FOC BLOGS
Cleaning and Inspecting MPO-Type Connectors
MPO cleaning guidelines are much like those for single-fiber connectors In November 2020, Fiber Optic Center posted an article on cleaning and inspecting connector ends, Ten Practical Tips for Cleaning Connector Ends. With the article below, we are expanding on that...
Optical Fiber Coatings Explained
This article continues FOC's latest series on optical fiber manufacturing processes, providing an overview of coatings for a wide range of standard communication and specialty optical fibers. The main job of coatings is to protect the glass fiber, but there are many...
Polarization-Maintaining Fibers Explained
In this article, the latest in FOC's series covering specialty fibers and their fabrication, we discuss polarization-maintaining (PM) fibers and the various approaches used to make them. There are several PM fiber designs – all quite different and each with its own...
Fiber Optics Bridging the Digital Divide
The digital divide is a popular term we hear from both government officials and local communities. The official definition of the digital divide is the gulf between those who have ready access to computers and the Internet, and those who do not. A key part of the...
Optical Fiber Draw Towers: Procedures For Drawing Specialty Fibers
This article continues FOC's series on specialty optical fibers. An article posted in January 2021, Fabricating Doped Fiber Preforms, discussed problems encountered in making preforms for specialty fibers. The article below focuses on the second part of the optical...
Specialty Fiber Explained
Since 2018, FOC has provided more than 10 articles on making fiber and preforms. One series of seven articles, launched in January 2018 and written by Larry Donalds, focuses on MCVD technology and issues in making preforms. The second series, started in July 2020 and...
Fabricating Doped Fiber Preforms
Every step requires precision, starting with the core rod This is the third in FOC’s new series on doped fiber technology. The first article, “Rare Earth Doped Fibers,” reviewed the main methods for making doped-fiber preforms. The second article, “Thulium-Doped...
Lapping film options, part 3 – MPO-type connectors
MT ferrules require different polishing procedures In Part 1 of this series, we covered the use of films with pressure-sensitive adhesives. In Part 2, we covered films for polishing zirconia ferrules. In this article, we focus on the special products needed to polish...
The 101 on Fiber Optic Connector Types
Part 3: Introduction to Fiber Optic Cable Assembly Manufacturing Recognizing that there are quite a few connectors on the market that are actively being used in fiber optic installations, there are also some older types and discontinued connectors, not being...
Establishing Internal Industry Product Standards for Fiber Optic Assemblies
Part 4: Introduction to Fiber Optic Cable Assembly Manufacturing The fiber optic assemblies - patch cords, pigtails, and terminated truck cables - have a series of standards to comply with today’s installations into high-speed networks and telco applications....
Key Components of Fiber Optic Connectors and Key Specifications of Connectors
Part 2: Introduction to Fiber Optic Cable Assembly Manufacturing Key components of Fiber Optic Connectors and Key Specifications of Connectors This article series introduces engineers and technicians to various aspects of the production process to manufacture...
Fusion-splice basics
In September 2019, FOC posted an article explaining the difference between mechanical and fusion splices. Fiber Optic Cable Splicing Explained. Fusion splicing is joining two fibers together by melting the two fibers together. Result is a near-seamless / lossless...
Ten Practical Tips for Cleaning Connector Ends
FOC has posted several articles on cleaning and inspection in recent years. Two recent ones were Ensuring Clean Fiber Connections, and The Art of Cleaning. The first article cites IEC standard 61300-3-35, which covers visual inspection techniques and requirements for...
Thulium-Doped Fibers
This new series of articles from FOC will focus on the production of rare earth doped fiber. The first article in this series, Rare Earth Doped Fibers, discussed the evolution of the main processes for making doped fiber preforms. This article discusses factors in...
Epoxy Dispensing Explained
Errors in epoxy processes (mixing, dispensing / application, curing schedules, etc.) can lead to premature bond failures which negatively impact the reliability of any cable assembly. In response to our industry needs for the most timely information and solutions...
Rare Earth Doped Fibers
Believe it or not, rare earth doped optical fiber has been around for about 60 years. Eli Snitzer was the first to report on laser action in a neodymium-doped silicate glass fiber emitting at 1.06 µm back in 1961 [1]. This was the first demonstration of laser action...
Lapping Film Options, Part 2
Choosing the right film to polish zirconia ferrules What factors affect the choice of film materials and grit sizes for polishing zirconia connector ferrules? In Part 1 of this series we noted that FOC offers 476 items in its family of lapping-film products. This...
Lapping film options, part 1
Choosing between PSA-backed and non-PSA-backed lapping film FOC currently offers 476 distinct products in its lapping-film category. The variations include type (material), particle size (grit), manufacturer, and options for pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA)...
Measuring Fiber Geometry on Large Core Specialty Fibers and Connectors
Where the telecommunication industry standardized their optical connectivity performance with visual, optical and geometrical measurements, the specialty fiber industry traditionally performs only a visual inspection on their fibers assemblies. The need for...
