SPLICING SPLICING OPTICAL OPTICAL

FIBER CABLEFIBER CABLE

Mohd Nasir Bin SaidMohd Nasir Bin SaidTelecommunication DivisionTelecommunication Division

Electrical and Elecronics DepartmentElectrical and Elecronics Department

Fusion SplicingFusion Splicing There are several reasons for splicing a fiber There are several reasons for splicing a fiber

cable, these include:cable, these include:

To join two fibers due to a breakage.To join two fibers due to a breakage.

To connect some of the cores straight To connect some of the cores straight through a patch cabinet.through a patch cabinet.

To extend a cable run.To extend a cable run.

To reduce losses, a fusion splice has much To reduce losses, a fusion splice has much lower losses than two connectorized cables lower losses than two connectorized cables joined through a coupler.joined through a coupler.

Or to attach a pre-terminated pigtail. Or to attach a pre-terminated pigtail.

SAFETYSAFETY

When working with fiber there are a few When working with fiber there are a few rules that MUST always be remembered rules that MUST always be remembered and practiced and practiced

Safety GlassesSafety Glasses Safety glasses MUST be wornSafety glasses MUST be worn at all times at all times during the fiber optic lab exercises or anytime during the fiber optic lab exercises or anytime termination or splicing work is performed on a termination or splicing work is performed on a fiber cable. The biggest hazard when working fiber cable. The biggest hazard when working with fiber optics are small, sharp shards of the with fiber optics are small, sharp shards of the fiber produced when stripping or cleaving the fiber produced when stripping or cleaving the cable!!! cable!!! If you notice at any time a classmate or If you notice at any time a classmate or instructor not wearing safety glasses in the area instructor not wearing safety glasses in the area where fiber is being cut, stripped, or cleaved, where fiber is being cut, stripped, or cleaved, you must immediately tell the person to put on you must immediately tell the person to put on their glasses and tell the instructor. their glasses and tell the instructor.

Glass Fiber ShardsGlass Fiber Shards

Be very careful when disposing of fiber Be very careful when disposing of fiber ends. Use a Disposable Fiber Trash Bin ends. Use a Disposable Fiber Trash Bin (Fiber Disposal Unit =FDU) to hold small (Fiber Disposal Unit =FDU) to hold small bits of glass until they can properly bits of glass until they can properly disposed of in the trash. For safety, disposed of in the trash. For safety, remember to cover the holes on top of the remember to cover the holes on top of the FDU before storing your bin (unit) in your FDU before storing your bin (unit) in your tool kits (box). tool kits (box).

If you don’t have a FDU to use when If you don’t have a FDU to use when working in some environments, then working in some environments, then carefully make a container, like a half carefully make a container, like a half empty water bottle or soda can, before empty water bottle or soda can, before using. This helps to prevent accidents.using. This helps to prevent accidents.Make time to mark the container in some Make time to mark the container in some meaningful way with markers or tape. meaningful way with markers or tape. This will prevent someone from This will prevent someone from accidentally drinking fiber shards. accidentally drinking fiber shards.

The glass fiber creates slivers or shards that can easily The glass fiber creates slivers or shards that can easily cause injury to the eyes or create glass splinters in cause injury to the eyes or create glass splinters in fingers or hands that are difficult to see to remove from fingers or hands that are difficult to see to remove from skin, which can become infected if not completely skin, which can become infected if not completely removed. Always keep a disposable fiber trash bin removed. Always keep a disposable fiber trash bin nearby for all fiber scraps. Develop the habit of picking nearby for all fiber scraps. Develop the habit of picking up scraps from the work surface and the floor too. You up scraps from the work surface and the floor too. You may know a glass shard is dropped or lost and can take may know a glass shard is dropped or lost and can take care, but another person like a co-worker or cleaning care, but another person like a co-worker or cleaning crew may come along and not be aware that fiber was crew may come along and not be aware that fiber was being worked in the area. being worked in the area. Scotch tape can be used to pick up small shards of fiber. Scotch tape can be used to pick up small shards of fiber. Fold the scotch tape around the glass shards before Fold the scotch tape around the glass shards before disposing in the trash can. This helps to keep others, disposing in the trash can. This helps to keep others, like members of the cleaning crew, from becoming hurt like members of the cleaning crew, from becoming hurt accidentally. accidentally.

