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This tutorial describes the fiber optic cable termination process (hand polishing process) of a
Corning field-installable SC connector (PC finish). The fiber optic termination kit described here
comes from Corning Cable Systems. Please follow the manufacturer’s instruction if you are
more familiar with fiber termination kit from other manufacturers.
Although this tutorial describes the steps for fiber optic termination of a Corning SC connector,
the concept applies to all epoxy and polish connectors.
2. Epoxy/adhesive preparation
5. Crimp connector
9. Final inspection
Precautions
Always wear your safety glasses. Glass fiber pieces are very sharp and dangerous
Prevent epoxy/adhesive contact with skin or eyes
Promptly dispose glass fiber pieces into fiber disposal bottle or on a loop of tape
Never directly look into a fiber. The invisible laser light can damage your eyes
Slide the 3mm strain relief boot onto the cable end to be terminated
Per connector manufacturer’s instruction, use jacket stripper (2.0mm hole) to remove
fiber jacket to specified length and expose the aramid yarn. (the Kevlar)
Trim the aramid yarn to specified length with scissors according to the spec.
Fiber jacket and aramid yarn stripped to specified length per connector manufacturer’s spec
Fold the aramid yarn back and slide the crimp ring onto the cable, keep folding the
aramid yarn back with the crimp ring.
Use a permanent marker to mark specified length from end of the jacket per
manufacturer’s spec on fiber tight buffer.
Strip the buffer in 5mm increments up to the mark with your preferred buffer and coating
stripper.
Miller triple holes fiber stripper - Strips 250um to 125um, 900um to 250um and 2~3mm Jacket
Removal
Clean the stripped fiber with a link-free wipe soaked in isopropyl alcohol and put it aside
for later use. (Be careful not to contaminate the cleaned fiber!)
Step 2: Epoxy/Adhesive Preparation
Here we use Tra-Con BAF253 Bipax package as the epoxy sample, please follow your
epoxy manufacturer’s epoxy preparation procedure.
Open the divider of the Bipax package, and roll the epoxy package on a flat surface with
the epoxy mixer to mix the epoxy. When the epoxy changes to a consistent color
throughout, the epoxy is ready.
Hold syringe vertically with the needle up. Let the epoxy run to the bottom. Slowly move
the plunger up, forcing out the air.
Wipe the epoxy that squirts out of the needle with a wipe.
Step 3: Inject Epoxy/Adhesive into Connector Ferrule
Take a connector, remove and throw away the cap from the rear of the assembly since
you won’t need it any more.
Remove the dust cap from the connector ferrule (front of the assembly) and keep it. You
will need it to protect the finished connector.
Hold the connector with ferrule pointed up; insert the syringe into the connector guiding
tube until it stops in the connector.
Slowly push the plunger to inject epoxy into the connector body, stop once you see epoxy
bead appears at the tip of the ferrule, and remove the syringe.
Slide the crimp ring back down the cable jacket, away from the connector, to free the
aramid yarn. Use tweezers to spread the aramid yarn evenly around the back of the
connector body.
Slide the crimp ring back towards the connector over the aramid yarn until it stops
against the wall of the crimp body.
Place the connector assembly into your crimper tool hex, make sure the cable jacket is
under the crimp ring, and squeeze the crimper tool’s handles shut to crimp the connector.
Remove the connector from the crimper tool.
Slide 3mm strain relief boot over the crimp ring. The connector is now ready for next
step.
Step 6: Cure Epoxy/Adhesive with Oven
Check the temperature of the epoxy curing oven with the thermometer, and make sure the
temperature is 125~130°C (or curing temperature per your epoxy manufacturer’s spec)
o You should have turned on the oven before cable preparation so it would have
enough time to warm up and stabilize at 125°C
Put the connector assembly into the curing oven, and cure the epoxy for 6 minutes.
o Make sure you don’t break the fiber protruding from the ferrule tip. You will have
to start over if you break the fiber since it always breaks inside the ferrule which
makes polishing impossible.
Curing connector epoxy with an oven (note the thermometer and timer)
Connector epoxy curing oven with a thermometer
Take out the connector after epoxy curing; allow it to cool down for next step.
Hold the connector with ferrule tip pointed up; nick the excess fiber at a point
0.15~0.2mm from where it exits the epoxy bead with a ruby fiber scribe.
Pull the fiber to break it and dispose the fiber piece into a fiber disposal bottle or onto a
loop of tape. Now the connector is ready for polishing.
o Now put the polishing puck on the 5um film, and gently make one or two figure 8
polishing patterns with very light pressure. The purpose is to make sure that the
fiber stub is flush with the epoxy bead.
o Once the fiber stub is flush with the epoxy bead, make 4 to 5 figure 8 polishing
patterns with medium pressure. Check the epoxy bead after each figure 8 pattern.
o Once the epoxy bead is almost gone, remove and clean the connector with a dry
lint-free wipe.
o Another indication for this step is that the polishing suddenly feels slippery. It will
feel like the polishing puck is floating on air.
o Remove the connector and clean the connector end-face and ferrule surfaces with
a lint-free wipe soaked in isopropyl alcohol.
o Finish the cleaning with a dry lint-free wipe followed by a blow of compressed
air.
Step 9: Final Inspection
Insert the connector into the end of your fiber optic inspection microscope with at least
200X magnification. You need the correct ferrule adapter for your connector. FC, SC and
ST connectors need 2.5mm ferrule adapter for the fiber optic inspection microscope. LC
connector needs a 1.25mm ferrule adapter instead.
o Light scratches and small pits are acceptable if they are not on the fiber core.
However shattered fiber, cracked fiber and heavily pitted fibers are not
acceptable.
If the connector passes visual inspection then you can put on the dust cap over the
connector ferrule.
good quality fiber optic connector termination
Step 10: Trouble Shooting Tips for Fiber Optic Cable Termination