Handbook On OFC Jointing

Hkkjr ljdkj &GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
jsy ea=ky;& MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

dk;kZy;hu iz;ksx gsrq& (For official use only)
HANDBOOK ON
OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING
CAMTECH/S/PROJ/13-14/OFC/1.0
DECEMBER 2013
MAHARAJPUR, GWALIOR 474 005
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CONTENTS
Chapter
Descriptions
Page No.
Foreword
Preface
Contents
Correction Slip
Disclaimer
01 Introduction
01
02 Construction of OFC
05
03 Reasons of Light Losses In Optical Fibre Joint
07
04 Tools & Instruments
08
05 Brief Description of Instruments
11
06 Brief Description of Tools
15
07 Jointing (Splicing) of Optical Fibre Cable
21
08 Testing of Splicing
34
09 Splice Problem Troubleshooting
36
10 Maintenance Schedule
38
11 T&P Items and Equipments for Maintenance Staff
38
12 Safety
42
13 Connectors
44
14 Precautions
52
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FOREWORD
Invention of fiber-optic technology is a revolutionary departure from
the traditional copper cable. Optical fiber communication plays a vital role in
the development of high quality and high-speed telecommunication systems.
Today, optical fibres are not only used in telecommunication links but also
used in the Internet and local area networks (LAN) to achieve high signaling
rates.
Performance of optical fibre cable is inversely proportional to the
numbers of joints throughout its route as every joint increases signal losses.
We ensure that this handbook will help to field staff in preparation of better
optical fibre cable joints.
CAMTECH, Gwalior
23rd December 2013
A.R.Tupe
Executive Director
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PREFACE
Optical Fibre cable (OFC) system of communication has several advantages
over conventional telecom cables or radio relay communication. It is totally
immune to induction effect of the AC traction or interference from thyristor.
A single optical fibre can carry really huge numbers of telephone
conversations, long distance calls that used to be very expensive have
become cheap enough for many people to make them often.
This handbook not only covers the information on optical fibre cable jointing
but also have Reasons of Light Losses, Tools & Instruments, Troubleshooting,
Maintenance Schedule, Safety Precautions and brief of OFC connectors.
We are sincerely thankful to Shri Vivek Kumar Director/Tele/RDSO, Shri Ravi
Shankar Station Manager/RailTel and their supervisors and maintainers who
have helped us in preparing this handbook.
Since technological upgradation and learning is a continuous process, you
may feel the need for some addition/modification in this handbook. If so,
please give your comments on email address dirsntcamtech@gmail.com or
write to us at Indian Railways Centre for Advanced Maintenance Technology,
In front of Adityaz Hotel, Maharajpur, Gwalior (M.P.) 474005.
CAMTECH Gwalior
Date: 23.12.2013
D.K.M.Yadav
Joint Director (S&T)
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ISSUE OF CORRECTION SLIPS

The correction slips to be issued in future for this handbook will be numbered
as follows:
CAMTECH/S/PROJ/2013-14/HB-OFC/1.0# XX date .......
Where XX is the serial number of the concerned correction slip (starting
from 01 onwards).
CORRECTION SLIPS ISSUED
Sr. No. of
Correction
Date of
issue
Page no. and Item

No. modified
Slip
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Remarks
DISCLAIMER
It is clarified that the information given in this handbook does not
supersede any existing provisions laid down in the Telecomm
Engineering Manual, Railway Board and RDSO publications. This
document is not statuary and instructions given are for the
purpose of guidance only. If at any point contradiction is
observed, then SEM, Railway Board/RDSO guidelines may be
referred or prevalent Zonal Railways instructions may be
followed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------OUR OBJECTIVE
To upgrade Maintenance Technologies and Methodologies and achieve
improvement in Productivity and Performance of all Railway assets and
manpower which inter-alia would cover Reliability, Availability and
Utilisation.
If you have any suggestion & any specific comments, please write to us:
Contact person
Jt. Director (Signal & Telecommunication)
Postal Address
Centre for Advanced Maintenance

Technology, Maharajpur, Gwalior (M.P.)
Pin Code 474 005
Phone
0751 - 2470185
Fax
0751 2470841
Email
dirsntcamtech@gmail.com
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CAMTECH.GWL.PROJ.13-14.OFC

