FiberTechs provides quality, experienced fusion splicing services to customers in Texas, Florida, and beyond. We are part of the Corning Network of Preferred Installers (NPI), which means our fusion splicing contractors are Corning-certified and held to the highest standards in the industry. With 27 years of providing fiber optic services, we’ve seen and handled just about every type of fiber splicing project for a wide range of clients.
What is Fusion Splicing in Fiber Optics?
Splicing is a technique in which two fiber optic cables are joined together, end to end. Fiber splicing is often used over optical fiber connectors because fiber splicing is relatively permanent.
There are two methods of fiber splicing: mechanical and fusion:
- Mechanical Splicing involves aligning and joining two or more fibers together using connectors. Although quicker and easier to perform, mechanical splicing allows for more loss, so it is typically used for a temporary fix after a cable breaks.
- Fusion Splicing permanently fuses or welds the fibers together using an electric arc or heat. This is the preferred and most common method of fiber splicing, with the lowest loss and strongest connection between the two or more fibers.
One of the main methods of fiber optic splicing is called fusion splicing and is one of the most commonly used methods of fiber optic splicing. It is a method of connecting two pieces of optical fiber. The ends of the two pieces of fiber are put together in a particular way so that the light can travel through the fiber. The items needed for splicing include:
- Fiber stripper
- Fusion splicer
- Alcohol wipes
- Fiber splice connector
- Fiber cleaver
How to Splice Fiber Optic Cable
Fusion splicing for fiber optic cables is an intricate process, and if not done correctly there can be connection issues or outages. The following steps are involved in a typical fusion splice:
- Stripping the fiber by removing the protective polymer coating.
- Cleaning the bare fiber with alcohol to ensure it is free of contaminants.
- Cleaving the fiber to create a clean break and allow for a better fuse.
- Fusing the fibers together using a fusion splicer, melting both ends to permanently weld them together.
- Protecting the newly fused fibers by reapplying the coating.
- Testing the new connection with an Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) to make sure there is no loss or faults.
Advantages of Fusion Splicing
Fusion splicing is currently the most popular type of splicing used in the fiber optic industry. In comparison to some other techniques for making fiber joints, splicing has more advantages. Some of the advantages of using fusion splicing include:
- Lower transition losses and weaker reflections
- The resulting joints are stable and have the highest mechanical strength
- The joint it produces is stable compared to other methods
- No materials are required, except for protecting the fiber after splicing
- Offers a lower variable cost per fusion splice
- It provides a better and more secure environment so that there are minimum cable failures
Contact An Experienced Fusion Splicing Contractor
FiberTechs is your first call partner for quality, reliable fusion splicing services. We are proud to serve customers in Texas, Florida, and beyond. Contact us today to discuss your fiber optic project!