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They are splicing two strands together, permanently connecting them in one unit. In contrast, fibre connections are designed to be easily reconfigured on cross-connect or patch panels. This makes them more convenient to use. Mechanical splicing and fusion splicing are the two methods that may be used when joining fibres together.
Mechanical Splicing
In mechanical splicing, two optical fibres are not physically fused; instead, two threads are kept butt-to-butt within a sleeve by an automatic mechanism. This allows the fibres to be joined together. Compared to fusion splices, mechanical splices will provide worse results in terms of both insertion loss and back reflection (the second type we are introducing below). Most of the time, mechanical splicing is used for emergency repairs and testing fibre. You’ll be able to have a look at several mechanical splice items in this section.
Fusion Splicing
Fusion splicing is the name given to the second form of splicing. An electric arc is employed in the process of fusion splicing, which results in the literal welding (fusing) of two strands together. Because it results in the least amount of insertion loss and almost no back reflection, fusion splicing is the most common form of splicing. Fusion splicing creates the most robust and dependable connection possible between two strands. A piece of automated equipment known as a fusion splicer is used to do fusion splicing (fusion splicing machines). In this lesson, we are going to concentrate on fusion splicers.
Fusion Splicer
As mentioned before, the equipment used to join (fuse) two optical fibres together is called a fusion splicer. Fusion splicing is the term that describes this process. After prepping, slicing, and putting in alignment fixtures on the fusion splicer, the fibre ends are ready to be spliced. The fibre ends are heated using electrodes, pulled together, and fused when the user presses a button.
Splicing machines are automated equipment; to use them, you must choose the factory’s suggested settings or adjust the splicing parameters. One must complete the five fundamental processes listed below when using a splicing machine.
- Put on the sleeve of protection for the fusion splice.
- Take the fibre out of it. Remove coatings from the thread until you’re left with the naked 125um fibre. Isopropyl alcohol (99%) should be used to clean the bare fibre.
- Cut through the fibres. A cleaver with a high level of accuracy will be required to sever the thread. The majority of splicing machines have a chopper that the manufacturer recommends using. Cleaving the fibre is a critical phase in the process since the cleave’s quality will determine the splice’s quality.
- Place the fibres in the appropriate slots of the fusion splicer’s fibre holders. To begin the fusion splicing process, use the button labelled “start.”
- Put fibre into the fusion splicer
Central Body Coordination
Fusion splicers that do optical fibre core alignment, also known as “profile alignment,” employ numerous cameras to check the two split fibres before fusing them and letting them move along various axes throughout the process. Each of the two threads receives light from one of two directions that are rotated by ninety degrees. The machine determines where the core of the fibres is based on the input from the many video cameras and then automatically aligns them using stages that may move.