1.
Introduction
An optical fibre is a flexible, transparent fibre made of high quality
extruded glass (silica) or plastic. It can function as a waveguide, or light
pipe, to transmit light between the two ends of the fibre. Optical fibres
are used in fibre-optic communications, which permits transmission
over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than other
forms of communication. Fibres are used instead of metal wires thus
signals travel with less loss and are also immune to electromagnetic
interference.
Optical fibre cable is a medium for carrying information from one point
to another in the form of light. A basic fibre optic system consists of a
transmitting device that converts an electrical signal into a light signal,
an optical fibre cable that carries the light, and a receiver that accepts
the light signal and converts it back into an electrical signal.
In Indian Railway, Optical Fibre communication system is provided for
following types of communication needs: (a) Control Communication with emergency communication
(b) Administrative voice and data communication.
(c) Both for control and long haul communication backbone for mobile
train radio communication.
(d) Short haul communication for block channels signalling
1.1
Guidelines for use of Optical Fibre System on various routes.

[As per Telecom manual chapter 13.1.2]
New Railway Projects Gauge Conversion/New lines/Doubling/
Railway Electrification.
On A, B, C, D & D Spl Routes, following Optical Fibre system
configuration should be used.
- 24 Fibres Optical Fibre Cable (as per RDSO Specification IRS.TC.55/ or
latest) with Six Quad cable (as per RDSO specification IRS.TC30/2005
or latest).
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- Short Haul Communication will be on STM-1 System and Primary

Digital Multiplexers (PDMUX). For back up a second pair of Fibre shall
be used.
On other routes, following Optical Fibre System configuration using
Composite Cables (8/24 Fibre + 6 Quad) as per RDSO specification
shall be used.
Replacement of existing overhead / RE quad cable of control
communication.
1.2
Objectives for the System Design

(a) Location of optic fibre stations and regenerators/repeaters.
(b) Optical loss budget of each block section. While calculating the
Optical loss budget, following will be taken into consideration:
Equipment margin
Connector loss
Cable margin
System operational margin
Splice loss
: 2 dB
: 2 dB
: 0.1 dB per Km.
: 0.03 dB per Km.
: 0.2 dB per Km.
(c) Requirement of system capacity to meet present and future channel

requirements.
(d) Availability of the system.
(e) Total expected jitter of the system.
(f) Design of power supply system for each station.
(g) Preparation of an estimate.
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1.3
Capacity of Fibre Optic System

a) For Control Communication application, SDH System having capacity
of STM-1 shall be used. Generally, one E1 shall be used for various
control applications.
b) For Long Haul Communication, SDH System with capacity of STM4/STM-16/STM-64 or above shall be used.
1.4
Features
Transmitting power over an optical fibre has multiple advantages over
transmitting the same power over copper conductors as given below.
i)
Greater bandwidth
Fibre provides far greater bandwidth and greater fidelity than copper
wire.
ii)
Low attenuation and greater distance
Because the fibre optic signal is made of light, very little signal loss
occurs during transmission, and data can move at higher speeds and
greater distances.
iii)
Security
Your data is safe with fibre cable. It doesnt radiate signals and is
extremely difficult to tap.
iv)
Immunity and reliability
Fibre provides extremely reliable data transmission. Its completely

immune to many environmental factors that affect copper cable. The
core is made of glass, which is an insulator, so no electric current can
flow through. Its immune to electromagnetic and radio-frequency
interference (EM/RFI), crosstalk, impedance problems, and more.
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v)
Design
Fibre is lightweight, thin, and more durable than copper cable. Plus,
fibre optic cable has pulling specifications that are up to 10 times
greater than copper cables. Its small size makes it easier to handle, and
it takes up much less space in cabling ducts.
vi)
Migration
The proliferation and lower costs of media converters are making

copper to fibre migration much easier. The converters provide seamless
links and enable the use of existing hardware.
vii)
Cost
The cost for fibre cable, components, and hardware is steadily

decreasing. Installation costs for fibre are higher than copper because of
the skill needed for terminations. Overall, fibre is more expensive than
copper in the short run, but it may actually be less expensive in the long
run.
1.5
Limitations of OFC
Difficulty in jointing (splicing)
Highly skilled staff would be required for maintenance
Precision and costly instruments are required
Tapping for emergency and gate communication is difficult.
Costly if under- utilised
Special interface equipments required for Block working
Accept uni-polar codes i.e. return to zero codes only.
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2.
Construction of OFC
Simple self explanatory sketch and cross sectional view of optical fibre
cable, being use in railway is shown below. For construction detail,
handbook on Optical Fibre Cable prepared by CAMTECH may be
referred.
Cross-sectional view of 24 Fibre cable used in Indian Railways
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OFC having 24 Fibres armoured cable is normally used for underground

laying. It consists of 6 loose tubes as shown below:
As per IRS:TC
below:
1.
2.
3.
55-2006, Rev.1 colour code of loose tubes is as shown

