When considering the termination of a working fiber optic connector, several factors are considered to help determine which method is best. There are some on-site polished connectors, and some forms of epoxy (glue) are used to fix the fiber in place. For this, you have to polish it on the spot. If you have never done it before, it is very difficult. There are also factory-polished style connectors, which can be mechanical connectors, braids, splicing connectors or pre-terminated cable assemblies.
There is already a section of fiber in the mechanical connector, you only need to align your field fiber with the fiber behind the connector. This may be difficult or take some time to master. The fiber optic pigtail consists of a fiber optic cable with a connector at one end and no connector at the other end. These fibers can be welded to another fiber, or they can pass through a conduit and terminate at the other end. Another solution is to assemble your cable to the required length, and the fiber optic connector is already installed in the factory setting. Let’s take a look at some of the different qualities and see how this will be beneficial.
1. Polish quality
All connectors, whether installed in the field or in the factory, must be polished in order to work properly and obtain the final result of the signal through the fiber optic cable. Let’s take a look at two different optimization methods. First, you can polish the connector by hand. In this process, you will use polishing agent, rubber durometer pad and glass plate along with polishing agent film to achieve a suitable connector end face. Some technicians have been doing this for a long time and can approach a perfectly polished ring end face. Not everyone can polish nail polish well.
Several factors will play a role and will have different results on the finished optical connector, such as the pressure applied to the number 8 on polished paper. When in a dusty place, debris will adhere to the polishing film, causing damage to the connector. See how many things in this process affect the end of the connector and how long does it take to get a good connector? If the connector is broken due to over-polishing, pits, or even shattering, you will have to repeat the whole process.
On the other hand, factory polishing is done using a polishing machine in the production equipment. The pressure is equal. The polisher has a holder that allows many connectors to be polished at once to save time. The procedures used have been tempered over time to become the most effective, which helps to produce high-quality finishes. In the factory, all connectors must be inspected according to higher standards, and only after inspection by the quality control department can they be shipped. This gives a perfect result for each factory connector.
2. Plug and play
When the factory-terminated fiber optic cable assembly is cut to a certain length, you provide yourself with a simple concept of plug and play. This means that all you have to do is run your link and plug the connector into your rack, switch, or connection point. This not only saves your cable installation time but also saves your labor and installation costs. Due to the limitation of pipe size or the number of elbows that need to be passed, plug and play are not always feasible. We understand this, which is why there are several ways to put the connector on the cable.
What we are saying is, imagine if you have a household item, such as a toaster; would you prefer to take the toaster out of the box, plug it into the socket, and get toast in a few minutes? On the other side, do you want a toaster without a cord? Do you need to find all the tools you need? Now you have to relearn how to strip the power cord so you can plug in one end. Then you have to turn on the toaster and prepare the other end. The point is, that we all like to take things out of the box, plug them in, and leave.
3. Pull eyes
What’s easier than getting a cable with all the connectors and a way to pull it in place? Essentially, this is where you have an eye-catching installation. All the eye-catching is that a Kevlar ring is connected to a cable assembly. Why Kevlar? Kevlar fibers, when you glue multiple parts together, are not only strong but also almost impossible to break. When being pulled up, it will not be stretched, and it can prevent the fiber cable from being stretched. We have had such an example, when the cable is not pulled by Kevlar, but pulled on the fiber jacket.
The sheath of the cable will stretch, the pressure will be too high, and it will eventually break. In addition, when a jacket is pulled, you will get the so-called fiber growth effect. It means it looks like children are growing rapidly. The jacket shrinks after being released, trying to return to its original shape. When this happens, the fibers inside will come out of the end, making it look like your fibers are stretching. Not only is this harmful to the sheath that protects the fiber, but it can also cause the cable to break, which is not discovered until after testing. Therefore, when pulling the optical cable, you must ensure that Kevlar fiber is used correctly. It is best to just install a traction eye to avoid a huge headache for yourself.
4. Higher overall quality
When considering fiber optic connectors, there are several factors to consider. Looking at all the advantages of the factory Polish terminal above, together with pulling an eye, you can see how it can save you money and time to build cables with the factory. Now, if you must install the connector on site, another option is to use a connector that has been polished in the factory, such as the connector on the fiber braid used in fusion splicing.
When doing a job, no one will deliberately find bad contacts. Factory polished connectors, whether they are braids, mechanical connectors, or pre-end optical fibers, are of high quality. You will need to show your customers that you are proud of your work and want to use the best connectors. There is nothing better than a connector polished by a machine and then undergoing a rigorous testing phase before it can be considered complete and ready.
