The Survival of The Fittest of The Fiber Optic Connector

Looking at the current market can be described as quite a mixed bag of fiber optic connectors. On the premise of FTTH is popular, many companies has seen a market outlook. Have been started scrambling to grab market share. The market is very confusing, profits plummeted. Many enterprises in a dilemma. While operators central purchasing so many manufacturers were mixed, happy is the amount up, the worry is that the prices down, the market will be more difficult to do. At the cost of many manufacturers to reduce prices to squeeze into the operator’s Central Purchasing.

How to choose a qualified fiber optic connector? Have to identify its selection, structure and production.

A. Selection can be broadly divided into: Plastic V groove, rubber V groove, the metal V groove (copper or aluminum), the V grooves of quartz glass, pore and ceramic.

1. Plastic V groove

Plastic V-groove is the most common manufacturers to adopt a selection, which is mainly because of the ease of processing, low cost. Subject to cost constraints, most manufacturers the production of plastic V-groove many are not using the new PEI fiber optic connector production materials, or even replaced by other inferior materials, in order to have gained a place the operators reserve price bid. Did not pay too much attention from the injection molding equipment, especially some small businesses and private small workshops, ordinary injection molding machine to produce. Short-term performance of the connector is not much of a problem, a long time under the influence of accident by environmental factors will be frequent.

Furthermore plastic V-groove on machining accuracy inadequate by the material, injection molding equipment and the use of environmental impact prone to deformation of the warped; wearing fiber by fiber nearly 90 ° cutting surface, easy blowing debris into the internal contacts, causing the inside of the connector pollution caused by successive failed.

2. Rubber V groove

This material is not worth mentioning, rarely appear on the market. Simply can not afford because of its environmental factors.

3. The metal V groove

The material used on the market mainly copper and aluminum. Both can not escape the fate of being oxidized, and the processing of varying accuracy, easy to produce dander damage fiber. Insufficient strength will deform. Especially aluminum V groove, after repeated open the internal compression deformation space becomes large, the gripping force becomes small, the impact on the fiber optic splice performance.

4. The V grooves of quartz glass

This material V-groove is the use of PLC Splitter technology, industry recognized and recommended for use on site assembly type fiber optic connector internal connecting way. The main advantage of its very high machining accuracy, can be controlled in 1μ between. Fiber breakpoint between successive favorable attenuation in the hot melt comparable. And to wear fiber smooth and difficult to produce debris. No deformation, resistance to environmental performance is extremely strong.

5. The Pores, Ceramic type

With respect to the error between the fiber diameter and the diameter of the pores, but it is a defect. Diameter optical fibers and optical fiber itself thers is error, combined with the pore itself there is error. Accumulated error is at least a 3-micron industry report 1μ, contact the loss of fiber contacts between the dislocation will be more than 0.2 dB. Nor due to contact between the fixed, the earthquake became its fatal flaw.

Field fiber optic connector is not PLC splitter. Optical Splitter by the factory processing, the handing of its internal contacts are in the operating microscope to ensure that its internal pollution. And assembled on site fiber optic patch cords, need to respond to the very harsh environment of the construction site. In this context, bear the brunt of the factory production environment.

You may understand the PM2.5 particles of dust in the air everywhere. Superior production environment is a necessary prerequisite for the production of connectors, on this basis, also need refinement of each production. So as to ensure the production of fiber optic connectors have been qualified. This is why some manufacturers out connector at room temperature, a passing rate of about 90%, and some manufacturers can do more than 99% of the one-time pass rate.

I believe that do the points above, but the factors used in the actual environmental conditions is very important. Do not just look at the room temperature performance, not just blindly concerned about the price. A qualified and superior fiber optic connectors must be able to withstand a long time in the harsh environment performance online, do not be confused by the immediate moment.

It is worth mentioning here have been some manufacturers have begun to study the next generation of fiber optic connected to the cold continued transmission mode, so that the optical and the optical transmission between points. Such technology would ban docking between the fiber break dependence on fiber matching cream. And does not require professional support construction tools, can achieve real store of, so that users can do-it-yourself operation, like changing a light bulb so simple and quick.