(F1) - Blue
(F2) - Orange
(F3) - Green
4.
5.
6.
(F4) - Brown
(F5) - Slate
(F6) - White.
Each loose tube contains 4 fibres: Blue, Orange, Green & Natural.
OFC having 12 numbers of Fibres armoured cables are used for
underground/ Arial (over head) laying. It contains single loose tube with
12 fibres as following colour code.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
F1 - Blue
F2 - Orange
F3 - Green
F4 - Brown
F5 - Slate
F6 - White
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
F7 - Red
F8 - Black
F9 - Yellow
F10 - Violet
F11 - Rose
F12 - Aqua
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3.
Reasons of Light Losses in Optical Fibre Joint

When jointing optical fibres, the opposite cores must be properly
aligned. Optical fibre connector splice loss occurs mostly due to
following reasons:
a. Poor Concentricity
Poor concentricity of optical fibres joint causes a connector splice loss.
In the case of general purpose single-mode fibres, the value of
connector splice loss is calculated roughly as the square of the amount
of misalignment multiplied by 0.2 (For example, if the light source
wavelength is 1310nm, misalignment by 1 m results in approximately
0.2dB of loss.)
b.
Axial Run-Out
A connector splice loss occurs due to an axial run-out between the

light axes of optical fibres to be jointed. It is necessary to avoid an
increased angle at fibre cut end when using an optical fibre cleaver
before fusion splicing, since such an angle can result in splicing of optical
fibres with run-out.
c. Gap
An end gap between optical fibres causes a connector splice loss. If
optical fibre end faces are not correctly butt-jointed in mechanical
splicing cause a splice loss.
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d. Reflection
An end gap between optical fibres results in 0.6dB of maximum return
loss due to the change in refractive index from the optical fibre to the
air. Cleaning optical fibre ends is important for optical connectors. In
addition, the whole optical connector ends should be cleaned because
loss can also occur due to dirt between optical connector ends.
4.
Tools & Instruments
4.1
Tools & Equipments Required for Jointing and Termination

Sr.No.
Tools Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
Branch Joint Closure

Termination Box
Rubber and Block
Sheath Clamp
Bushing
Strength Member holder
Heat Shrinkage tube
Arc fusion splicer machine
Power cord AC/DC
Walkie-Talkie 12V DC source
Tube heater
Precision cleaver
Cable sheath stripper
Fibre stripper/ Cable ties
Knife for HDPE cutting
Hacksaw for strength membrane
Isopropyl alcohol
Cotton Buds
Tweezers
Gun heater blower type
Protection Sleeves
OTDR
Stabilized optical power source and power meter
Optical Talk set
Stickers for numbering of splicers
Patch Cords - Two numbers
Generator set for charging the battery and lighting
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4.2
Tools required for sheath Removal

S.No. Name of tool
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
4.3
Function
Cable cutter
Jacket remover
Utility knife
Scissors
Diagonal cutting pliers
Sheath Ripper
Vinyle insulation tape
Gel off paper
Towel cloth
Number Book
Measuring Tape
Buffer Stripper
Paint Marker
To cut the cable in full

To remove outer jacket
To cut narrow jacket circumferentially
To cut rip cord, Aramid yarn, & Binders
To cut central members, fillers etc.
To cut the polythene binders
For proper marking of cable
To clean the jelly
To clean the cable
For cable and buffer tubes identifications
For different length measurements
To strip the buffer tubes
To mark on cable
Tools required for fusion splicing

S.No
Name of tool
Function
1
2
Fibre Stripper
Fibre Cleaver
3
4
Tissue Papers
Cleaning liquid
Jewellers Screw
Cotton swab
NO-NIK Tool
Flash Light
To strip the plastic cover coating of fibre

To cut the fibre end perpendicular to the
axis
To clean the fibre after stripping
To clean the fibre and splicing machines
lens, V groove etc.
To adjust some potentiometer in fusion
splicing machine
To clean the fibre and splicing machines
lens, V groove etc.
To remove white colour coating of tight
buffer tube
To test the pig tails (tight buffer tube)
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4.4
10
Tools required for preparation of splicing - closure

