The role of fiber optic connectors is to give a connection or disconnection solution for a fiber optic link. To make the light power from the fiber optic transmitter successfully received by the receiver end, it is required to install the optical fiber connectors at both ends of and optical fiber stand. Install fiber optic connectors is a caution job that you should handle with much carefulness, otherwise there will cause a failure in the optical signals transmission.
The aim of installing fiber optic connectors is to provide a protection for the tripped fiber end in the connector ferrule in case that the cable entering the back of the connector body or prevent the fibers from moving back and fore within the connector body. Good installation will make it free of optical loss and connector or fiber damages.
There are both mechanical methods and chemical methods to fiber optic connector installation, which come in adhesives and polish, cleave and crimp, and fusion splicing the fiber pigtails. Fusion splicing belongs to chemical methods while the last two is for mechanical. Mechanical ways features both cost and time saving, which is suit for small qualities of fiber optic connectors installation, which is also be discussed in the article.
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Mechanical Adhesives and Polish
This way can be simply called epoxy and polish, the two main steps indicated. Steps follow, use a Fiber cable stripper to strip the buffer coating and the plastic jacket from the fiber end. Inject the epoxy glue into the connector body until a small amount flows out of the ferrule end. Insert the stripped fiber end into the connector body and then place them into an oven to get heated. After 145j minutes, remove the assembly from the oven for cooling. After the connector is enough cool to handle, use a fiber optic scribe to gently scratch the excess fiber sticking out of the ferrule. Remove the fiber stub and use the finer polishing papers to polish the fibers.
In the reality practice of the fiber connector installations, you will find another type of connectors that already has the epoxy inside the connector body. With this connector type for the job, you can skip the step of injecting the epoxy, and follow the rest steps above to finish the job.
Mechanical Cleave and Crimp
Cleave and crimp is the simplest and the fastest way for the connector installations. Because this method is only for a special type of connector which has already has the polished optical fiber stub installed in the ferrule by the manufacturer. Step for installing these connectors is simple: After the jackets and buffer coating of the fiber cable are stripped by the technician, use a fiber optic cleaver to break off the fiber to within two degrees of 90 degrees at a specific length. Then insert the cleaved fiber end into the back of the connector until it contact the fiber stub within that have been cleaved at the factory, mechanical clamp will be activated automatically. Once the two cleaved fibers ends has holds together, use a crimp tool to crimp the back of connector
to the fiber jacks.
What you should note is that in the whole process of the two mechanical fiber connector installation method, you should make sure all the related tools such as the cable wire strippers, crimping tools, fiber optic cleavers involved should be with high quality. Because a mediocre or poor tool will make the connector poor or inoperative. This article is only about the mechanical method, if you are also interested in the chemical splicing pigtail ways, please pay continuous attention to my blog.
