Fusion splicing optical fibres - GIF

[ToolTalkBot]

Fusion splicing optical fibres.




Previously:

Giant wire rope splicing needle - GIF
Optical fiber splicing tool - GIF
Splicing a 24kV electrical line - GIF
Splicing multi-strand wire - GIF
Splicing three wires together - GIF

[Karl_H]

What is the magnification of this video?

[albertq]

What is the magnification of this video?

Single strands are typically 0.1mm diameter so this appears to be approx. 100 x magnification. Quite amazing how they can weld such thin glass wires so perfectly.

[BuffaloJohn]

Single strands are typically 0.1mm diameter so this appears to be approx. 100 x magnification. Quite amazing how they can weld such thin glass wires so perfectly.

Actually, fiber optic cable is 50 micron or 62.5 micron (0.05mm or 0.0625mm) for multimode cables while most single mode fibers are 8 micron (0.008mm).

[albertq]

Actually, fiber optic cable is 50 micron or 62.5 micron (0.05mm or 0.0625mm) for multimode cables while most single mode fibera are 8 micron (0.008mm).

Thanks for the correction. I decimal point out, so magnification shown would be 1000 times. Even more amazing then.

[desbromilow]

what is not shown well is the mechanism which presses the ends of the fibre together during the arc, and then draws them apart again. The pressing together causes the fibre to blob and mix, and then the draw pulls the blob back so the finished splice is essentially invisible with no significant changes in diameter. The machine I used to use had a prismatic mirror system which allowed you to align the fibre ends in X and Y axis via micrometer screws, and then use the same mirror system to inspect the splice after fusing to make sure the finished "weld" was smooth and still aligned.
THe machine I used had a button I could press if I failed a splice so it would cut the splice imeediately - I would then remove the fibre on one side only, ecut it and remount it in the holder and start again - the fail-cutter worked so the other half was already cut squarely and away from the splice...from memory you could only fail a splice 2 times before complete remounting due to the way it cut, and the proximity of the cladding.