S.No
Name of tool
Function
Tensioning Tool
To tight the clamping bends over the

ends caps, clamping bars etc.
Opening Hook
To open the closure (used with

tensioning tool)
Screw Drivers
To tight and loose the screw nuts etc.
Adjustable Wrench
To tight nuts and bolts in supporting

bars.
Hammer
To open and close the clamping bars.
Ty-raps
To tie the buffer tubes into splice tray.
Ty-rap Fastner
To tie the buffer tubes into splice tray.
RTV Sealant
To tight the Ty-rap.
Tweezer
To lift and hold the fibre.
10
Spatula
11
Cleaning Khadi Cloth
To clean the cable outer jacket.
12
Crimping Pliers
To fix the buffer tubes in splice tray.
To set the fibre splices into splice tray

organiser.
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11
5.
Brief Description of Instruments
5.1
Fusion Splicing Machine

It melts the two ends of fibre optic cables together to form a continuous
cable. To do this properly, machines must align the cable, touch the
ends together, and send heat or an electric arc through the joint to melt
the glass. This process requires a great deal of precision and accuracy.
Photograph of typical splicer is given below:
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5.2
12
Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR)

An OTDR may be used for estimating the fibre's length and overall
attenuation, including splice and mated-connector losses. It may also be
used to locate faults, such as breaks, and to measure optical return loss.
Photograph of typical OTDRs are given below:
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5.3
13
Cleaver
A perpendicular cut in a optical fibre cable is critical to the success of the
splice or joint. A cleaver breaks the glass cable with high precision.
Photograph of typical cleaver is given below:
5.4
Optical Source
An optical source is a major component of optical transmitters. Fiber
optic communication systems often use semiconductor optical sources
such as Light emitting diodes ( LEDs) and semiconductor lasers. Some
of the advantages are: Compact in size, High efficiency, Good
reliability, Right wavelength range, Small emissive area compatible
with fibre core dimensions, Possibility of direct emulation at relatively
high frequencies. A typical photograph is shown below.
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5.5
14
Optical Power Meter

An optical power meter (OPM) is a device used to measure the power
in an optical signal. A typical optical power meter consists of
a calibrated sensor, measuring amplifier and display. The sensor
primarily consists of a photodiode selected for the appropriate range
of wavelengths and power levels. On the display unit, the measured
optical power and set wavelength is displayed. Power meters are
calibrated using a traceable calibration standard such as
a NIST standard.
Sometimes optical power meters are combined with a different test
function such as an Optical Light Source (OLS) or Visual Fault Locator
(VFL), or may be a sub-system in a much larger instrument. When
combined with a light source, the instrument is usually called an Optical
Loss Test Set.
An Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) can be used to measure
optical link loss if its markers are set at the terminus points for which
the fibre loss is desired.
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6.
15
Brief Description of Tools

i.
Buffer Tube Cutter
This compact and light weight tool is used for stripping of loose tube
(buffer tube) from fibre. It is very simple tool with automatic return
spring for ease of use and speed.
Buffer Tube Stripping
Above figure shows how tight buffer tube stripping removes the tight
buffer tube from optical fibre. This diagram shows that the tubing cutter
contains a knife edge that is pressed onto the buffer tube of the optical
cable. The tubing cutter is then rotated around the optical fibre several
times to create a cut in the buffer tube without cutting the optical fibre
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16
strand. The tubing cutter is then gently pulled to apply pressure to the
buffer tube resulting in the sliding of the buffer tube off of the optical
fibre. This example also shows that the optical cable is looped and held
(loop not to exceed bend radius) to prevent the buffer tube from pulling
through the optical cable.
ii.
Cutting Nippers
It is used for handling the delicate work while terminating, installing or

splicing of the optical fibre in the Termination Box or in the joint
Closure.
iii.
Fibre Strippers
It is used for cutting and removing the primary coating of the optical
fibres during splicing the optical fibre cable.
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iv.
17
FRP Cutter
It is used for cutting of the optical fibre cable perpendicular to the axis
of the fibre reinforced plastic (FRP).
v.
Cable Cutter
It is used for cutting of optical fibre cable perpendicular to cable axis.
vi.
Nose Plier
It is used for handling the delicate work while terminating installing or

splicing of the optical fibre in the Joint Closures.
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vii.
18
Wire Stripper Cutter
It is used for Stripping the outer jacket (nominal jacket dia of 3 mm) of
single fibre cable i.e. Pigtails, Patch cord.
viii. Cable Sheet Cutters

