Marmon IEI Demonstrates Next-Generation Class 4 Infrastructure with Sinclair® Digital

When updating corporate office and lab spaces, traditional AC line-voltage electrical distribution presents significant structural and financial bottlenecks. A conventional design for these spaces would require five to six dedicated 120V branch circuits, over 3,000 feet of 12 AWG copper conductors, 400+ feet of EMT conduit, and dedicated breaker panel positions.

Standard AC installations mandate licensed electricians for every line-voltage pull, conduit bend, and fixture connection, extending project timelines and driving up skilled labor costs. Reconfiguring lighting or media infrastructure with line-voltage systems requires physical rewiring, cutting into drywall, and disrupting building operations. Additionally, traditional electrical subpanels and IT switches consume valuable floor space and require dedicated HVAC cooling, adding ongoing operational overhead.

To address these challenges, Sinclair® Digital engineered an AGILE-CORE® distributed edge architecture adhering to NEC Article 726 (Class 4) standards and BICSI best practices. An AGILE-CORE® Headend Mini housed in a small wall cabinet in the lobby serves as the central hub, which eliminates the need for a dedicated electrical room or subpanel space. Two Class 4 home runs feed distributed BITS™micro ceiling enclosures. One serves the conference room and the other one serves the lobby and lab. Each run pairs Marmon IEI Class 4 16 AWG plenum copper cable for power with an 8-fiber tight-buffered cable for high-speed data.

Because Class 4 Fault-Managed Power continuously monitors the circuit and interrupts power within milliseconds if a fault is detected, the infrastructure operates with complete touch-safety above occupied ceilings. All edge devices plug directly into the local BITS™micro enclosures using standard Cat6 patch cabling. In total, the system unifies 25 LED luminaires (including 2×2 and 2×4 troffers plus decorative pendants), 7 high-power PoE digital signage displays and video conferencing bars, plus a smart motion sensor and programmable 6-button wall switch onto a single digital backbone.

Future installations can leverage the Marmon IEI suite of Class 4 hybrid (copper/fiber) plenum cables to deliver both power and data through a single, integrated cable for added efficiency. One hybrid run can power and connect edge infrastructure with PoE network switches that in turn connects edge devices such as lights, sensors, video displays and controls, both internal and external cameras, motors and pumps, or Single-Pair Power over Ethernet (SPoE) switches that can extend connectivity to the same types of edge devices over longer distances.

“Our in-house Class 4 deployment gave us the opportunity to uncover potential installation challenges, establish best practices, and identify ways to improve efficiency for our customers. In collaboration with Sinclair Digital, we transformed our lobby, conference room, and lab into a live demonstration of safe, network-managed power over Marmon IEI Class 4 plenum, fiber-optic and category cables.” – Marmon IEI Leadership Team

The project transitioned from purchase order in January 2026 to full operation in April 2026. Physical installation was completed in just 5 working days, and commissioning finished in 1.5 days. By substituting Class 4 plenum cabling for line-voltage branch circuits, the installation avoided an estimated 400 to 500 feet of EMT conduit and reduced total copper consumption by 35% to 45% by weight. Replacing hardwired electrician labor with low-voltage Cat6 device patching reduced overall installation labor hours by 25% to 35%.

From an energy and facility standpoint, native DC power distribution combined with occupancy dimming and centralized software scheduling is estimated to reduce lighting energy usage by 25% to 35% annually (saving 800 to 1,100 kWh per year). Operating at a day-one connected load of just 1.5 kW (~30% capacity), the system leaves 70% headroom on the transmitter shelf for future Phase 2 expansion without needing additional utility service. Furthermore, any future room reconfigurations can be handled in software or via simple Ethernet patch changes without calling an electrician.

Beyond daily operational use, the site now serves as a permanent live demonstration center for contractors, engineers, and enterprise clients evaluating Class 4 FMP to a wide range of edge devices via PoE and SPoE connectivity – all powered and connected by Marmon IEI Class 4 plenum and telecommunication cables.