Black PaperBlack Paper

Black paper or other dark colored paper or Black paper or other dark colored paper or fabric can be used to give a dark colored fabric can be used to give a dark colored work surface. This helps make the fiber work surface. This helps make the fiber more visible when working with it. It has more visible when working with it. It has the side benefit of allowing the fiber cores the side benefit of allowing the fiber cores to be more easily seen, especially when to be more easily seen, especially when you have a run away shard. you have a run away shard.

ChemicalsChemicals

When doing fiber work epoxy, anaerobic When doing fiber work epoxy, anaerobic adhesive (?), and isopropyl alcohol will be used. adhesive (?), and isopropyl alcohol will be used. The isopropyl alcohol is flammable. (Anything The isopropyl alcohol is flammable. (Anything else flammable as well?) Take extra care when else flammable as well?) Take extra care when handling these substances. It is best to develop handling these substances. It is best to develop the habit of watching for bits of epoxy on your the habit of watching for bits of epoxy on your tools or work surface and cleaning it with the tools or work surface and cleaning it with the alcohol. Develop the habit of wiping all tools alcohol. Develop the habit of wiping all tools frequently with a fiber free cloth or wipe and frequently with a fiber free cloth or wipe and alcohol. alcohol. Keep in mind that epoxy is not removable from Keep in mind that epoxy is not removable from clothing! clothing!

Skin OilsSkin Oils

Do not touch bare fibers with fingers. The Do not touch bare fibers with fingers. The oil from your skin can weaken the fiber oil from your skin can weaken the fiber over time. It tends to make the glass fiber over time. It tends to make the glass fiber brittle brittle

Hot ovens & terminatorsHot ovens & terminatorsTerminators removed from the curing ovens will Terminators removed from the curing ovens will be EXTREMELY HOT! Use caution when be EXTREMELY HOT! Use caution when touching hot terminators. Small amounts of touching hot terminators. Small amounts of alcohol on a fiber free wipe may be used to help alcohol on a fiber free wipe may be used to help cool the terminator more quickly. cool the terminator more quickly.

After the terminator is removed from the oven, After the terminator is removed from the oven, the exposed fiber is dangerous and more brittle. the exposed fiber is dangerous and more brittle. Take great care to ensure the glass rod does not Take great care to ensure the glass rod does not break, pierce the skin, or get into the eyes of you break, pierce the skin, or get into the eyes of you or any other person. or any other person.

General PrecautionsGeneral Precautions

How to handle optical fiber.How to handle optical fiber.When the fiber is not handled properly – When the fiber is not handled properly – stress as torsion, bend, tension etc.stress as torsion, bend, tension etc.Lorry with air cond. If dust is presence in Lorry with air cond. If dust is presence in the splicing – loss will increase.the splicing – loss will increase.Cutting OFC – do not use a metallic saw, Cutting OFC – do not use a metallic saw, use a cable cutter.use a cable cutter.Keep your hand clean.Keep your hand clean.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENTTOOLS AND EQUIPMENTNONO TOOLS NAMETOOLS NAME USEUSE

11 Bolt cutterBolt cutter Cutting of the cableCutting of the cable

22 ScissorsScissors Cutting paperCutting paper

33 Lap cutterLap cutter Removal of cable sheathRemoval of cable sheath

44 Phillip screw driver set.Phillip screw driver set. Tightning the screwTightning the screw

55 Marking scaleMarking scale For positioning cable clampFor positioning cable clamp

66 Tape measuringTape measuring MeasurementMeasurement

77 Spanner setSpanner set Tightning nutsTightning nuts

88 HammerHammer Common usedCommon used

99 KnifeKnife Removal plasticRemoval plastic

1010 Torque wrenchTorque wrench For fixing the modal A cable For fixing the modal A cable replacereplace

1111 Pliers combinationPliers combination For cutting tension membersFor cutting tension members

1212 CleaverCleaver Cutting optical fiber coreCutting optical fiber core

1313 Core stripperCore stripper Stripping secondary coatingStripping secondary coating

Materials used for cable splicingMaterials used for cable splicing

Fiber Optic CableFiber Optic Cable ClosureClosure Termination box, panel, FDF.Termination box, panel, FDF. Pig tail Pig tail Protection sleeveProtection sleeve AlcoholAlcohol Cotton gauzeCotton gauze Cotton BudCotton Bud Cotton waste.Cotton waste.

