How visual inspection of fiber optic cable is conducted?

In order to check continuity in the fiber optic cable, testing is the major factor to be considered. Thus before starting up with the work in fiber optic cable plant a technician needs to check the continuity, end to end loss and lastly find solutions to the problem coming in the cable.
Usually, there three basic tests conducted for fiber optic testing:

• Visual inspection
• Loss testing
• Network testing

The first and foremost test conducted is visual inspection. Before correcting the problem one needs to see where the problem is in the cable. Thus if there are any cracks, slices, dust, dirt or chips in the cable then it can easily be determined during the visual inspection.
Three basic steps are covered under it:

• Visual tracing: During this process of testing a tracer is used. It is a pen-like instrument that has LED source or light bulb. When the tracer is attached to the fiber a light is transmitted through the core of the cable. The light emitted helps in detecting the functioning of the cable. If there is no light emitted in the tracer then it indicates that there is problem in the cable and vice-versa, if light is emitted then cable is working properly. Once you have detected that there is damage in the cable your further step is to look out for visible signs of damage like cracked links, kinks etc.
• Visual fault location: During this process visual fault locator (VFL) tool is used. Its helps in finding fault location in the cable via visible laser beam. A bright red light would be seen glowing on the area where any broken link or kink is present. This tool is very useful in finding faults in small cables, as well as near the connectors where OTDR tool is of no use. Aside these you can even use this tool to verify and optimize the pre-polished slice of cables.
• Visual connector inspection by microscope: Aside checking the kinks and broken links in the cables via fault locator, a technician also needs to check whether there is any dust, dirt or polishing defects in the cable. To inspect such problems fiber optic inspection microscopes are used. With the help of it several angles of the cable can be measured closely. Thus it is the easiest method of inspecting any problem in the fiber cable.
• Likewise for visual inspection various tools are used, same goes out with other tests (loss and network test). However, Fiber optic test equipment tools used for loss and network test are different. Thus before conducting inspection one must be sure about the tools being used for respective testing are correct.