Fiber Splicing

Objective

• To understand the
• Procedures, tools and equipment used for the splicing of
Optical Fiber Drop cable of FTTH connections
• To perform the
• splicing of Optical Fiber Drop cable of FTTH
connections according to the set standards in order to
restore FTTH Services
 Outline

• Introduction to Optical Fiber Splicing

• Introduction to Tools and Equipment used for Optical
Fiber Splicing
• Operation of Fusion Splicing machine
• Procedure for Optical Fiber Drop cable splicing
• Hands-on Experience
• Preparation of Fiber Drop cable for splicing
• Splicing of Fibers & reinforcing
• Assembling inside the Drop box
Introduction
• Fiber optics cable are widely used in
network communication
infrastructure. They provide
considerable high bandwidth
transfer and are capable for long
distance transmission.
 Fiber Optic communication

Communication
Transferring of information from one place to another place.

Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of signals over long distances.

Optical Communication
Transmission of information by means of optical signal.
Cross Sectional view of fiber optical
cable
Optical Fiber Cross-section

Diameter
Core 9µm, 50µm, 62.5µm
Cladding 125µm
Coating 250µm
Advantages of fiber cables
High bandwidth

Noise and electromagnetic immunity

Small and light

Can operate in wide temperature range

Transmission security
 Cost for optical fiber cables
and the technology needed to
support fiber optics systems.

Disadvantages
Skilled personnel needed to
splice, terminate and test.
SLT ODN
SLT ODN
Optical Fiber Colour Code
Optical Fiber Colour Code(cont.)
 What is Fiber Splicing?

• Join the ends of two optical fibers together.

• For a strong, smooth connection.
 When would you splice?
• A cost-effective and time-effective solution when:
You need to attach a connector onto the end of a
pigtail.
You need to make your cable longer.
The cable become damaged so rather than
replace the whole cable, you want to cut out the
damaged part and join the rest back together.
 Optical Fiber Cable Splicing

• Joining two fiber optic cables together

• Lower loss and back reflection than using connectors
• Two methods of fiber optic splicing;
• Fusion splicing
• Mechanical splicing
 Optical Fiber Cable Splicing

Fusion splicing
• precisely aligned two fiber ends are “fused” or “welded”
together using some type of heat or electric arc
• Typical loss: 0.1 dB
 Mechanical splicing
Mechanical splicing
• hold the two fiber ends in a precisely aligned position
• Typical loss: 0.3 dB
Drop Cable Splicing Tool kit
• Fusion Splicing Machine
• Fiber Cleaver
• Fiber Stripper
• Fiber Holder
• Fiber Protection Sleeves
• Fiber Cleaning kit
• Fiber Cleaning Fluid (Iso
Profile(Best one)/Acetone/Alcohol
bottle)
• Lint free wipes (Tissue
papers/gauzes)
 Fusion Splicing Machine

• A fiber optic fusion splicer is a device that uses an electric arc to

melt two optical fibers together at their end faces, to form a
single long fiber.
 Operation of Fusion Splicing machine

1. Alignment: fiber cores placed on the holders are

properly aligned by small, precise motors
2. Impurity Burn-Off: generate a small spark between the
fiber ends to burn off any remaining dust or moisture
3. Fusion: fuse the fibers ends together to form a
permanent splice
4. Heating: install the heat shrinkable sleeve
Procedure for Optical Fiber Drop cable
splicing

1. Preparing the fibers

2. Cleave the fibers
3. Fuse the fibers
4. Protect the fiber
5. Install the spliced fiber inside Drop box
 Procedure for Optical Fiber Drop cable
splicing
1. Preparing the fibers
• strip the cable jacket and strength member using Stripper tools
(Refer the Drop box manual to find the strip length)
• insert one bare fiber through the Fiber Protection Sleeve
• strip protective coating using Stripper tool leaving only the bare
fiber (Strip length is about 50 mm)
• clean bare fibers with alcohol and wipes
• check the strength of bare fibers by slightly bending them (about
30 degrees)
• place the cleaned bare fibers on Fiber Holders
 Procedure for Optical Fiber Drop cable
splicing
2. Cleave the fibers
• place the Fiber Holder on Cleaver tool
• Cleaver tool nicks the fiber and then pulls or flexes it
to cause a clean break
• quality of the cleaver tool is critical and cleave angle
should be closer to 90 degrees for a good splice
 Procedure for Optical Fiber Drop cable
splicing

3. Fuse the fibers

• place the cleaved fibers mounted on Fiber Holders
inside the Fusion Splicer for alignment and heating for
the welding of two fibers
 Procedure for Optical Fiber Drop cable
splicing
4. Protect the fiber
• shift the Fiber Protection Sleeve to cover the splice
• place the splice covered by Fiber Protection Sleeve inside the
Heating compartment of Fusion Splicer
• Fiber Protection Sleeve is a heat shrinkable tube with a
strength member to protect the splice from excessive bending
and pulling forces
 Procedure for Optical Fiber Drop cable
splicing
5. Install the spliced fiber inside Drop box
• place the shrunk Fiber Protection Sleeve in the Fiber
Protection Sleeve Holder of the Drop box
• coil the remaining coated fiber cores along the cable
routes inside the Drop box (Refer the Drop box
manual)
FTTH New Connection Diagram
Outdoor Drop Wire segment
White color retainer
Internal Drop Wire
segment
C Hook

