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May 10, 2025
New Molding Technique Enables Faster and Cheaper Plastic Fiber Optics
A team of researchers at Keio University in Japan has unveiled a new multicore plastic optical fiber (POF) technology that may dramatically reshape short-range, high-speed communications in AI data centers. Led by Professor Yasuhiro Koike and Lecturer Kenta Muramoto at the Keio Photonics Research Institute, the team’s work tackles a core challenge in next-generation AI infrastructure: enabling faster, more efficient data transmission between densely packed GPUs and accelerators.
Unlike conventional glass fibers, which require complex manufacturing and alignment processes, the Keio team developed a one-step extrusion molding technique to produce multicore graded-index POFs. This method slashes production costs and complexity by a factor of 10 to 100 and supports a variety of core counts and layouts, all of which perfectly serve the evolving needs of AI computing environments.
Performance-wise, the results are equally as impressive. The team’s POFs achieved 106.25Gbps PAM4 signal transmission per core across 30 meters with high signal integrity and minimal error. Testing showed lower bit error rates by up to 1/10,000 to 1/100,000 when compared to traditional glass fiber solutions.
A unique internal structure within the fiber plays a key role in this performance. By diffusing optical coherence, it acts as a built-in volumetric noise reduction system, boosting transmission quality across all cores, whether in a compact 4-core design or a 61-core circular layout.
As AI continues to advance researchers must find ways to make AI computing more efficient in terms of performance, scalability, and cost. Keio’s multicore POFs and efficient manufacturing processes offer a compelling path forward. Learn more about this topic here.
Unlike conventional glass fibers, which require complex manufacturing and alignment processes, the Keio team developed a one-step extrusion molding technique to produce multicore graded-index POFs. This method slashes production costs and complexity by a factor of 10 to 100 and supports a variety of core counts and layouts, all of which perfectly serve the evolving needs of AI computing environments.
Performance-wise, the results are equally as impressive. The team’s POFs achieved 106.25Gbps PAM4 signal transmission per core across 30 meters with high signal integrity and minimal error. Testing showed lower bit error rates by up to 1/10,000 to 1/100,000 when compared to traditional glass fiber solutions.
A unique internal structure within the fiber plays a key role in this performance. By diffusing optical coherence, it acts as a built-in volumetric noise reduction system, boosting transmission quality across all cores, whether in a compact 4-core design or a 61-core circular layout.
As AI continues to advance researchers must find ways to make AI computing more efficient in terms of performance, scalability, and cost. Keio’s multicore POFs and efficient manufacturing processes offer a compelling path forward. Learn more about this topic here.
May 31, 2025
Tariffs Hit Ontario’s Auto Molding Sector
Tariffs Hit Ontario’s Auto Molding Sector
The center of Canada’s auto industry, Windsor, Ontario, has been feeling the sting of U.S. tariffs on auto parts. While much attention has been focused on large vehicle assembly plants, the real damage is being felt in the smaller, often-overlooked auto parts manufacturers — especially those involved in plastic molding.
Roughly 100 parts plants operate in Windsor and the surrounding area, employing about 9,000 workers. Many of these plants specialize in molding plastic parts for major automakers like Toyota, Ford, Rivian, and Lucid. But as the Trump administration's 25 percent tariff on imported auto parts takes hold, layoffs have become common.
At KB Components, where union chairwoman Pauline Ridley works, 100 workers have already been laid off across three local molding facilities. These plants produce intricate molded components such as seat components, fuel cap covers, and other plastic parts that often pass through multiple manufacturers before becoming part of a finished vehicle. Even the simplest molded item may be assembled, fitted, painted, or further processed by other plants, illustrating how deeply interconnected the supply chain is.
With U.S. companies unsure how tariffs will affect final costs, some are holding off on orders, thereby creating uncertainty for Canadian suppliers. Learn more about this topic here.
Roughly 100 parts plants operate in Windsor and the surrounding area, employing about 9,000 workers. Many of these plants specialize in molding plastic parts for major automakers like Toyota, Ford, Rivian, and Lucid. But as the Trump administration's 25 percent tariff on imported auto parts takes hold, layoffs have become common.
At KB Components, where union chairwoman Pauline Ridley works, 100 workers have already been laid off across three local molding facilities. These plants produce intricate molded components such as seat components, fuel cap covers, and other plastic parts that often pass through multiple manufacturers before becoming part of a finished vehicle. Even the simplest molded item may be assembled, fitted, painted, or further processed by other plants, illustrating how deeply interconnected the supply chain is.
With U.S. companies unsure how tariffs will affect final costs, some are holding off on orders, thereby creating uncertainty for Canadian suppliers. Learn more about this topic here.
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