FOC Blogs

In fiber optic cable assembly, the polishing process is perhaps the most critical step to assure high-quality assemblies that meet specifications. That’s why it’s important to select the right optical fiber polishing machine – and polishing fixtures – that...

The glass transition, Tg, is the temperature at which cured epoxies go from being rigid and glassy to being rubbery and more flexible. Most of us think of cured epoxies as being pretty hard (Shore D) materials; and they are, due to the crosslinked nature of their...

Two of the most frequently asked questions from fiber optic cable assembly operations are: (1) How do scratches appear? (2)How can we keep scratches to a minimum?” When we receive these questions from a customer, we usually request a visual image of one or more...

In standard Singlemode cable assembly, the two wavelengths used for Insertion Loss testing are 1310nm and 1550nm. All Singlemode fibers work very similarly in either wavelength—that is, you don’t need to buy fiber based on wavelength, one fiber fits all. So ...

One of the questions I often get from fiber optic cable manufacturers is: “Which specifications do I have to qualify to?” Additionally, I often hear: “Why is it that this particular specification is not good enough? Why can’t one spec fit all?” ...

One of the questions I get asked about regarding optical cable measurements is: “Why don’t my OTDR and jacket length markings agree?” The answer depends on the type of cable being made. In the old days (when you and I were a lot younger) the normal procedure ...

Myriad of Fiberoptic Polishing Variables, Process, Applications and Equipment Options A common question in fiber optic polishing is “Can you share one standard polishing procedure”? In a perfect world, there would be ONE polishing procedure and a standard...

When fiber optic cable assembly process engineers are implementing or changing a process, they naturally ask a lot of questions. Engineers recognize that polishing film (aka lapping film) will play a critical role in attaining a stable manufacturing process...

I frequently hear customers complain that although nothing has changed in their fiber optic cable assembly production process, the measured Insertion Loss (IL) and Return Loss (RL) values of their product aren’t as good as they once were. Is something wrong ...

Of the two common ferrule shapes involved in APC polishing – conical and step – the step ferrule is by far the easiest in terms of controlling geometries. Step ferrules are more expensive than conical ferrules. However, from a purely process-control point of ...