Understanding Fusion Splicing

As fusion-splicing machines become more affordable, single-mode fiber usage is more widespread and fusion splice-on connectors are becoming the termination method of choice. How well do you understand fusion splicing?

1. Fusion splicing is the ______ method for permanently joining two fibers.

Correct Answer: All of the above

2. Most fusion splicing machines weld the two fibers together in ______.

Correct Answer: An electric arc

3. Regular fusion splicing machines join single fibers, but ribbon fusion splicers can join up to ______ fibers at one time.

Correct Answer: 12

4. It’s impossible to get a low-loss splice unless you have a good cleave on both fibers.

Correct Answer: True

5. To cleave the fiber, you must strip off the ______ of the glass fiber.

Correct Answer: Buffer coating

6. All fusion-splicing machines require you to select the ______ to get the right splicing program.

Correct Answer: Fiber type

7. Fusion splicers require special fixtures to splice fibers from microcables or high-density cables with 200-micron diameter coatings instead of the usual 250-micron coating.

Correct Answer: True

8. To precisely align the fibers for splicing, the splicing machine can align the fibers by either the ______ or ______. (Choose two)

Correct Answer: Core
Correct Answer: Cladding

9. A fusion splice of single-mode fiber should have a typical loss of about ______ decibels.

Correct Answer: 0.1–0.2

10. The splicing machine will provide an estimate of the splice loss after fusing, but the only way to really test splice loss is to use a(n) ______.

Correct Answer: OTDR (optical time domain reflectometer)

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