Unit 8. Exercise 1. Mechanical Splice of Fiber Optic Cable To prepare for mechanical splicing, make sure you have a clean, dry, and well lit work area. Do all your work over a fiber- optic mat and place any scrap optical fibers in their proper container. Before you begin splicing the fiber you want to make sure you have the following tools ready; Mechanical splice assembly tool, mechanical splice, buffer and coating removal tool, optical fiber cleaning fluid, lint- free wipes, and a cleaver. Once you have all your materials together proceed with the following steps: 1. Remove the mechanical splice from its protective packaging and load the splice into the assembly tool by pressing firmly at the ends of the splice. Do not depress the raised section on the mechanical splice. 2. Strip approximately 3cm of buffer and/ or coating from the optical fiber using a stripper. 3. Clean the optical fiber by pulling the fiber through a lint- free wipe soaked in optical fiber cleaning fluid. 4. Place the optical fiber in the cleaver, to the length specified by the mechanical splice manufacturer. 5. Cleave the optical fiber. 6. If the gauge is provided, check the cleave length with the gauge. 7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 for the other fiber end to be spliced. 8. Push the other cleaved optical fiber into the other end of the mechanical splice until it stops moving. 10. Place both optical fibers in the clamping mechanisms on the opposite sides of the splicing tool, forming a modified loop in the optical fiber. 11. Pivot the splicing tool handle down until it contacts the top of the splice, then squeeze the tool handle to complete the assembly and lock the spliced ends in place. 12. Remove the optical fibers from the clamping mechanism and lift the mechanical splice from the
Unit 8. Exercise 1. Mechanical Splice of Fiber Optic Cable To prepare for mechanical splicing, make sure you have a clean, dry, and well lit work area. Do all your work over a fiber- optic mat and place any scrap optical fibers in their proper container. Before you begin splicing the fiber you want to make sure you have the following tools ready; Mechanical splice assembly tool, mechanical splice, buffer and coating removal tool, optical fiber cleaning fluid, lint- free wipes, and a cleaver. Once you have all your materials together proceed with the following steps: 1. Remove the mechanical splice from its protective packaging and load the splice into the assembly tool by pressing firmly at the ends of the splice. Do not depress the raised section on the mechanical splice. 2. Strip approximately 3cm of buffer and/ or coating from the optical fiber using a stripper. 3. Clean the optical fiber by pulling the fiber through a lint- free wipe soaked in optical fiber cleaning fluid. 4. Place the optical fiber in the cleaver, to the length specified by the mechanical splice manufacturer. 5. Cleave the optical fiber. 6. If the gauge is provided, check the cleave length with the gauge. 7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 for the other fiber end to be spliced. 8. Push the other cleaved optical fiber into the other end of the mechanical splice until it stops moving. 10. Place both optical fibers in the clamping mechanisms on the opposite sides of the splicing tool, forming a modified loop in the optical fiber. 11. Pivot the splicing tool handle down until it contacts the top of the splice, then squeeze the tool handle to complete the assembly and lock the spliced ends in place. 12. Remove the optical fibers from the clamping mechanism and lift the mechanical splice from the