QUESTION:
Where does the contamination come from in the normal polishing process?
ANSWER:
Contamination is primarily a natural result of the normal polishing process. Ferrules are polished on abrasive films or flock-pile pads impregnated with abrasives. During polishing, some of these abrasive particles, along with the ceramic or plastic material being removed from the ferrule itself, come free and mix with the water used as a lubricant within the process. This results in an abrasive slurry that contaminates the fixture and the ferrules themselves. Common polishing practices require the operator to clean the bottom of the fixture between polishing cycles, to remove abrasive particles that may create fiber end-face scratches in subsequent polishing steps. However, this slurry can (and will) migrate into crevices and the bores of the fixture—places difficult or unlikely to be fully cleaned or flushed out during normal polishing process. Allowed to dry, it will harden and cake.
READ THE FULL BLOG ARTICLE HERE: Fiber Optic Polishing Fixture Maintenance: Fiber Optic Polishing Fixture Contamination and Ultrasonic Cleaning
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