As the use of optical fiber networks becomes more widespread, more overseas customers are interested in producing their optical fiber patch cords to meet some engineering projects stringent lead time requirements. So, what tools and equipment are necessary for making fiber optic patch cords? And what are the most important ones?

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Although the fiber optic patch cord looks very simple in structure, it requires a lot of tools and equipment. We have organized the following mind map according to the tools and equipment needed for each process, hoping it will help you (The tools and equipment that must be used are marked with blue boxes)!

Now lets take a look at the tools and equipment mentioned in the 4 key processes one by one!

1. Curing Process

Necessary Tool: Fiber/Cable Stripper, Kevlar Scissor, Curing Oven

Fiber/Cable Stripper: Strip 250um buffer coating, 0.9mm, 2.0mm, 3.0mm cable jacket;

Kevlar Scissor: Cut the extra Kevlar;

Curing Oven: used to cure various types of fiber optic connectors, such as FC, SC, LC, MU, MTRJ, ST, MPO etc.

Optional: Automatic Cable Cutting Machine, Automatic Dispenser, Planetary Mixer, Flange Crimping Machine

Automatic Cable Cutting Machine: Only needed when the production capacity is large. If the number of patch cords to be produced is not too much, it will be better to use manual cable cutting to save costs.

Automatic Dispenser: the syringe can be used instead of glue injection (Please notice that the syringes needle requires special handling, and we can provide assistance at any time if necessary).

Centrifugal Defoaming Machine: Mix the two-component glue according to the mixing ratio of 10:1, manually stir evenly, then put them into the Centrifugal defoaming machine to de-bubble;

Flange Crimp Machine: used for crimping the ferrule into the flange, its no need to buy it. You can ask the supplier to assemble the connector to save labor costs.

2. Polishing Process

Fiber Polish machines are generally divided into two types: the Center Pressurized Polish Machine and the Four-corner Pressurized Polish Machine.

The central pressurized polish machine is a polishing machine that transmits pressure through the center of the polishing fixture and changes the polishing pressure by adjusting the position of the weight. The precision of this control method is not enough. It is generally only used for polishing low-quality products, and the accuracy is inaccurate. The main reason is that for the flat plate structure, the central pressure will cause a certain amount of side tilt so that the pressure of the optical fibers on the entire surface is inconsistent. Optical fiber polishing is a precision manufacturing process, so it is easy to cause the same batch of the quality of the optical fiber polishing to be uneven, which affects the subsequent optical fiber manufacturing and processing. Therefore, now the Four-corner Pressurized Polishing Machine is mainly used in the production of patch cords in factories.

Polish Jig

Polishing Jigs are divided into Finished Polish Jigs, Semi-Finished Polish Jigs, and Hand-Polishing Discs. Finished polish jigs are primarily used for four-corner pressure polishing machines; semi-finished jigs are mainly utilized for center pressurized polishing machines; hand-polishing discs are used for individual defective products (it is currently used less as they are not very good control the polishing effect.)

According to the core type of Finished Polish Jigs, there are currently 12 cores, 16 cores, 18 cores, 20 cores, 24 cores, 32 cores, and 36 cores to choose from, which significantly improves production efficiency.

Fiber Cutting Pen: Ruby type and Carbide type;

Polishing Pad: Need to prepare70°, 80° and 90° those three types;

Polishing Film: Choose 30um, 9um 1um, ADS will be enough.

3. Assembly Process

Crimping Machine Used for assembling fiber optic connectors. The machines pressure is adjustable, and it is available for different kinds of fiber optic connectors, such as FC, ST, SC, MU, LC, E, LX.5 , and so on.

Hot Air Gun: Use for fixing heat shrink tubing

4. Test Process

End face Detector 200X / 400X: Can quickly check blemish, scratch and chipping, etc. defects on fiber jumper and fiber ferrule;

IL & RL Test Machine SM & MM: Test the insertion and return loss of fiber patch cord;

VFL Pen 5mw: to find breakpoints, poor connections, bending or cracking in fiber optic cables;

3D interferometer:  Mainly measures the radius of curvature, apex offset, and fiber height. Usually, only Grade A and Grade B patch cords need this test. Its very expensive, if you do not often need to produce high-quality patch cords, then its not necessary to buy it.

5. Parts

353ND Epoxy, Alcohol Dispenser, Industrial Alcohol, Kimwipe, Blades, and Sand Paper.

Well, the tools and equipment required for standard fiber optic patch cords are introduced here today. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us: .

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Wirenet.

Important questions to ask before selecting fiber optic cable

With the fantastic capabilities yet a wide variety of fiber optic cables, it may be challenging to select the right type of cable for your project. As a fiber optic products supplier, we at Nassau National Cable know what to take into account when choosing an optic fiber cable. Here are the important factors to consider before you make an order.

Network distance

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a fiber optic cable is the distance of your network. Fiber optic line allows for data travel at high speed and long distances with minimum data loss. In particular, this wiring loses as little as 3% of data per 100 meters, which is significantly less than CAT6 wires, for example.

Also, depending on whether your distances are shorter or longer, you want to consider various fiber optic cable types, particularly singlemode or multimode cables. Lets discuss the difference between these next.

Singlemode vs. Multimode

So the distance of your network determines which type of optic cable you need. Singlemode means that there is one pulse of light while multimode means that there are numerous light pulses.

• A

  singlemode cable

  has a smaller core and is more suitable for longer distances, such as more than 300 meters. These are usually fiber optic HDMI cables used for cable TV and telecommunications.

• A

  multimode wire

  has a bigger core and is best for larger volumes of data and shorter-distance networks.

An example of singlemode fiber optics cable is the Tight Buffered Cable, while the Loose Tube Cable is a multimode wire.

Cable size

Fiber optic cables, overall, have become quite thin and therefore, convenient to install and manage. While there are thicker and thinner wires due to the size of their core, this type of wiring is still thinner than the existing alternatives made of other materials. 

So when planning your project and considering the use of different cables, keep in mind that a fiber optic wire will take up less space while providing excellent capabilities.

Connectors

Fiber optic connectors are another area of consideration for your project. The type of connectors you need will depend on your network, particularly the ports in your equipment. For instance, if there is a multifiber port in your network, you will have to select a fiber optic HDMI cable with a particular number of fibers.

Installation site

The environment conditions of the place where you are going to install your fiber optic cabling need to be taken into account when choosing the wiring. Because external factors can damage the wire or affect its performance and durability, make sure to check out different jacket options for the fiber optic wire.

For example, the jacket made of PVC, like in the Commscope Cable, can withstand lower temperatures than Tefzel jacketed cabling. Or the flame-retardant jacket of the Ribbon Cable makes it perfect for indoor and riser sites, but it is not a good choice for fiber cable outdoor installation.

Cost

With all the things discussed above, it is natural that the cost of every fiber optic wiring will differ. But at this point, you might have already narrowed down your choice to a certain type of fiber optic HDMI or other kinds of wire. Now it is time when the cost factor can play a role compare your options and check out whether one offers a better cost-to-performance ratio than the other. 

However, we dont recommend neglecting the cables capabilities for the sake of cutting the project cost because this will end up being a less cost-effective option in the long run.

Where to buy fiber optic cables?

Now that you have answers to the most important questions on fiber optic products, check out our fiberoptic cable collection to find the one that fits your project needs best. If you need to address any other questions regarding which wire to choose, contact us and we will help you make the right choice.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of China Fiber optic patch cable assemblies Exporter. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.