Each step of How to Develop a Fiber Optic Polishing Process that Produces Consistent Results can be found in our article of the same name but here we highlight:
Step 4. To adjust your process, start with a focus on Radius.
The ability to achieve desirable, consistent Radius values is critical to developing a fiber optic polishing process. Radius is the first geometry parameter to bring under control. Why? Because the Radius value is an excellent indicator of consistency in polishing pressure and the amount of ferrule material removed during the process – important factors that highly impact all results, including visual appearance and angle (particularly with conical-style APC ferrules). When all polished ferrules have an identical Radius after polishing, this indicates that all ferrules have undergone consistent polishing conditions.
After polishing a group of connectors, use the interferometer to measure geometry and focus on the Radius values. As a rough rule of thumb, a stable Radius variation on one plate of ferrules should be less than 2mm. If the variation is higher, you likely have a process issue or your polishing equipment is subjecting ferrules to varying pressure.
READ THE FULL BLOG ARTICLE HERE: How to Develop a Fiber Optic Polishing Process that Produces Consistent Results
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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