Fiber Optic Splicing and Installation Requirements

2. WHAT IS FIBER OPTIC
SPLICING?

3. Fiber Optic Splicing
Fiber Optic Splicing is used to join two fiber optic
cables together. This is most commonly done when a cable
is accidentally severed, or when fiber cables need to be
lengthened during a cable run. Fiber optics are essential to
keeping businesses and homes connected around the
world.

4. The Two Main Methods of Fiber Optic
Splicing
Fusion splicing and Mechanical splicing are the two most
common ways optical fibers are joined together.

5. Method #1: Fusion Splicing
Fusion Splicing is the process of
permanently joining two fibers
together. In fusion splicing, two fibers
are literally welded (fused) together by
an electric arc.

6. Steps in performing Fusion
Splicing

7. STEP 1:
Put on the fusion
splice protection
sleeve..

8. Strip the fiber. Strip back all fiber coatings down to the 125um bare fiber.
Clean the bare fiber with 99% isopropyl alcohol.
STEP 2:

9. Cleave the fiber. The fiber
needs to be cleaved with a high
precision cleaver. Most splicing
machines come with a
recommended cleaver. Fiber
cleaving is a very important step
as the quality of the splice will
depend on the quality of the
cleave.
STEP:3

10. Put the fibers into the
fiber holders in the
fusion splicer. Press
the start button to
start the fusion
splicing.
STEP: 4

11. Heat shrink the
protection sleeve
to protect the
splicing joint.
STEP:5

12. Method #2: Mechanical Splicing
Mechanical Splicing is a manual process that does not permanently
fuse or join the fibers together, instead it locks and aligns the fiber
ends together with a screw mechanism in a splice case.

13. Steps in performing Mechanical Splicing

14. STEP 1: Prepare the fibers
The first step is to neatly strip the fibers of its
protective coatings, jackets, tubes, etc. leaving
nothing but the bare fiber cores.

15. Step 2: Cleave the fibers
After stripping your fiber optic cables, the next step is to
break your cables using a fiber cleaver. Use the cleaver
carefully to create a small, clean cut on the cables with
ends perpendicular to the fiber axis.

16. Step 3: Join the fibers mechanically
You have to precisely position the fiber ends together
in the mechanical splice unit. The index matching gel
inside the equipment will do the heavy lifting for you,
linking the light in the ends of your cables.

17. Step 4: Secure the united fiber
Once you're done with these three steps, place the fibers in a
splice tray and then inside a splice closure.
As such, the completed mechanical splice renders its own
protection for the splice. But make sure to seal the cables carefully,
as this will prevent your cables from experiencing moisture
damage.

18. UNLOCKING DIFFICULTIES
Fiber Optic – refers to the technology that transmits information as light pulses along
a glass or plastic fiber.
Electric Arc- is a transmission of electric current through gas
Fusion Splice protection sleeve- provides a way to support and protect a fiber optic
cable splice.
Cleave / Cleaving- is the process by which an optical fiber is “cut” or precisely broken
for splicing.
Splice case- a housing in which fiber optic cables begin or end.