Powered by TMCnet
 
| More

Cable Technology Feature Article

January 15, 2009

Vytran's Fiber Optic Assembly and Processing Lineup

By Richard Grigonis, Executive Editor, IP Communications Group


As the world moves from copper lines to high-bandwidth cal fiber, technicians must become familiar with the fine and somewhat delicate art of installing and splicing fiber optic strands. It’s not at all like working with copper wires, the techniques of which were worked out decades ago. Similarly, manufacturers must contend with the large-scale production and assembly of high quality optical fiber.
 
One New Jersey company in the optical arena is Vytran  which is part of the NKT Photonics Group. Vytran is a major supplier (on a world scale) of high-end splicing, cleaving, and recoating equipment. The innovative semi-automated and fully automated fiber fusion splicing and glass processing solutions can be found in the telecom (e.g. submarine cables), fiber laser, sensing, medical, aerospace, and specialty fiber products markets. Vytran’s patented filament fusion technology is generally paired with industry-leading machine monitoring and control capabilities to provide process control unattainable with other fusion splicing methods. These technologies, along with innovations in fiber cleaving, recoating and proof testing, make Vytran a leader in reliable, precision equipment for high-volume optical fiber assembly and specialty fiber processing.
 
If you ever get a chance, it’s an educational experience to see demos from companies such as Vytran, which does a great job at expos showing off their applications involving high-precision filament fusion splicing, glass processing, large-diameter fiber cleaving and recoating, all in real time. (Vytran's current product lineup includes fully integrated workstation and individual process tools for fiber stripping, cleaning, cleaving, splicing, recoating and testing.)
 
For example, the their GPX-3400 glass processing platform can create splices, tapers, couplers and combiners on optical fibers up to 1.5-mm diameter. Also, Vytran’s FFS-2000 integrated fusion splicing workstation supports high-performance splicing in volume production and other demanding applications. And their LDC-200-G fully automated precision fiber cleaver can produce flat and angled cleaves on large diameter fibers. Finally, their PTR-200 fiber recoater and proof tester can do for manual and high-volume optical fiber processing.

Richard Grigonis is Executive Editor of TMC (News - Alert)’s IP Communications Group. To read more of Richard’s articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Stefania Viscusi