Optical fibers: Cleaning and maintenance for a flawless network

Today in this age of IT revolution the optical fibers have become the backbone of telecommunication sector and are being highly used all around the globe. As the demand for more bandwidth and high speed connections have been on a constant rise in the past few years, it has led to the widespread use of these cables due to its advantages over traditional copper cables. Though these kinds of fibers are a little costly in terms of maintenance and initial setup, but the benefits of this technological achievement far outweighs its liabilities. One of the biggest advantages includes the very high bandwidth capacity of the cable, the speed of the data transfer and the highly secure channels for communication.

Due to our dependence on fiber optics these days, it is very important to keep these links error free with maximum up time. This is the reason why cleaning of fiber optics is a crucial step in the process of optical fiber maintenance. Do you know that if a cable core of 9 micrometer is contaminated with an impurity of 1 micrometer then the communication system may develop a partial loss of signal or even a complete communication failure? There are various methods of cleaning the fiber ends so that the connectors and cable stay free from any impurities.

• Dry cleaning- In this method of cleaning, no liquid chemicals or solvents is used for removing impurities. It has an advantage that it does not stain the cable ends but some tough stains or impurities might not be removed by this method.
• Wet cleaning- As the name states, it is the opposite of dry cleaning as various kinds of volatile solvents or chemicals might be used to de-contaminate the cable surface.
• Non-Abrasive cleaning- In this method the surface to be cleaned is not touched physically. An air duster is used to blow out any dust particles from the surface.
• Abrasive cleaning- Special lint free wipes or swabs may be used for cleaning in this type. It also includes rubbing and polishing of the cable ends.

There are many Fiber optic cleaning products available in the market for different applications depending upon the type and condition of the cable to be worked upon. For example some loose dirt on the cable may be simple blown off using special compressed air canister. Then there are the lint free wipes which may be used to polish out any stains of oil or dust left on the cable. For wet cleaning there are many solvents available in the market including isopropyl alcohol, etc.

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Are you dealing with fiber optic issues? Get rid of it, with proper cleaning materials!

Today’s fast paced communication networks rely on optical fibers to provide users fast communications. Fibers are the thin strings that are made up of glass or plastic material and use light signals to carry data at enormous speed.
One important issue that is directly associated with cable performance is that the transmission medium is susceptible to contamination and damage. As a result of contamination, and weak structure of cables, optical fibers fail to reach the goal they are designed for, “fast data transmission speed”.

Lets’ have a brief idea about problems that cause loss of light signal:
Contamination: The presence of minute and unwanted particles is the major reason of signal loss during transmission! These minor constituents include:

• Dirt
• Oil
• Spotting

Damage: The surface of the fiber cable is prone to damages like:

• Scratches
• Pitting
• Chips

Therefore, for smooth communication and protection of fiber cables from any contamination and damage, the cleaning of fiber optic cable and connectors becomes essential.

There are number of cleaning materials available in the market. Some of the cleaning products are designed for the optical fiber industry while others are generic in nature and can also be utilized to achieve the same purpose.

Discussed below are some common materials used for optical fiber cleaning:
Swabs: These are the small piece of soft cloth that is most commonly used for cleaning purposes. Each of these has their own use. Few examples of swabs are:
Cotton tipped: These are the variable sized sticks with different materials. You can use them dry, or wetted dipped in cleaning fluid of your choice. They are not the best suitable options for tight or unseen areas where the cotton wrapped on the sticks come out of swap, but are the least expensive type of cleaners.

Foam tipped: They are the medium priced and variable sized tips used with the cleaning solutions of your size. It requires lots of care to wet them properly.
Poly film: These are the newest style of fiber optic cleaning products that use woven film similar to the reel and tape cleaners. The woven piece of fiber is draped around the end of the cleaning stick that can be used for both dry and wet cleaning. Poly firm swabs works well in removing oil and dust particles from cable and connector surface.

Apart from this, alcoholic materials like dispensers, canned spray, and wipes like natural fiber, pre-moistened or synthetic wipes other the other examples of cleaning products.