Spring-loaded connectors rely heavily on the projected and calculated spring force of each connector after primary polishing to ensure firm mating inside the split sleeve of the adapters. If a connector was over-polished (in excess of 3 times from the beginning) for example, repeatable reading in both insertion loss and return loss will be difficult to control. Most notable will be the return loss which will exhibit much more variation in readings because of the variation on spring force.
There is no documented number of times a connector can be re-polished published that I am aware of but typically I instruct all new manufacturers to limit the number of re-polishing to 2 times. This is to prevent excess removal of the ceramic ferrule material and subsequent shortening of the ferrule from the tip to the base of the metal flange.
READ THE BLOG: “How can I tell I have over-polished a connector?“ asked more often than you might think…
Additional resources from the FOC team include:
- Category Resource:
- 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.
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