Epoxy must be thoroughly mixed and then degassed to remove bubbles. (In the production process, you don’t want to dispense any bubbles inside the ferrule.)
You may have heard the advice to mix epoxy based on time, for example, 1 minute of mixing or 90 seconds of mixing. But when mixing manually, different users may mix at different rates – that is, one person may stir more quickly than another, or if roll-mixing a bi-pack one person may roll faster than another.
For epoxy bi-pack mixing, using a roller or the edge of a table, we recommend using a counting-based process rather than a time-based process. Usually, 20-25 uniform passes using a consistent mixing rhythm should be sufficient. The goal is to thoroughly blend Part A and Part B with minimal bubbles. Bubbles will appear in properly mixed epoxy. If you mix too vigorously, you can trap more air and introduce more bubbles, and this may add time to your degassing process.
Click HERE to read step-by-step mixing instructions, with illustrations, for epoxy burst pouch bi-packs.
MORE INFORMATION:
Bonding Optical Fiber to the Ceramic Ferrule SERIES:
November 2017: Part 1: Best practices for epoxy preparation and dispensing
December 2017: Part 2: Best practices to characterize oven ports used to thermally cure epoxy
January 2018: Part 3: Best practices to validate your epoxy curing schedule
Click to learn more:
- Helpful Epoxy Tips (and a Few Tricks)
- Bond Line Thickness & More: Answers to Common Epoxy Questions
- Ideas to Adjust Your Epoxy Process: Recommendations to Reduce Waste (and Save Money) in Your Fiber Optic Cable Assembly Process
- Crystallization in Epoxies: Steps for You to Spot it – and Fix It.
- Epoxy Bi-Pack News – and Usage Tips for Best 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.