While 2.5 grams might seem small, some modern-day applications are very small, and relatively speaking 2.5 grams is a lot of material, much of which ends up as waste. Fiber Optic Center provides epoxy in two-part bi-packs that are typically 2.5 grams.
Room temperature/heat cured epoxies are typically two-part materials – resin and hardener. The two parts are mixed-in ratios unique for any given epoxy. Maintaining the mix ratio is essential for maintaining the cured properties of the epoxy.
One of the more common mix ratios is 10:1; 10 parts resin to 1 part hardener. This means a 2.5-gram bi-pack has 2.27 grams of resin and 0.23 grams of hardener. Most manufacturers agree that the actual weight of the resin or hardener should be within 5% of the calculated value. For a small weight like 0.23 grams, 5% is 0.01 grams (a hundredth of a gram). So the weight of the hardener is 0.23 grams +/- 0.01 grams. Accurate measurement of 0.01 grams requires a scale that measures 0.001 grams (a thousandths of a gram). Measuring such small amounts becomes a practical problem, and as stated above, maintaining the mix ratio is essential for maintaining the cured properties of the epoxy.
This is why a 1-gram (or smaller) bi-pack is not practical. Even packaging houses with very accurate and routinely calibrated scales have difficulty maintaining an accurate enough mix ratio to ensure the cured properties of the epoxy. Can it be done? Yes, and the cost of achieving this roughly half quantity of epoxy would be expensive and subject always subject to reliability issues.
READ THE BLOG: Assuring the correct amount of Epoxy is in the connector
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.
