Sumitomo Electric Lightwave has unveiled its FC-6RM-C, a fiber cleaver with automatic blade rotation for executing high precision cleaves of 1 to 12 fibers for use in fusion splicing, FTTX field termination, and other precision fiber-optic cabling applications. For single fiber applications, the company has also launched its FC-6RS automatic blade rotation cleaver. Sumitomo contends that both tools address the market need for a more precise fiber cleaver that eliminates potentially time consuming and error-prone processes for cleaver height and blade rotation adjustments.
A patent-pending design automatically rotates the tool's blade during use for easy, fast, precise cleaves in a two-step process that prevents double scoring of fibers. The cleaver's design is intended erase field technicians’ frustrations with manually adjusting and rotating the blade's position for accurate fiber cleaves. The light, portable units offer a typical cleave angle of <0.5 degrees and are suitable for splicing both single-mode and multimode optical fibers.
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The cumbersome process of blade rotational adjustment has in the past necessitated increased service and maintenance of fiber cleavers, notes Sumitomo. The company contends that, while most cleaver manufacturers advertise long maximum life of the cleaver blade, typically only one-third or less of the advertised life of these tools is actually realized, due to frequent improper cleaver blade rotation and height adjustments.
Sumitomo says the FC-6RM-C and FC-6RS may significantly extend the maximum life of the cleaver blade to 144,000 cleaves after making factory height adjustments, with initial capacity of 48,000 consecutive cleaves requiring no adjustments. The automated cleavers ultimately enable an undisrupted process to cleave single or multiple fibers with maximum precision and time efficiency, maintains the company.
The FC-6RM-C mass automatic blade rotation cleaver includes a convenient scrap collector. The FC-6RS is available with or without a scrap collector. Both cleavers feature user selectable blade rotation options with specifications for clean, precise cleave quality to ensure low reflectance terminations.
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