Terminating and Stripping for Fiber Optics

For any fibre optic network, the fibres must be correctly connected. A reliable connection will keep the network running smoothly by reducing light loss and preventing moisture or dirt from entering the connector.

To connect to other devices or equipment, an optical fibre must be terminated with a Fiber Cable Stripping Machine. This involves either attaching a connection at its end or directly connecting it to another fibre, a process known as splicing. A connection allows the two fibres to be removed for testing or to change the cable's path, whereas splicing is permanent.

Splicing methods were compared.

There are two types of splicing: mechanical and fusion. Mechanical splicing involves aligning the ends of two fibres such that light can pass through, and then using a cover to permanently lock them together. Fusion splicing commonly employs an electric arc to melt the ends of two fibres and form a permanent weld.

When comparing these two procedures, mechanical splicing is simple, and the coverings are small and inexpensive. Fusion splicing, on the other hand, necessitates the use of a pricey fusion splicer machine, but it results in a connection with lower gearbox losses and reflectivity than mechanical splicing, as well as a more reliable connection that does not require polishing.

Connector Termination Methods

To terminate with a connection, one approach is to utilise a 'pigtail', which is a short single optical fibre with a connector pre-installed at one end. The bare fibre end can be spliced to the main fibre, usually using fusion splicing, to terminate it. If it is a multi-fiber cable, each component fibre can be attached to a distinct pigtail, and therefore to a different connector.

The purpose of crimping with the Fiber Crimping Machine

The installer can either glue or crimp the connector to the fibre. An epoxy or other adhesive can be used to bond the fibre into the connector's ferrule, after which the fibre end can be polished. The epoxy must cure, which can take overnight or be expedited with a curing oven.

Crimping is an alternate method of connecting the connector, in which a Fiber Crimping Machine applies mechanical force to a crimp barrel, deforming it and forming a tight bond with the connector.

Next: The Ultimate Guide to Fiber Optic Amplifiers

Fiber Optic Strippers: Know About the Finesse

The core technology of Fiber Cable Stripping Machine is fairly simple. The transmitter uses a blinking LED or laser, and the light travels down the fiber optic link to the receiver, which counts the blinks and translates them into digital or analog electrical impulses. It's straightforward, with one caveat: the wavelengths used in fiber optic communications are higher than those visible to the human eye, thus a technician staring at the tip of a fiber optic connector will not see the blinking signal. 

A fiber that has not been properly prepared cannot be fully inserted into a connector, as there are openings in the back of connectors and splices. At that point, the only choice is to re-strip the fiber to remove the coating, however, the fiber frequently breaks at this stage, so the entire procedure must be repeated. This is one of the primary reasons why, when installing new fiber optic cables/links, there should be a lot of extra fiber cable at each end of the planned connection, as breaking the fibers during the connectorization process is quite common, and technicians should expect to break the fiber strands a couple of times during the manipulation and necessary stripping of the fiber strand.

While technicians must have certain hand skills, using a high-quality Fiber Cable Cutting Machine makes the operation easier and more exact. The common strippers provided with fiber optic tool kits are of the cheap sort, and they frequently need to be modified since the stripping slot may have left the manufacturer with a diameter aperture that cuts into the fiber strand more than necessary, resulting in a broken fiber. In addition, pirated versions of the typically affordable strippers have made their way to our shores.

If a technician notices that they are constantly breaking the fiber when stripping, the Fiber Cable Stripping Machine has to be adjusted. In most situations, fiber strippers' stripping slots may be changed with a tiny Allen wrench. Techs must be careful not to turn the adjustment nut more than a half turn; remember, we're working with microns. A clockwise adjustment widens the slot, while an anticlockwise adjustment tightens it.

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