OFS adds software automation for live fiber splicing

At OFC/NFOEC 2013, fiber-optic network products specialist OFS announced that its Furukawa Electric FITEL SmartFuse fusion splicing software has been enhanced to include automated optimal facial-fit alignment and a new effective live fiber splicing method. According to the company, the FITEL SmartFuse facial-fit alignment software now provides the optimal fit between two end faces of fibers prior to splicing, enabling increased production throughput while helping to minimize labor costs.

OFS says that the new software feature enables the splicing of cleave angles that would have previously been outright rejected or required extensive operator time to align manually. With larger diameter fibers, end-face cleaving is often imperfect with slight angles introduced. The new FITEL SmartFuse software measures the end face angle, rotates the fibers, determines the optimal fit between the two faces, and then splices them; all in a fully automated mode.

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OFS contends that the new live-fiber splicing method via the FITEL SmartFuse software "enables a much faster splicing process by automated goal-oriented optimization." The company says the method can also overcome machine motors’ backlash problem and can smooth motor movements to calculate the best achievable fit prior to aligning the fibers. Users can splice the fiber with minimum insertion loss or maximum power; in addition, the arc duration in this method is not fixed. The FITEL SmartFuse software automatically calculates the duration time required for the best achievable minimum insertion loss or maximum power.

OFS says the FITEL SmartFuse software is now optimized to enhance splicing performance in the field, lab and factory. The software enables users to automatically perform splicing and manage splicing data, including insertion loss and splicing images. Bonus features include the ability to manage and customize splicing recipes and analyze splicing performance, as well as various advanced splicing tasks.

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