Fiber Optic Cable Splicing Explained
We tend to receive the same basic questions on the topic of splicing on types, benefits and applications. To begin, the standard definition of splicing in optical fiber is joining two fiber optic cables together. The other, more common, method of joining fibers is...
Installation and Cleanliness: It Counts
In any mated pair of fiber optic connectors, the cleanliness of both fiber endfaces plays a major role in the performance of the mated pair. Obviously and intuitively, anything that prevents light from passing freely from one fiber into the other (such as dirt /...
Factory Fiber Processing: Challenging the Industry to Provide Solutions for Low and High-volume Mix Applications
Fibers that have been designed to meet specific optical properties are used in a variety of applications such as Medical, Spectroscopy, Science, Mil/Aero, Industrial and Telecommunications. The construction of these specialty fibers varies in types and dimensions of...
How small is too small…. the fiber optic cable industry over the decades
Looking back at the fiber optic cable industry over two to four decades, I notice the trend, as in everything, is to make each device smaller and more feature-filled. This is true in connectors, cables, transceivers etc. Perusing my collection of old fiber optic...
Defeating Bubbles
Perhaps one of the most maddening things about a mixed material is entrained bubbles. Depending on how you mix, you may entrain none, or a ton of them. You want to stab them, push them and blow on them. Anything to break them. But in many photonics applications...
Insertion Loss: How Offsets Can Give Unexpected Results (Gains)
Measuring the insertion loss of a Single Mode jumper would seem to be a simple matter but there are a few complications to consider. Insertion Loss is a relative measure, it's the reduction in power when an additional passive element is added to an optical circuit....
Realistic Integration of Next-generation Fiber Optic Technologies
What we do vs. what we wish to do‚ thoughts on the realistic integration of next-generation fiber optic technologies. Today, fiber optic communications have been firmly established. We install networks both in the switched telephone and CATV networks with...
Epoxy Removal Methods and Strategies
Epoxy is a permanent adhesive. When properly chosen for your application and substrates, and properly cured, it will form a strong, permanent bond. At times though, you may find that you need to recover bonded parts or clean parts to remove excess cured epoxy. So...
Preserving Critical Knowledge for Next-Gen Fiber and Cable Professionals
Are we doomed to repeat the past? Not letting our industry’s critical “tribal knowledge” become lost. As more colleagues from my generation move toward retirement, I am concerned that the collected knowledge we gained empirically is not fully being preserved for the...
The Art of Cleaning: Follow These Specific Cleaning Techniques During Fiber Optic Cable Assembly Manufacturing and Installation
Marcel Buijs, EMEA Business Development, Technical Sales, Fiber Optic Center, Inc. with over twenty five years in the photonics industry, brings this latest information on making the ultimate fiber optic product and improving process yield. The cleaning activities for...
Testing Tips: Enhance Your Process, Your Results, and Your Fiber Optic Cable Assemblies
At FOC, we are contacted daily as a resource for test and inspection support for fiber optic cable assemblies. Degraded IL/RL results is a common topic we offer technical expertise for establishing rigorous production controls. As we develop custom procedural...
The Conundrum of Epoxy Temperature Storage
When working with epoxies and adhesives, there are several consistent areas that beg for clarity. FOC knows because we generally field those questions and concerns. Among the top of that list are: Room temperature storage best practices Storage methods and...
Need to Push Extra-long Fiber Optic Cables Through Tubing? Check Out This Innovative Fiber-blowing Solution
Editor’s note: Sometimes inspiration strikes when you least expect it. Here’s how Dave Sylvia’s spark of inspiration turned out to be a new, useful discovery for fiber optic cable assembly production. By all indications, Dave’s innovation – a new application for an...
Polishing Tips and Best Practices for Single Fiber Connectors
When polishing a fiber optic connector, by polishing machine, there are procedures and setting parameters designed to leverage the machines best practices as well as previous developments and experience. Additionally, there are tips to consider applying during daily...
Mechanical cleaving removes the human variable, improves your process control: Investigating the Phenix fibersect
When I talk with FOC customers about MT ferrule cleaving in preparation for polishing, we discuss two basic options: "manual cleaving" and "automated cleaving". Manual cleaving relies on a trained operator scoring the fiber with a fiber scribe, and then breaking the...
Adding color, pigment to UV curable coatings
From time to time, FOC has been asked to recommend a pigment that can be safely added to UV curable coatings as well as offer advice about what ratio of pigment to coating is acceptable without compromising the integrity of the coating. As communicated by our...
Does epoxy cause core cracking? Tips to identify and prevent this phenomenon
Fabricating fiber optic cable assemblies is still in large part a manual process, requiring knowledge and skill. When something in the process goes awry, an investigation is needed to identify and address the cause. Recently, our team of experts met to discuss some...
