For Wires&Bytes 2021 was the year when we welcomed new members, one of whom is Dr. Petar Basic, an expert in fiber optics taking the position of VP Technology. We would like to share this extensive interview with Petar where he talks about his work, plans, focus and the engineering mission of Wires&Bytes.

Petar, you joined W&B as a VP technology, tell us please about your previous experience.

My career started in 1998. I majored microwave engineering and graduated in 1997. In those days I was dealing with computational electromagnetics, microwave antennas, wireless transmissions etc. Just about that time fiber optics started getting high momentum and I decided to switch to that field. My first involvement was helping new telecom operators to define, plan and design fiber optic networks in their efforts to introduce the broadband. Much of that was the hybrid fiber-coax technology at that time. As a consultant I worked with companies in Europe and overseas on starting and adapting new concepts and implementing the technology in their projects. I always liked to read the literature on the topic and had a chance to meet in person the pioneer in fiber optic sensing, Professor Alan Rogers. His books brought me to the field of distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS). He sparked in me the passion of using optical fibers in measurements and sensing and I have been spreading it ever since. Simultaneously I completed my MSc and PhD and used it to introduce some further concepts resulting in several deployments in different parts of the world.

Why did you decide to join Wires&Bytes?

What I like about W&B is an entrepreneurial and ready-for-any-challenge mentality that is seeking new opportunities, willing to innovate and propose products that will be a solution to someone. The mindset was the main reason for my decision. In addition to that was a modern, capable and growing production facility and family atmosphere there.

The cable range of W&B includes different kinds of specialty cables. Could you tell us about your personal favorites?

In the sphere of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) it is Non-metallic MultiSense (NM-MS). In a nutshell it combines two important features – stress-free fibers and stress-exposed fibers, both in non-metallic design. Combining these two is generally considered challenging to manufacture, as production must work smoothly on longer lengths and optical losses must be kept low. There are quite a few features we can possibly integrate and introduce in the MultiSense; today using standard and tomorrow with various high temperature polymers. The second would be the logging slicklines developed with our UK partners; electric, fiber optic and hybrid for downhole applications. The challenge here is to have the smallest, strongest and lightest designs with all the features the customer is expecting to have, and yet it must remain compatible with traditional downhole intervention equipment.

And concerning the “customer” question. Could you please tell what is the process of starting and getting the product ready for the market?

It starts in two ways: first, internally born ideas – in which we rely on our experience and knowledge and use them to develop new concepts, and second is externally born ideas, as the result of communication with the clients, listening to their plans, wishes and ideas, and then trying to address them with our capabilities and capacities. If one can combine both, one cannot miss success if opportunities are given.

And on average how long does it usually take to make a product?

I’d say development of a feasible and doable product can be anything between 3 months up to around 3 years in my own experience. Sometimes it takes quite a lot of time to find the right materials on the market and manage the resources. It may require building a testing facility from scratch for some challenging designs to avoid walking in the dark and get good feedback and directions for the next step in R&D.

What would you like to bring to Wires&Bytes?

Within the scope of our production capabilities, I see opportunities and focus on few specialty designs. I would define the features of these cables as – rich, stable, cost-effective which the customers can rely on. Ideally, they will be something that other companies can adopt and use to develop their technology and new applications. If we make our products affordable and simple, I expect we will increase the acceptance of our products in the market. That is the scenario I would like to see developing and that will be my contribution to W&B.

What will it eventually mean to the industry and the world? Will it be a safer place or a better place?

People traditionally see cables as something that is long, black, and ultimately simple. I believe this viewpoint will change as new features are added. As the equipment is directly exposed to conditions that can be extremely harsh it must stay there and operate for many years. Smart design and top quality are the only way forward for many cable productions. In many cases digitalization and virtualization start with the smart cable. And digitalization is a fast-running train today. Cables will inevitably be a part of that. Wherever we will be able to deploy “smart” cable, whatever kind it may be, we will have the means to acquire quality data without a necessity to be physically present there at the location. The cables will make “smart” the whole context in which there are integrated. Getting the data and information will help avoid dangerous situations, hostile environments for humans, and predict events including dangerous or catastrophic ones. Anything like bridges, tunnels, power lines, pipelines, pipes, geotechnical fields etc. should be digitalized and able to provide the data, all of that with low costs to be widely adopted.

I assume cables that Wires&Bytes produce are the cables of the future. Another important thing for the future is the green energy and we need to consider it as well while doing business. What are your thoughts?

We see that the world shifts to low carbon emission and energy-efficient economy. Smart, features-rich cables are the way into the future for cable manufacturing industry. DFOS systems have a lot to contribute there. In case of fiber optic cables, the only equipment that needs energy is a measurement unit sending the light into the cable and detecting backscattering or reflected light carrying the information. This works over very long distances and with a huge number of measurements points. The cable works for you there where you previously needed to provide energy source to power the equipment or needed to reach the place with the car or helicopter or ship. DFOS systems are intrinsically energy efficient and, in some cases, your only option.

What inspires you in your job?

I am always in search for simplest but good ideas that will help you make the next step. The inspiration can come from seeing it from other people, but also from reading books, from professionals in different fields and not only engineering, also from philosophy, art, literature, science, and religion. The inspiration is everywhere, and the real beauty of it is that you can find it in completely unrelated disciplines and then use it in your daily job in a new way. This brings colors to the daily job and life and it confirms the saying “find a job you enjoy doing and you will never have to work a day in your life” and in my opinion it’s absolutely true. This is maybe the key for what is called “a success”. In that respect travelling and meeting new people and cultures helps widen the mind and broaden the views and get new inspirations. The optical cables have helped a lot in these Covid-19 times when travelling was limited!

What is the mission of Wires&Bytes?

Using the cliché I would say the mission is to deliver the best quality, on time, with an affordable price for the customers. But there is more, of course. For W&B it is extremely important to deal with and understand the whole picture: from the needs in the applications, down to the details in the production. All these things are necessary to be recognized as the leader, and becoming the leader is the mission of Wires&Bytes.