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?
Created by: Jim Hayes
1. Fusion splicing is the ______ method for permanently joining two fibers.
A. Lowest loss
B. Most reliable
C. Least reflectance
D. All of the above
2. Most fusion splicing machines weld the two fibers together in ______.
A. Plasma
B. An electric arc
C. A gas flame
D. A magnetic field
3. Regular fusion splicing machines join single fibers, but ribbon fusion splicers can join up to ______ fibers at one time.
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
D. 12
4. It’s impossible to get a low-loss splice unless you have a good cleave on both fibers.
A. True
B. False
5. To cleave the fiber, you must strip off the ______ of the glass fiber.
A. Core
B. Cladding
C. Buffer coating
D. Cladding and coating
6. All fusion-splicing machines require you to select the ______ to get the right splicing program.
A. Fiber type
B. Outside weather
C. Length of the fibers
D. Type of cable
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.
8. To precisely align the fibers for splicing, the splicing machine can align the fibers by either the ______ or ______. (Choose two)
C. Coating
D. Concentricity
9. A fusion splice of single-mode fiber should have a typical loss of about ______ decibels.
A. 0.1–0.2
B. 0.2–0.3
C. 0.3–0.5
D. 0.5
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) ______.
A. OLTS (optical loss test set or light source and power meter)
B. OTDR (optical time domain reflectometer)
C. VFL (visual fault locator)
D. Fiber optic power meter
