software for solid modeling. Product designs are modeled and then evaluated using ANSYS® finite element analysis (FEA) software for non-linear mechanical evaluations. ANSOFT software tools are used for electromagnetic analysis. To ensure that our product design meets all functional requirements for optimized mechanical, environmental and optical performance, Ortronics is ISO9001 registered. Our products meet or exceed relevant national and global telecommunications standards, are fully compliant with ISO/IEC/DIS-11801 and AS3080 Standards, and meet FCC specifications where applicable. The products are UL®, CUL® and CSA® certified where applicable. Ortronics provides complete enterprise enhanced copper and fiber optic structured cabling systems. Designing beyond the standards results in optimized network performance for emerging technologies now, and in the future. | | 
|
