Fibre Optic Strippers
A large part of being a telecommunications engineer is keeping up with the latest technological developments. It seems as if every year brings several new innovations or improvements which require additional instruction or retraining for the hard working souls who are relied upon to install the hardware which makes it all work, and to keep it working. It can sometimes seem like there are a bewildering array of disciplines to learn and master, but when you take a broad perspective things haven’t changed that much. We are still connecting one device to another, striving for reliability and efficiency, and promoting to open and effective exchange of and access to information. And likewise, many of the techniques used to install modern equipment are just developments of what we have been doing all along.
For example, ever since electrical wiring manufacturers have encased their product in protective insulation, it has been necessary to prepare wires for joining – be that by means of soldering, use of a junction box, or whatever – by stripping away the protective coating. This ensures electrical continuity. Insulation tape can then be used to repair the covering and protect the join.
When optical fibres became the new standard for data cabling, it was no surprise to anyone involved that new methods would have to be adopted in the handling and installation of the new technology. But in may ways, little has changes. The cables still come in a protective sheath, and just as we once used wire strippers to prepare cables for joining, we now can use fibre optic strippers such as the many types available from Fusion 2000. Other than that, the process is little different: two bare pieces of fibre are spliced, and they then require protection for the join to make sure it lasts.
So how does the process work? The highly delicate fibres need to be shielded from shocks, greasy finger prints, hot and cold objects, and so forth. That’s why the coating they come with from the factory is so important. Leave the insulation undisturbed for as long as you can, as once the optical fibres inside are exposed they are susceptible to damage. Professional fitters only use their fibre optic strippers to expose the cable beneath when they are completely ready to work with it. When they do so, they choose the model of fibre optic strippers which best suits their application. You wouldn’t have thought there could have been so many types, but Fusion 2000 know their stuff and supply models for all types of work.
Once the fibre optic strippers have done their work, no time should be wasted in splicing the exposed fibres, and sealing them in using Fusion 2000’s custom made splice sleeves. These heat shrinking protective layers are the equivalent to electrical tape from back in the old days, and have a rid inside to provide support and stability. To find out more about our fibre optic strippers, contact us online and we’ll be happy to help you find the tool which is right for you.
