Cross Sectioning and Detailed Failure Analysis

Published: June 8, 2018

, Last updated: September 17, 2025

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Fiber Optic Center offers the service of Cross Sectioning and detailed failure analysis and also provides the equipment and training to companies that need internal capability for cross-sectioning.

FOC offers this unique cross-sectioning service to identify and isolate problems related to fiber optic terminations that would otherwise be invisible. This process starts by performing a metallographic analysis of a fiber optic connector requiring several hours of vacuum desiccation followed by vacuum mounting of the samples with a slow cure, low expansion mounting epoxy.

These encapsulated samples are then manually polished, maintaining precise flatness, depth and co-planarity with the ceramic hole to result in the best possible vantage point for final inspection. FOC then provides a failure mode interpretation and suggests cause or source of the failure. Photographic documentation with various magnifications, illumination techniques and microscopes are included to illustrate this analysis.

READ THE BLOG: Cross Sectioning of Fiber Optic Connectors: the three methods, advantages and disadvantages

Additional resources from the FOC team include:

Category Resource:
- FOC Interconnect Page
- FOC Test 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.

About the Author

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 and supplies and has been helping customers make the best cable assemblies in the world for over two decades. Several areas of specialization and expertise, in which they are the industry leader, make them the preferred choice for many of the world’s fiber professionals. In these key technology areas, FOC is "at least as technical as the manufacturer" about the products they sell. Striving to "make the business part easy," they offer outstanding and personal customer service, low or no minimum purchase order values, and from-stock delivery on industry-leading products and technology. FOC is 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

For further information contact:

Fiber Optic Center, Inc., 23 Centre Street, New Bedford, MA 02740-6322
Toll Free in US: 800-IS-FIBER or 800-473-4237 . Direct 508-992-6464. Email: sales@focenter.com or fiberopticcenter@focenter.com

For media contact:

Kathleen Skelton, Director of Strategic Marketing, C: 617-803-3014 . E: kskelton@focenter.com

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