Fiber optic splicing is an important method to join two fiber optic cables together. It is needed in the occasion where an available fiber optic cable is not sufficiently long for the required run. In addition, fiber optic splicing is also used to restore fiber optic cables when a buried cable is accidentally severed. It is becoming a more and more common skill and is vital to any company or fiber optic technician involved in telecommunication or LAN (local area network) and networking projects. However, how to splice fiber optic cable? Typically, there are two methods to splice fiber optic cable—fusion and mechanical splicing. This article will introduce the two methods and make a comparison between them so that you can choose which technique best fits your requirement.
Fusion splicing is using the professional machine to fuse or weld glass ends together with heat or electric arc, which enables the permanent connection between two optic fibers for a continuous light transmission. There are four steps of fusion splicing as illustrated in the following.
Step1 Strip the fiber
The splicing process begins by preparing both fiber ends for fusion, so you need to strip the protective coating, jackets, tubes, strength members, etc, leaving only the bare fiber showing. The main concern here is to clean the cables.
Step2 Cleave the fiber
Using a good fiber cleaver is essential to a successful fusion splice. The cleaved end-face must be mirror-smooth and perpendicular to the fiber axis to obtain a proper splice using the score-and-break method.
Step3 Fuse the fiber
There are two steps within this step, alignment and heating. Alignment can be manual or automatic depending on what equipment you have. Once properly aligned the fusion splicer unit then utilizes an electrical arc to melt the fibers, permanently welding the two fiber ends together.
Step4 Protect the fiber
Although a typical fusion splice will not break during normal handling as it has a tensile strength between 0.5 and 1.5 lbs, it still requires protection from excessive bending and pulling forces. With the help of heat shrink tubing, silicone gel and mechanical crimp protector, the splice can be protected from outside elements and breakage.
Mechanical splicing is an optical junction where the fibers are precisely aligned and held in place by a self-contained assembly, not a permanent bond. The mechanical splices are normally used when splices need to be made quickly and easily. Like the fusion splice, there are also four basic steps in mechanical splice.
Step1 Strip the fiber
This step is practically as same as for fusion splicing. It is still necessary to remove the protective coating, jackets, tubes, strength members, and so on, just showing the bare cores. It is noted that the cables should be cleaned.
Step2 Cleave the fiber
The process is identical to the cleaving for fusion splicing. When cleaving the fiber, you need to obtain a very clean cut which is exactly at right angles to the axis of the fiber.
Step3 Mechanically join the fiber
You need to join the fibers mechanically with no heat. Simply connecting the ends of fiber together inside the mechanical splice unit and the device will help couple the light between two fibers.
Step4 Protect the fiber
Once fibers are spliced, a protection will be needed during the light transmission. Typically, the completed mechanical splice provides its own protection for the splice.
Comparison Between Fusion Splicing and Mechanical Splicing
Both fusion splicing and mechanical splicing have their specific advantages and disadvantages. Whether to choose fusion or mechanical splicing depends on different applications.
The fusion splice offers a lower level of loss and a high degree of performance. It gives very low back reflections and is preferred for single-mode high speed digital or CATV network. However, it requires the use of expensive fusion equipment.
Compared to fusion splicing, mechanical splicing is deployed for applications where splices need to be made quickly. Some mechanical splices easily allow both connection and disconnection. Therefore, a mechanical splice is utilized for applications where the splice may be less permanent.
Conclusion
Fiber optic splicing is essential and important for fiber connections. This passage provides two different types of methods for you to splice fiber optic cables. Choosing the appropriate method, whether the fusion splicing or mechanical splicing, can not only save money, but also enhance work efficiency. Besides, when you are doing fiber optic splicing, it is necessary to follow the steps strictly and carefully.
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