AUGUST 23, 2010 -- AFL Telecommunications is launching two new fiber-optic fusion splicers: the FSM-100M and the FSM-100P for splicing polarization maintaining (PM) fibers. Both new specialty fiber fusion splicers, branded as the ARCMaster family, are designed to address the splicing needs for factory, manufacturing, laboratory, and R&D applications.
"The 100M and 100P series splicers further position Fujikura as the dominant player in the specialty splicer market. We are proud to offer customers around the world splicing products that are adaptable for a variety of specialty splicing needs, reliable, and consistent in performance, while providing a real value," said Kiyoshi Nakajima, general manager, Splicer Business at Fujikura. "This new family of splicers is being introduced as the ‘ARCMaster’ series because of the unique capabilities to control the plasma zone of the fusion arc. These capabilities will revolutionize the way users splice various types of specialty fibers, including LDF, low contrast PM, and holey/micro-structured."
Fujikura's listed the following as important features of the new ARCMaster splicers:
- Patented "split v-groove" clamping system accommodates optical fiber ranges from 60 µm to 2000 µm for cladding or coating without changing v-grooves or fiber clamps.
- Dual PM alignment technologies, called IPA (Interrelation Profile Alignment), properly align and splice PM fibers. The FSM-100P includes both traditional PAS alignment as well as the new IPA technology. IPA also enables accurate PER estimation for all PM fiber types, the company says.
- With "Plasma Zone" fiber positioning, ARCMaster splicers incorporate multiple fiber and electrode positioning techniques to provide versatility for splicing LDF as well as heat sensitive or small diameter fibers.
- Special arc calibration technology facilitates an easy transfer of high-end splicing applications from R&D to production by ensuring consistent performance and enables full exploitation of Plasma Zone capabilities.
- Improved splice loss estimation technology via a combination of the features of both cold and warm splice imaging.
- For splicing LDF fibers with minimal core angle, the fiber holders are horizontally positioned relative to the v-grooves, thus minimizing higher order modes in double clad fibers. LDF splicing performance is also enhanced by the capability to mount the fiber holders in reversed orientation.
- Increased travel range for "sweep arc" provides improved MFD matching capability and the ability for reshaping non-circular fibers in preparation for splicing.
- A low profile design that eliminates fiber catch points, the dimensions of both splicers are consistent with the most popular production splicing work-benches in use today.
- Customers can now upgrade firmware as new capabilities become available from Fujikura. Upgrading can be performed by connecting a USB cable to the splicer, according to the company.