Spiral /Flexible
conduit / Casing

Spiral /Flexible Casing

conduit / Casing
More than 4. 5m Patch Cord

3.5 m
Rosette
Demarcation ONT
Box/Drop Box

1.5m~2.0m 1.0 m

0.5 m

Ground
 Drop Cable Breakdown
• If No Rx Power;
• Inspect the Drop cable Outdoor Drop Wire segment

• Find the breakdown segment White color retainer

Internal Drop Wire
segment
• Replace breakdown segment only C Hook

Spiral /Flexible
conduit / Casing

• Do Splice joint at Drop box

Spiral /Flexible Casing
conduit / Casing
More than 4. 5m Patch Cord

3.5 m
Rosette
Demarcation ONT
Box/Drop Box

1.5m~2.0m 1.0 m

0.5 m

Ground
 Drop box at Customer Premise
White color retainer

C Hook

Spiral /Flexible
conduit / Casing

Spiral /Flexible Casing

conduit / Casing
More than 4. 5m Patch Cord

3.5 m
Rosette
Demarcation ONT
Box/Drop Box

1.5m~2.0m 1.0 m

0.5 m

Ground
Optical Fiber Drop Cable
Drop Box
 References

• Web sites for FTTH & Fusion Splicing

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_to_the_x
• http://www.thefoa.org/tech/ref/contents.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_splicing
• http://www.tecratools.com/pages/tecalert/splicing_guide.html
 Fiber Safety Rules

1. Keep all food and beverages out of the work area. If fiber particles
are ingested they can cause internal hemorrhaging.
2. Wear disposable aprons to minimize fiber particles on your
clothing. Fiber particles on your clothing can later get into food,
drinks, and/or be ingested by other means.
3. Always wear safety glasses with side shields and protective gloves.
4. Treat fiber optic splinters the same as you would treat glass
splinters.
 Fiber Safety Rules(cont.)
5. Never look directly into the end of fiber cables until you are
positive that there is no light source at the other end.
6. When using an optical tracer or continuity checker (Visual light
source), look at the fiber from an angle at least 6 inches away
from your eye to determine if the visible light is present.
7. Work on a black work surface as it helps to find fiber scraps.
8. Only work in well ventilated areas.
 Fiber Safety Rules(cont.)
9. Avoid setting up fiber optic cable splicing and terminating work
areas directly under or near heating or air conditioning outlets
as dust or dirt on connectors is a major cause of scratches on
polished connectors that can cause high loss measurements.
10.Contact lens wearers must not handle their lenses until they
have thoroughly washed their hands.
11.Do not touch your eyes while working with fiber optic systems
until your hands have been thoroughly washed.
12.Keep all combustible materials safely away from the curing
ovens.
 Fiber Safety Rules(cont.)
13.Put all cut fiber pieces in a properly marked container for disposal.
14.Do not kneel on the floor or sit on benches in a fiber optic area.
15.Do not pick up shards of fiber with your fingers.
16.Do not brush up pieces of fiber with your hands. Use a small brush.
17.Thoroughly clean your work area when you are done.
18.Do not smoke while working with fiber optic systems.
 Fiber Safety Rules(cont.)

19.Keep dust caps on connectors, and patch panels.

20.Wash your hands before and after working with fiber optic cables.

Take the injured person to a doctor or direct to the hospital.

 Issues affecting optical fiber cables
Attenuation which is the loss of light as it transverses through
the cable. Caused by wavelength of light, number of splices and
connections, length of span as well as type of fiber.

Dispersion which is a phenomena that causes light to be spread

out. Chromatic and polarization mode dispersion are mainly in
single mode systems.

Reflection mainly caused by cross connectors which in turn

causes optical return loss.
 Types of fiber optics

Single mode fibers transmit a single light ray from

the transmitter to the receiver.

Uses laser source

Operates at 1310nm, 1550nm and 1625nm

Sensitive to bends
• Multimode fibers transmit multiple light rays from the
transmitter to the receiver.

Uses LED source

Operates at 850nm and 1300nm

 OM1: uses LED and
bandwidth of 200MHz

OM2:uses LED and

Multimode fiber bandwitdh of 500MHz
types
OM3:uses VCSEL and
bandwidth of 1500MHz

OM4/5:uses VCSEL and

bandwidth of 3500MHZ
 • Multimode step index fiber
Have bandwidth of 20MHz-Km
Large core 200μm-1000μm
Operate at 515nm-1300nm
Fiber • Plastic step index fiber
characteristics
IEEE 1394 firewire standard
Uses LED and lasers
Bandwidth upto 6 MHz
• Plastic clad silica step index fibers
Uses LED
Operates at 660nm – 1060nm
Bandwidth upto 25MHz-km
• Graded index plastic fiber
Bandwidth upto 3GHz per 100meters
Uses LED and lasers
Operates at 660nm
 Subscriber connectors (SC)

LC connectors
Fiber Optics
connectors
ST and FT connectors

Multifiber push on connectors

 SC fiber
Connectors
Fiber Optics
connectors
Fiber Optics Splicing tools that are needed

Fiber cutters

Strippers

Cleaver scribe

Handheld microscope

SC and LC puck
CUTTER

• Cutters are used to romove

the inner tubing that houses
the fiber strands in a optical
fiber cable.
Fiber Stripper is used to remove the fiber
jacket
Cleaning Tools
FTTH fiber optic cleaning box
Testing Fiber Optics
Visual fault locator
Power meter
Visual microscope/fiber inspection probe