Our Project Success

ASSET INVENTORY

TOP Engineers Plus was called upon to perform this audit of fiber optic infrastructure assets for an electric cooperative because of demonstrated experience in the field of fiber optic infrastructure. We implemented a coordinated approach to document existing facilities using laser-based field tools and mobile software applications to measure, model and document facilities. We identified and documented existing fiber optic assets, tracked fiber path, identified routes, and labeled fiber. Documented underground facilities and coordinated with the aerial team regarding transformation from overhead to underground.

Nearly 1.5 million feet of cable metadata surveyed; nearly 1800 network features documented with GPS; all survey data placed into Fiber Management tool. The information was used to develop confirmable documentation for the client to reflect the magnitude and complexity of an extensive network of fiber. We utilized established foundational processes to capture information, provide documentation and facilitate communication to keep projects on task, on schedule and on budget. By systematically providing updates, documenting progress and enabling cooperation, a culture of communication was established to provide an opportunity to resolve outstanding issues in a timely manner.

FIBER BACKBONE AND FIBER TO THE HOME

TOP Engineers Plus provides design services to an electric utility organization for their critical communications infrastructure backbone and their Fiber to the Home (FTTH) program. TOP Engineers Plus performs field surveys starting from the electric substation going out through the electric distribution feeders to the customer homes. The tasks have drawn on TOP Engineers Plus’s extensive knowledge of the Electric Distribution Overhead and Underground Standards.

TOP Engineers Plus has worked closely with utility engineers to implement cutting edge FTTH requirements in the Outside Plant Designs. TOP Engineers Plus incorporates the use of Corning Fiber Configurator to support the development of a comprehensive bill of materials and the use of CrescentLink for Fiber Management documentation. Detailed Engineering Design Packages are produced that include data from Field Surveys, Make-Ready assessments, detailed route analysis, and facility entry requirements.

FIBER BACKBONE

TOP Engineers Plus provides communications engineering design services for critical communications infrastructure backbone that has drawn on TOP Engineers Plus’s extensive knowledge of electric distribution overhead and underground standards. TOP Engineers Plus worked with the client’s engineers to establish internal standards for the deployment of fiber optic cable in every aspect of their infrastructure. This includes developing a comprehensive bill of materials, establishing design standards, prioritizing routes, establishing budget requirements, and producing anticipated construction estimates. Detailed engineering design packages are produced that include data from field surveys, make-ready assessments, detailed route analysis, and facility entry requirements. The detailed engineering design packages are then used to support the bid process to obtain construction resources for installation. TOP Engineers Plus has supported the installation process of a pilot and one phase of construction and is preparing to go to the construction of the next phase of infrastructure installation.

TOP Engineers Plus used its extensive knowledge of the underground system to properly survey, identify route and conduit options and document for future design use. After the desired route was selected, TOP Engineers Plus conducted the survey, design, and installation of the fiber optic cables. Some manhole to manhole paths included the installation of Maxcell, a multi-envelope system for dense cable pulls, to maximize the flexibility for the owner to use in the future. Efficient use of the underground ducts, even by communications providers, is absolutely critical because the placement of a new duct bank is prohibitively expensive. TOP Engineers Plus also designed the layout for the demarcation between the outside plant and the internal low voltage wiring.

Inside Plant Design for the installation of structured wiring for data and telecom required the technical expertise necessary to properly design the low voltage structured wiring for Data and Telecom in a multi-disciplinary fast paced construction environment. TOP Engineers Plus was responsible for consolidating the designs for other disciplines such as Security, Access Control, and Multi-media. Through collaboration and creative problem solving, TOP Engineers Plus was able to play a key role in moving this project forward. TOP Engineers Plus directed the services of a key subcontractor to provided installation of the Designs that TOP Engineers Plus developed. Schedule constraints, changes between disciplines, and physical obstacles were evaluated and addressed in a timely manner to make sure that the client obtained the desired outcome. Unique circumstances that presented variations to the design included access from crawl spaces below the building to serve multi-dimensional uses on the floor above. TOP Engineers Plus was able to overlay the infrastructure design to make sure the paths avoided critical facilities in the basement but still provided useful location for the desks on the first floor.