Fiber Optic Patch Cord and Pigtail Manufacture Line Tools and Machine
Many people use hardware store epoxies, Crazy Glue, or whatever else is handy in an attempt to save time. The results are often disastrous!
Epoxy/polish connectors take a couple of minutes each to inject epoxy, strip and insert a fiber and put them in the curing oven. With low loss connectors and a good polish, meeting loss budgets is easy.
Optical Fiber Pigtail
Typically used in the last mile of fiber to connect users to pre-existing underground and aerial networks, an optical fiber pigtail is a cable with a connector installed on one end and bare fiber on the other. The connector end is spliced to the optical fiber network using either fusion or mechanical splicing techniques.
Pigtails come in different lengths, connector types and strand counts. They are also categorized by their wavelength and transmission distance, such as single mode versus multimode. They can be fitted with male or female connectors, enabling them to be used with either a splice tray or patch cord.
The splicing process for a fiber optic pigtail involves two processing steps: preparing and terminating the fibers. In the preparation phase, the fibers are stripped of their protective coating and cleaned. They are then cleaved to ensure that they have smooth, flat ends. In the termination phase, a ferrule is inserted onto the cleaved end of the fiber. The ferrule is then coated with epoxy and cured.
When installed in a network, a pigtail provides high-quality performance. Since its connected end is epoxy-glue-patch-cord-and-pigtail-manufacture-line-tools-and-machine factory-installed, it has greater precision than field-terminated cables. It also takes just a minute or less to install using a fusion splicer. This saves time and money compared to traditional epoxy and polish connections, and it allows for quick testing of the connection.
Fiber Patch Cord
Fiber optic patch cords and pigtails are often used in high-speed networks, such as Gigabit Ethernet, to ensure that data transfers are as fast and secure as possible. This is particularly important for network applications that require a large amount of bandwidth, such as those running in data centers. These cables are available in a variety of lengths, from just a few meters to dozens of meters. They can also be manufactured with a variety of connector types, including SC, LC, ST, and MPO.
A fiber patch cord is a fiber-optic cable capped at both ends with connectors that allow it to be rapidly and conveniently conjoined to CATV, optical switches, and other telecommunications equipment. It can be made in a variety of fiber count options, from simplex (1 fiber) to duplex (2 fibers), and it can be armored or unarmored.
Using the right adhesive is critical to producing quality patch cords and pigtails. Epoxy is a great choice, as it offers high strength and excellent adhesion. It also provides good chemical and environmental resistance, making it suitable for use on a variety of surfaces. To get the best results, it’s important to properly prepare the surface before applying epoxy. This includes roughening the surface with sandpaper and cleaning it thoroughly. It’s also a good idea to use a heat gun on the surfaces, as this will help the glue set faster.
Optical Fiber Splice
Optical fiber splices are permanent connections for optical cables that aren’t easily reconfigured as needed on patch panels. There are two types of optical splices – mechanical and fusion splices. Fusion splicing uses heat to melt and fuse the ends of optical fiber cables together, allowing light signals to pass through without any loss. It’s the preferred method for high-speed data transmission.
Before splicing, it’s important to prepare the fibers for connection. This includes stripping the cable’s jacket, a process that exposes bare fiber. Cleaning the fibers is also crucial and requires lint-free wipes, isopropyl alcohol, and a microscope to inspect them for contamination. This will reduce the chances of future failures due to contaminants, and it ensures the splice is clean and ready for fusion.
The next step is to use a fiber cleaver to create a small, clean cut on the end of the cable. This should be perfectly perpendicular to the fiber axis, and it’s essential to perform this step on every end you intend to splice. This will help you avoid back reflection and insertion loss later on.
After splicing, it’s essential to monitor the quality of the connection with a power meter or optical time-domain reflectometer. This helps in identifying any issues or degradation of the splice, and it allows you to conduct repairs accordingly. It’s also important to protect the splices from environmental factors by using enclosures like fiber optic splice closures or trays. These will keep the splices safe from physical damage and protect them from bending, twisting, abrasion, and moisture.
Optical Fiber Termination
Fiber optic cable termination is the process of fitting connectors to the ends of optical fiber cables. This allows them to mate with other fibers and connect to network equipment. There are two main ways to terminate a fiber: through connectors that make a temporary joint or through splicing, which involves connecting bare fiber ends directly.
Before beginning the termination process, gather supplies and tools. Safety glasses, a fiber disposal bin, a set of tools that include a Kevlar stripper, Aramid yarn scissors, adjustable cable jacket stripper and polishing puck, plus a cleaver and polishing film are all essential. You will also need a power meter to test the performance of your terminations.
Optical fiber connectors can be made Borosilicate of metal or plastic and come in several different designs. A typical connector includes a ferrule, which holds the fiber end precisely and a connector body that supports it and sheaths the fiber. The cleaved fiber is then inserted into the connector, where it’s held by a coupling device that connects it to the ferule.
Once the cleaved fiber is inserted into the connector, apply an epoxy or anaerobic adhesive to hold it in place and allow it to cure. Some adhesives require a special oven to heat them up, while others can be cured at room temperature. Most connectors are pre-polished at the factory and include a gel inside to help reduce light loss.