Contamination on the Fixture Prevents Ferrules From Protruding Equal Distance From the Base of the Fixture

Published: August 30, 2018

, Last updated: September 17, 2025

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This mainly applies to fixtures for polishing ferrule only (as opposed to connector polishing). The ferrules must protrude the same amount from the bottom of the fiber optic polishing fixture, to ensure consistent pressure being applied to all ferrules.

Contamination at the top of the bore, where the ferrule flange sits on, will cause the ferrules to sit higher and protrude less. If ferrules are protruding different lengths from the bottom of the fixture, this results in unequal pressures being applied to the ferrules during polishing, again resulting in variation in Radius values, FH values, and fiber end-face polish quality (scratches).

READ THE BLOG: Fiber Optic Polishing Fixture Maintenance: Fiber Optic Polishing Fixture Contamination and Ultrasonic Cleaning

Additional resources from the FOC team include:

Category Resource:
- FOC Cleaning Page
- FOC Polish Page
View the Glossary, Acronyms, Military Specifications for Connectors
Q&A Resource: email technical questions to AskFOC@focenter.com

Have questions about this FOC Tip?

Contact FOC with questions at: (800) 473-4237 / 508-992-6464 or email: FiberOpticCenter@focenter.com and we will respond ASAP.

© 2018 Fiber Optic Center, Inc. Article Title: Contamination on the Fixture Prevents Ferrules From Protruding Equal Distance From the Base of the Fixture Author: FOC Tips Published: August 30, 2018

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FOC Tips Fiber Optic Center has a team of technical experts and marketing strategists with decades of years in the field. This team contributes to the fiber, cable and specialty industries coverage through news, alerts, reports and general media information.

About Fiber Optic Center, Inc.

Fiber Optic Center, Inc., (FOC), is an international leader in distributing fiber optic components, equipment, materials, and supplies known for helping customers make the best cable assemblies in the world for over three decades. Material property consultation is provided by technical experts for lapping film, epoxy, adhesives, optical coatings, and optical plastics during application specific material selection. Technical process expertise is offered in several key technology areas. Specialized expertise includes cable assembly line mastery, fiber broadband field installation best practices, and technical advancements in telecom, datacom, data centers, and hyperscale. Optical cable specification development includes design and quality testing. FOC's impact reaches the network physical capabilities through fiber manufacturing process expertise from preform fabrication and shaping, fiber drawing, and coating requirements for double clad fibers used for high power fiber laser applications to solution doping, vapor phase doping, rare earth chelates and halide recipe consultation. Fiber Optic Center is the preferred choice for the world’s fiber professionals as the industry connection to the most innovative optical products, technologies and technical experts who integrate their manufacturing knowledge and vast experience into customers' worldwide operations. @FiberOpticCntr

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