The working principle of the fiber splicing machine was observed under the microscope

Every business or fiber optic professional working on LAN and networking projects has to be familiar with the various optic fiber splicing techniques. Fiber optic splicing is the process of connecting two fiber optic lines, and termination or connectorization is the other, a more typical way of connecting fibers.

When the cable runs are too lengthy for a single fiber or when putting two different types of cable together, such as a 48-fiber cable to four 12-fiber cables, fiber splicing is preferred to termination since it often results in lesser light loss and back reflection.

Fibre optic cables can be repaired using Splicing when an underground cable is unintentionally severed.

Types of fiber optics splicing:

Fusion splicing and mechanical Splicing are the two types of fiber optic splicing. If you start with fiber splicing, you might want to consider your long-term aims before selecting which technique best suits your financial and performance goals.

Mechanical Splicing

Mechanical splices are merely alignment tools that keep the ends of two fibers in an exact alignment, allowing light to travel from one fiber to the other.

Fusion Splicing

In fusion splicing, two fiber ends are precisely aligned using a machine before the glass ends are “welded” or “fused” using heat or an electric arc. As a result, the fibers are continuously connected, allowing for extremely low-loss light transmission.

What approach is preferable?

• Economics is frequently used as a justification for selecting one method over another. Mechanical Splicing requires less initial investment ($1,000–$2,000), but each Splice costs more ($12–$40).

Fusion splicing has reduced per-splice costs ($0.50 to $1.50 per) but requires a significantly larger upfront investment ($15,000 to $50,000, depending on the precision and features of the equipment being purchased). The more accurate the alignment is required (better alignment reduces loss), the more expensive the machine is.

• The effectiveness of each splicing technique varies depending on the business you operate in. Due to the nearly seamless nature of the resulting fusion splice locations, fusion splicing reduces loss and less back reflection than mechanical Splicing.

While mechanical splices can be utilized with single-mode and multi-mode fiber, fusion splices are typically employed with single-mode fiber.

• For their long-distance single-mode networks, several Telecommunications and CATV firms invest in fusion splicing while still employing mechanical Splicing for shorter, local cable lengths.

 Fusion splicing is also favored since analog video signals need little reflection for maximum performance. Both approaches are available to the LAN market, as signal loss and reflection are often minor issues for LAN applications.

Method of Fusion Splicing

As was previously noted, fusion splicing is the permanent joining of two or more optical fibers using an electrical arc. An effective fusion splice can be completed in 4 simple steps:

Step 1: Prepare the Fiber.

The protective coatings, jackets, tubes, strength components, etc., should be removed from the fiber to reveal the naked fiber. Here, hygiene is the key issue.

Step 2: Cleave the Fiber.

A successful fusion splice depends on using a suitable fiber cleaver at this stage. the cleaved end must be mirror-smooth and perpendicular to the fiber axis To achieve a successful splice.

Notice: The fiber is not chopped by the cleaver! It simply nicks the fiber and pulls or flexes it to create a clean break. The desired outcome is a cleaved end that is as perfectly perpendicular as possible. Because of this, a suitable cleaver for fusion splicing can sometimes cost between $1,000 and $3,000. These cleavers can reliably create a cleave angle of no more than 0.5 degrees.

Step 3: Fuse the fiber.

There are two steps within this process, alignment, and heating. Depending on your equipment, alignment might be either automatic or manual. The alignment becomes more precise the more expensive the equipment you employ. The fusion splicer unit employs an electrical arc to melt the fibers after precisely aligning them, permanently joining the two fiber ends.

Step 4: Protect the Fiber.

 The Splice can be handled normally without breaking by shielding the fiber from bending and tensile stresses. A common fusion splice has a tensile strength between 0.5 and 1.5 lbs and will not break during routine handling but still requires protection from high bending and pulling pressures.

The Splice will be shielded from damage and the elements using mechanical crimp protectors, silicone gel, or heat shrink tubing.

The technique of Mechanical Splicing

With a mechanical splice rather than a long-term bond, the fibers are precisely aligned and held in place by a self-contained assembly. This technique also aligns the fiber cores by aligning the two fiber ends to a shared centerline, allowing light to travel from one fiber to the next.

How to execute mechanical Splicing in four steps

Step 1: Getting ready for the fiber.

 Remove all protective coverings, jackets, tubes, strength members, etc., to reveal the naked fiber. Here, hygiene is the key issue.

Step 2: Cleave the fiber.

This step is identical to the one for fusion splicing, except it does not require as much precision.

Step 3: Mechanically link the fibers.

 This technique does not need the use of heat. Put the fiber ends in the mechanical splice unit together. The mechanical splice device’s index-matching gel will aid in coupling the light from one fiber end to the other. Older equipment will hold the cores together with epoxy rather than index-matching gel.

Step 4: Protect the fiber.

The finished mechanical Splice will guard the fiber on its own.

Tips for Better Splice:

1. Often and thoroughly clean your splicing equipment. Remember, when working with fiber, particles that are invisible to the unaided eye could pose serious issues with fiber optics. Future time and money savings result from “excessive” fiber and tool cleaning.
2. Clauss Fiber Cleaver is used and cares for your cleaver properly. Your most useful tool for fiber splicing is the cleaver. Mechanical Splicing requires the correct angle to provide good end faces; otherwise, too much light will leak into the spaces between the fibers.

The index-matching gel will stop the lightest escape, although a poor cleave will still be seen. For a good quality cleaver appropriate for mechanical Splicing, budget between $200 and $1,000.

It would be best to have an even cleaver (0.05 dB and less) to get the remarkably low loss for fusion splicing. Poor cleaving can result in light loss and high reflection issues because the fiber ends may not melt together effectively.

 A good cleaver that can handle the level of accuracy needed for fusion splicing, budget between $1,000 and $4,000. Following the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions and correctly using your cleaver will ensure that it lasts for a long time and that the task is done correctly for the first time.

1.  Fusion settings must be carefully and methodically modified (fusion splicing only). You risk losing your chosen configuration if you start adjusting the fusion parameters on the splicer as soon as an issue appears. It would be best to start by inspecting dirty equipment before moving on to the parameters.

The two main determining elements for Splicing are fusion time and fusion current, and these two parameters’ various variables can result in the same splicing results.

The same thing happens when high current and low time are combined. When you alter one variable at a time, check to see if the fusion settings are still appropriate for your fiber type.

The optical fiber splicing machine is one of the most crucial tools for our engineering and technical staff. The fiber melting machine is primarily responsible for daily operations. So, throughout the few seconds to 10 seconds that the fused-fiber machine is operating, how does the inside of the machine function? Let’s examine how the internal functions with a microscope.