īesides mechanical destruction, another reason why one should avoid excessive bending of fiber-optic cables is to minimize micro bending and macro bending losses. If no minimum bend radius is specified, one is usually safe in assuming a minimum long-term low-stress radius not less than 15 times the cable diameter, or 2 inches. The minimum bend radius is in general also a function of tensile stresses, e.g., during installation, while being bent around a sheave while the fiber or cable is under tension. The former is somewhat larger than the latter. The manufacturer should specify the minimum radius to which the cable may safely be bent during installation and for the long term. The minimum bending radius will vary with different cable designs. The minimum bend radius is of particular importance in the handling of fiber-optic cables, which are often used in telecommunications. The minimum bend radius is the radius below which an object such as a cable should not be bent. Cable with a seven-centimeter bend radius
