Inspect Before You Connect »
April 15, 2009
Fiber connectors are widely known as the weakest and most problematic points in a network. The more connections there are in a network, the greater the potential for interruption caused by improper handling during installation, operation, expansion and maintenance. The more information transferred per second, the less loss the system can handle, requiring tighter budgets on all network parameters. The more people served by a network, the greater the impact of a poorly performing, or failed, optical channel.
All of these factors make proper handling of the optical fiber connections more critical than ever. The recognition of the negative potential of poor fiber handling on network performance is bringing about the development and implementation of best practices for optical fiber inspection and cleaning.
Network performance is optimized when the proper steps are taken to ensure low-loss fiber connections. The three basic principles necessary to achieve efficient fiber connections are:
1. Perfect core alignment.
2. Physical contact.
3. Pristine connector interface.
Today’s connector design and production techniques have eliminated most of the challenges to achieving principles one and two. Number three—pristine connector interface—remains the biggest challenge to optimal network performance because it cannot be controlled by the manufacturer. The full potential for a low-loss connection is only realized when the technician ensures there is no contamination prior to connecting.
Research indicates that more than 75 percent of physical network troubleshooting is a result of optical fiber connectors that are dirty or have been damaged by dirt.
It is important to visually inspect fiber connectors at every stage of handling before mating them. If you can catch contamination before mating (proactively) you can almost always clean it and eliminate the contamination. If you wait to visually inspect fiber connectors during troubleshooting after a problem is detected (reactive), connectors and other equipment may have suffered permanent damage. This is because once mated, the dirt can embed in the fiber, causing permanent damage and making it uncleanable, and potentially damaging connectors that are mated to it. Unfortunately, most connectors are not inspected until problems are detected and damage has already occurred. Damage caused by initial contamination can be avoided through the implementation of proactive inspection and cleaning processes. These practices are based on the following factors:
• The potential for contamination is always present, even in new components. Even the best clean manufacturing practices cannot prevent microscopic particles from entering sealed bags and under dust caps.
• Dirt particles on the core of the fiber produce massive signal degradation.
• Large dirt particles away from the core can break apart and end up on the core after successive mating.
• Dirt particles mated between connectors can become permanently buried or embedded in the glass of the fiber, making cleaning impossible.
These facts support the practice of proactive inspection of fiber connectors using a microscope designed specifically for this purpose at every stage of fiber handling— from component manufacturing, receiving and quality control to assembly, installation, system testing, troubleshooting and maintenance.
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FOR INFORMATION
CONTACT /
Joe Bradlo
VP Sales & Marketing
T (425) 398-1298
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