FOCUS ON THE FIBER OPTIC WELDER. In the digital age, the internet is part of our daily lives. Specific equipment is then used to connect buildings to the fiber-optic network. This is particularly the case with fiber optic welders.
What is a Fiber Optic Splicer?
The fiber optic welder makes it possible to fuse two fibers together. This type of joint is permanent in order to establish the connection between the two optical fibers. This device is also used to repair faulty or damaged optical fibers during transport. Thanks to welding, flow losses are reduced. Optical soldering aims above all to optimize the performance of the optical fiber.
Technically speaking, fiber optic soldering takes place in several steps. To begin, the expert places the protective sleeve over one of the fibers. He then removes the plastic protection present on the two fibers.
What are the different types of fiber optic splicers?
Fiber optic splicers come in three main families, starting with cladding alignment splicers. This type of device allows active or passive alignment on the ducts. Active alignment consists in distinguishing the edges of the fiber. It is then necessary to align them in 3 dimensions. As for passive alignment on the ducts, this technique consists of aligning the fiber through the V-grooves. These are fiber supports, located as close as possible to the electrodes.
There are also core alignment welders that allow index profile or core-to-core alignment to be performed. It is a question of detecting the limit between the optical cladding and the heart of the fiber. The alignment of the fiber cores thus takes place in 3 dimensions. Finally, the fiber ribbon welder or multifiber welder is essential for welding several fibers at once. The number of fibers welded together depends on the capacity of the device.
How to choose your fiber optic welder?
The choice of fiber optic welder is crucial for the quality of the connections. These must indeed be durable. In addition, the device must be efficient and easy to use. In principle, the efficiency of a cladding alignment welder is roughly similar to that of a core alignment welder. The fiber ribbon welder is less common in France.