The art of fiber optic polishing

Unlike electrical wires, optical fibers require end-surface strategy to proper light propagation. Two of the most common strategies to surface preparations are cleaving and polishing. While fiber cleavage is extremely effective on fibers with small diameters including 125 microns, Fiber Optic Polishing is essential for many of us glass-based fibers with cladding diameters larger than 200 microns. Furthermore, all fiber connectors require polishing.

KEY POLISHING INGREDIENTS: Unlike lens polishing, the convex surface of the fiber ferrules are achieved by pressing the ferrules on flexible polising pads. The domed surface is perfect for true physical contact between two singlemode fiber cores. Physical contact is also possible with multimode fibers when the core diameter is small. The dome radius of curvature is determined by the pressing force, the hardness and also the thickness with the polishing pad. An authentic physical contact also uses a slight undercut of the fiber. The quantity of undercut could be the consequence of the type of polishing film used, the force applied, along with the polish speed. As you can see right now, a frequent high-quality polish can only be practiced with a well designed and precisely tuned polishing machine. Incredibly important would be the proper procedure the operator follows for your process and also the kind of polishing films used.

INSPECTION AND TESTING: Fiber connectors are inspected in between each polish step to make certain that previous step is done. A stereo or mono microscope with large magnification is essential. A mono microscope with coaxial illumination, camera, and monitor is ideal to cut back worker fatigue. An interferometer helps with inspecting and recording the dome radius of curvature and surface quality. However, this sort of method requires individual connectors being inserted into the instrument making it less simple for production. Insertion loss testing can be done by mating the DUT which has a master. Return loss can be measured by mating the DUT with any qualified connector. Make sure you wrap the loose end several switches on a mandrel. To find out more about Fiber Optic Inspection, please arrive at Fiberstore.

POLISHING TIME: It is crucial never to put on any polishing film more than necessary. A lot of polishing may lead to undesirable ferrule length, unnecessary polish film wear, and degraded polish finish due to particle accumulation. Make proper alterations in the recommended polish in time each part of case they may be less then ideal.

CONCLUSION: Fiber polishing will be as much a science because it is a form of art. The science of polishing is crystallized in a well designed machine as the art of polishing are now living in the method as well as the continuous effort for improvement from the individual user. The procedure and also the training are just as valuable because polishing machine. Therefore, the client of an polisher is really buying the two hardware and also the know-how in the polisher company. Techniques not simply pick the best machine, pick the right company.

Fiberstore is the better Chinese fiber optic communication supplier. In our fiber optic polishing catalogs, you will discover our fiber polishing machines and other fiber optic polishing machine kits including fiber polishing fixture for every type fiber connectors and hand polishing puck. These polishing kits are particularly found in fiber industry for polishing the end face of fiber optic product , which play an important role in fiber optic installation. Come and obtain what you want, there are also tools used in Fiber Optic Cleaning here.