Method of cable SplicingMethod of cable Splicing

Determination of splicingpositionDetermination of splicingpositionStripping-off the cable sheathStripping-off the cable sheathConnection of the tension memberConnection of the tension memberPreparation of mechanical closurePreparation of mechanical closureSplicing of the Optical fiber cable.Splicing of the Optical fiber cable.Splicing loss measurement.- be taken every time.Splicing loss measurement.- be taken every time.Protective treatment for the surplus of optical fiber Protective treatment for the surplus of optical fiber cablecableCable sheath jointingCable sheath jointingClosing of cable splicing.Closing of cable splicing.

Basic StepsBasic Steps

There are four basic steps to fusion splicingThere are four basic steps to fusion splicing

1 - Strip back all coatings down to the bare fibers 1 - Strip back all coatings down to the bare fibers and clean using isopropyl alcohol.and clean using isopropyl alcohol.

2 - Cleave the fibers using a precision cleaving 2 - Cleave the fibers using a precision cleaving tool and put the heat shrink tube on to one of tool and put the heat shrink tube on to one of the ends.the ends.

3 - Fuse the fibers together in the fusion splicer.3 - Fuse the fibers together in the fusion splicer.

4 - Put the heat shrink protector on the fiber 4 - Put the heat shrink protector on the fiber joint. joint.

StrippingStripping Strip back the external sheathing of Strip back the external sheathing of the cable using a rotary stripping the cable using a rotary stripping tool. Cut back the aramid strength tool. Cut back the aramid strength member using ceramic or kevlar member using ceramic or kevlar scissors.scissors.

• Strip the primary buffer from the fiber using fiber strippers not ordinary wire strippers. Do this a small section at a time to prevent the fiber breaking, about 10mm (3/8 in) on each cut is fine until you get used to it. Strip back about 35mm (1.5 in).

•Clean the bare fiber with a lint free wipe and isopropyl alcohol, it will "squeak" when it is clean.

CleavingCleaving The cleaver first scores the fiber and The cleaver first scores the fiber and then pulls the fiber apart to make a then pulls the fiber apart to make a clean break. It is important that the clean break. It is important that the the ends are smooth and the ends are smooth and perpendicular to get a good joint, this perpendicular to get a good joint, this is why a hand held cleaver will not is why a hand held cleaver will not do. do.

• Basically the operation consists of putting the fiber into the groove and clamping, then close the lid and press the lever

The Fusion ProcessThe Fusion Process

Once the fiber ends are prepared they Once the fiber ends are prepared they are placed in the fusion splicer. Press are placed in the fusion splicer. Press the button and the machine takes the button and the machine takes care of the rest of the fusion process care of the rest of the fusion process automatically automatically

• First the two fibers are aligned, you can see this on the photo where a much magnified image shows the two fiber ends. The display also shows how well the cleaver does its job of producing a perfect 90 degree cut.

Once the fibers are Once the fibers are aligned the splicer fires aligned the splicer fires an electric arc between an electric arc between the two ends which melts the two ends which melts them immediately and them immediately and pushes them together, or pushes them together, or fuses them into one piece fuses them into one piece of fiber.of fiber.The fusion splicer then The fusion splicer then tests for dB loss and tests for dB loss and tensile strength before tensile strength before giving the "OK" beeps for giving the "OK" beeps for you to remove the splice you to remove the splice from the machine. from the machine.

Screen DisplayedScreen Displayed

ProtectionProtection

The protective tube gives The protective tube gives physical protection to the physical protection to the splice and further protection is splice and further protection is provided by placing the splice provided by placing the splice into a splice tray. into a splice tray.

Once all of the fibers Once all of the fibers have been joined the have been joined the whole tray is then fixed whole tray is then fixed into a splice box which into a splice box which protects the cable joint as protects the cable joint as a whole and the cable a whole and the cable clamps are then tightened clamps are then tightened to prevent any external to prevent any external forces from pulling on the forces from pulling on the splices.splices.

THANK THANK

YOUYOU