:: Fiber Optic Connector Termination Quality is Very Important
Connector termination quality is very important in fiber optic communications since they can affect the quality of the light transmission. Bad polished connectors add significant insertion loss and back reflection which can make your fiber network malfunction.
All current fiber connectors need to comply with a set of industry standards and specifications. This has been a big progress since the early 1990s. Connector termination used to be a manual and labor intensive process but that has been changed since more automatic connector polishing equipment and polishing machines introduced by various manufacturers.
:: The Polishing Equipment Progress
In the 1990s, fiber connector polishing was still manually done by one single person. But the explosion of fiber optic applications required much higher efficiency. At first, cable assembly houses (fiber optic patch cable manufacturers) just added more operators but that still could not catch up with the demand. Even today, manual polishing still plays a role. That is when automatic polishing machine was developed.
The automatic fiber connector polishing machine produces large volumes of connectors in a consistent way. All connectors can meet a set of strict specifications in a repeatable way. This process is also cost effective since labor is significantly reduced.
The connector polishing machine uses a specific polishing motion and is tested by the manufacturer to meet industry standards. The result is high levels of consistency from lot to lot.
:: The 7 Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Fiber Connector Polishing Equipment
If you are considering purchasing an automatic connector polishing machine, you should at least do your homework based on the following 7 questions.
1. Is the polisher easy to set up and operate?
2. Is it easy to change the holders for different types of connectors?
3. Is it easy to access the polishing platens?
4. Does the polisher move in such a motion so that all connector sides are equally polished?
5. Can you change the polishing pressure?
6. If you need a custom connector holder, can the manufacturer supply it to you?
7. Does the manufacturer have an industry standard compliance test report?
It is always a best idea to compare at least 3 different models from 3 vendors so you can choose the best one that meets your particular requirement.