A Call to Action: Automation in the Connector Assembly Process is an Essential Next Step for Fiber Optic Connectivity
Throughout most of the telecommunication industry, manufacturing automation has flourished. Here’s just one example of successful automation: fusion splicing. The operator preps the fiber ends, puts them into the splicer, and presses a button. The equipment measures...
MCVD Tips: 14 ideas to enhance preform strength, yield, and reproducibility
"Trial and error.” These two words sum up my 24 years developing and manufacturing specialty preforms and fibers where I operated an MCVD gas delivery system. Our team was constantly testing new ideas to improve fiber strength and yield as well as the reproducibility...
MCVD Options: These add-on features can enhance your optical fiber preform strength, yield, and reproducibility
You can manufacture optical fiber preforms with a very basic system, essentially a gas delivery system in a room with an MCVD lathe. Or you can enhance your system by adding many accessories that will improve fiber strength and yield as well as the reproducibility of...
Controlling the Optical Fiber Preform Deposition Process
The lathe, rotary seal, optical pyrometer, deposition burner, and diameter control system all must work together to successfully manufacture a preform. In the following paragraphs, I offer recommendations based on my years developing and manufacturing specialty...
Preparing to Manufacture an Optical Fiber Preform
Purchasing high-purity raw materials is critical to manufacturing quality preforms. How we handle our materials, tools, and equipment is equally important. For example, properly purging gas cylinder connections, properly filling reagent bubblers, and properly cleaning...
Critical Design Goals to Manufacture Optical Fiber Preforms
As we all know, high-purity raw materials are critical to achieve design goals. Low metallic impurities prevent reflective loses, and dry raw materials prevent absorptions. In addition, there are many design tactics to meet cutoff wavelength, mode field diameter...
Comparing the 2 Types of MCVD Gas Delivery Systems to Manufacture Optical Preforms: Stainless Steel and Teflon/Glass
If your company manufactures optical preforms – or is considering doing so – then you know the gas delivery system is critically important, because it controls the precise delivery of high-purity gases and chemical vapors. Prior to joining Fiber Optic Center, much of...
Preform Fabrication Consulting for Specialty Fiber Manufacturers
Attention specialty fiber manufacturers: Take advantage of FOCs preform fabrication consulting to troubleshoot your system and achieve reproducibility and high yields - Fiber Optic Center Editor’s note: With the addition of Larry Donalds to the Fiber Optic Center...
Best Practices to Validate Your Epoxy Curing Schedule
Part 3: Bonding Optical Fiber to the Ceramic Ferrule"How do I know what curing schedule I should use?" This is a common question that fiber optic cable assembly houses ask – and it’s a particularly good question. Why? When our customers ask this question, it tells us...
Proper Crimping Techniques are Critical When Terminating Fiber Optic Connectors
Marcel Buijs, EMEA Business Development, Technical Sales, Fiber Optic Center, Inc. with over twenty five years in the photonics industry, brings this latest information on making the ultimate fiber optic product and improving process yield.When manufacturing fiber...
Best Practices to Characterize Oven Ports Used to Thermally Cure Epoxy
Part 2: Bonding Optical Fiber to the Ceramic FerruleIntroduction When fiber optic cable assembly manufacturers ask us to help troubleshoot their epoxy curing issues, we find that some problems stem from improper mixing of epoxy. Other problems arise from lax cleaning...
Good stripping techniques for your fiber optic cable assembly process
Marcel Buijs, EMEA Business Development, Technical Sales, Fiber Optic Center, Inc. with over twenty-five years in the photonics industry, brings the latest information on making the ultimate fiber optic product and improving process yield. Without question, good...
Best Practices for Preparing and Dispensing Epoxy
Part 1: Bonding Optical Fiber to the Ceramic FerruleIntroduction Too often, the process of bonding optical fiber to a ferrule – the epoxy step – is treated as an afterthought in fiber optic cable assembly houses. However, this is an extremely critical step in the...
Components of the Fiber Optic Patch Cord and Optic Fiber Geometry
Part 1: Introduction to Fiber Optic Cable Assembly Manufacturing Introduction Is your company entering the fiber optic cable assembly market? Here at Fiber Optic Center, we believe it’s important to introduce engineers and technicians to various aspects of the...
Polishing FAQs: What to do (and what NOT to do) in your fiber optic cable assembly polishing process
As you probably know, the polishing process is an extremely important step in the manufacture of fiber optic cable assemblies. Your polishing process ensures your fiber optic connectors meet certain geometric parameters, industry specifications, and/or customer...
Proper Care of Polishing Fixtures for Optical Fiber Polishing Machines
In fiber optic cable assembly, the polishing process is perhaps the most critical step to assure high-quality assemblies that meet specifications. That’s why it’s important to select the right optical fiber polishing machine – and polishing fixtures – that meet your...
The Glass Transition in Epoxies
The glass transition, Tg, is the temperature at which cured epoxies go from being rigid and glassy to being rubbery and more flexible. Most of us think of cured epoxies as being pretty hard (Shore D) materials; and they are, due to the crosslinked nature of their...