JAY TOURIGNY 5G SPLICING
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, millions of people changed the way they communicate. More employees work from home. Students attend online classes. Face-to-face meetings are replaced by video chats and virtual conference calls. Others in self-isolation spend more time online gaming, watching and shopping. In addition, more people are embracing 5G as an avenue to expand the Internet of Things (IoT) both at home and at work. Integrated appliances, remote medical monitoring and online security systems are commonplace at home. While smart factories using artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and Spatial Computing (a mixture of VR and AR) are not far behind. CLEANING FIBRE SPLICES: ENSURING 5G NETWORK RELIABILITY
T his increased demand for greater and faster data underscores the critical need for a robust and reliable fibre network to keep us all connected. But as more 5G connectivity rolls out to more areas, it is important for network providers to ensure fibre is installed and maintained correctly and kept perfectly clean for optimal performance and reliability. This includes fusion splicing and splice cleaning. Fast 5G networks use every milliwatt of power to provide uninterrupted connectivity and top-speed performance. In addition, their higher frequency of light is highly sensitive to refractive angle changes, making them more vulnerable to contamination. Dirty fibre splices can cause 5G network problems including changes to the signal path like back reflection. Mechanically weak splices also block light through the fibre and can cause breakage at the splice, sometimes resulting in signal loss or a complete network failure.
CLEAN SPLICES ARE ESSENTIAL TO 5G PERFORMANCE When installing or maintaining fibre optic networks in the field there are specific processes for fusion spicing, including cleaning. Here are some suggestions to help boost fibre optic splicing and cleaning success. Because high heat is generated by arcing electrodes during the fusion splicing process, fibre technicians should always follow the recommended processes supplied with the fusion splicing equipment. This ensures safety for the technician and equipment. GET READY FOR SPLICE CLEANING First, use clean hands. Clean hands are less likely to transfer dirt and oils to the fibre splice. But, don’t apply a moisturiser or lotion to hands prior to cleaning the fibre. This attracts more contaminants and causes oils to transfer onto the cleaning wipe and fibre splice to clean. Don’t wear gloves when working with fibre. Gloves actually add more particulate compared to clean hands. Gloves are a carrier of all kinds of microscopic particles and oils. It’s best to simply wash hands prior to cleaning
the fibre splice. Strip the protective polymer coating around the optical fibre using an appropriate hand stripper or thermal stripper. Technicians should refer to the fusion splicer user instructions for specific details on how much of the polymer jacket to remove from each end. CLEAN EXPOSED FIBRES After stripping the polymer coating from the fibre, it is time to clean. Cleaning the stripped fibre removes any remaining debris from the stripping process, plus any other contaminants that are on the exposed fibre. WET/DRY CLEANING IPC-8497-1 is the international standard for cleaning fibre optic splices. IPC (Institute of Printed Circuits) and iNEMI (international Electronics Manufacturing Initiative) and other fibre industry organisations recommend cleaning with the wet/dry method since it cleans fibres to meet that cleanliness standard. Wet/dry cleaning also helps dissipate static and eliminates any triboelectric charge that could damage
22
| ISSUE 22 | Q4 2020
www.opticalconnectionsnews.com
Made with FlippingBook Publishing Software