MECHANICAL SPLICES VS FUSION SPLICES OF OPTICAL FIBER

When a fiber optic company is installing, replacing, or repairing fiber optic cables, there is likely going to come a time when fiber optic splicing will need to be done. More often than not, it happens when a piece of fiber optic cable is not long enough to reach its desired destination. Fiber optic splicing makes it possible to take two pieces of fiber optic cable and splice them together in order to create one long piece of fiber optic cable. It really comes in handy for many companies who specialize in dealing with fiber optic cable all the time.

 

MECHANICAL SPLICING

There are two main ways to go about splicing fiber optic cables. The first is called mechanical splicing and it can usually be done in a matter of just a few minutes. To do a mechanical splice, you need to take the outer protective layer of a fiber optic cable and strip it back. Then, you need to clean it and make a precise cut in the cable. From there, you will need to do the same thing to the piece of cable you want to connect it to and put them together using a sleeve. You will then need to clamp the cables in place and use a special gel to enhance the light transmission through the mechanical splice.

 

FUSION SPLICING

Fusion splices, on the other hand, are slightly more complicated and cost a lot more to do. When you do this kind of splice, you need to take the two ends of fiber optic cable you want to join together and melt them. This needs to done using an electric arc that is specifically designed for forming a fusion splice in fiber optic cables. The protective coating needs to one removed and the ends of the cables need to be cut before they are aligned and then fused together. It’s more costly to perform this kind of splice, but it will typically provide you with better light transmission and, therefore, better overall results.