It is used for cutting and removing the HDPE sheath and nylon jacket of
the optical fibre cable.
ix.
Cleaner
Isopropyl rubbing alcohol can be used to clean wires to remove dirt, gel,
and grease.
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x.
19
Heat Shrink Sleeves
Whether fused or mechanically joined, a spliced optical fibre cable is

prone to breaking. It is best to use a plastic sleeve over a joint to
prevent breaking due to handling. These sleeves can be shrunk onto a
joint using heat.
xi.
Scissors
xii.
Measuring Tape: Used for measurement of cable during splicing.
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xiii. Numbering Ferrule: Used for numbering & counting of fibres.
xiv. Tissue Paper: Used for cleaning of Fibres.
xv.
Cable Ties: Used for fitting fibres in trays
xvi. Hand Gloves : Used for safety during splicing
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7.
21
Jointing (Splicing) of Optical Fibre Cable

Optical fibre cable jointing or Splicing is a permanent connection of two
pieces of fibres. Optical fibre cable splicing Techniques is of two types.
7.1
Mechanical Splicing
Mechanical splicing is perform with a small mechanical splicer which
joints permanently the two optical fibres. Mechanical splicer is a small
fibre connector that aligns the axis of the two bare fibres to be joined
and physically hold them together. A snap-type cover, an adhesive
cover, or both, are used to permanently fasten the splice. Insertion loss
per joint is less than 0.5dB. Mechanical splicing is used for temporary
splicing of fibres or where fusion splicing is impractical or undesirable.
This is done by applying localized heating (i.e. by electric arc or flame) at
the interface between the butted, pre-aligned fibre end, causing them
to soften and fuse together.
7.1.1 Mechanical Splicing Process
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The splicing process is basically the same for all types of mechanical
splices. The first step is to strip, clean & cleave the fibres to be spliced.
Strip the primary buffer coating to expose the proper length of bare
fibre. Clean the fibre with appropriate wipes. Cleave the fibre using the
directions appropriate to the cleaver being used. Using a high quality
cleaver such as those provided with fusion splicers will yield more
consistent and lower loss splices.
7.1.2 Making the Mechanical Splice
Insert the first fibre into the mechanical splicer. Most splicers are
designed to limit the depth of the fibre insertion by the stripped length
of buffer coating on the fibre. Clamp the fibre in place if fibres are held
separately. Some splicers clamp both fibres at once. Repeat these steps
for the second fibre.
You can optimize the loss of a mechanical splice visually using a visual
fault locator, a visible laser test source if the fibre ends being spliced are
visible. Gently withdraw one of the fibres a slight amount, rotating it
slightly and reinserting it until the visible light is minimized, indicating
lowest loss.
7.2
Fusion Splicing
Fusion splicing involves the melting and jointing of optical fibres using
heat generated by an electric arc between electrodes. Fusion splicing is
classified into the two methods, as follows.
i.
Core Alignment Method
Optical fibre cores observed with a microscope are positioned with the
help of image processing so that they are concentrically aligned. Then,
an electric arc is applied to the fibre cores. The fusion splicer used has
cameras for observation and positioning in two directions.
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ii.
23
Stationary V-groove Alignment Method
This fusion splicing method uses V-grooves produced with high precision
to position and orient optical fibres and utilizes the surface tension of
melted optical fibres for alignment effects (cladding alignment).
Splices made by this method achieve low loss, which has improved the
dimensional accuracy regarding the placement of core.
This method is primarily used for splicing a multi-fibre cable in a single
action.
Optical fibre cable fusion splicing provides the lowest insertion loss less
than 0.1dB. Special equipment called fusion splicer is used for it. The
fusion splicer performs optical fibre fusion splicing in two steps.
Precisely align the two fibres
Generate a small electric arc to melt the fibres and weld them together
Fusion splicing is perform by Fusion splicer, a machine used to weld
(fuse) two optical fibres together. The fibre ends are prepared, cleaved,
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24
and placed in alignment fixtures on the fusion splicer. At the press of a

button, the fibre ends are heated with electrodes, brought together,
and fused. We can preset the splicing parameters or choose factory
recommended settings that will control the splicing process itself. Each
manufacturer's product is slightly different and requires somewhat
different procedures. A photograph of typical splicer is shown below:
7.2.1 Preparation of cable for jointing

During the installation, a minimum of 10 meter of cable at each end is
coiled in the jointing pit to provide for jointing to be carried out at
convenient location as well as spare length to be available for future
use in case of failures.
The pit size shall be so as to ensure the length of the wall on which
joint is mounted is greater than closure length plus twice the
minimum bending radius of the cable. A pit length of 1 meter is
sufficient for most of the cable and joint closures. Bracket to support
eh cable coil are also fixed on the wall of the pit. Details of cable pit
are given in Drawing No.RDSO/TCDO/COP-21.
The cable is then coiled on to the pit wall in the same position as
required after the joint is complete. The marking is done on all the
loops so that it will be easier to install it later.
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The distance from the last centre to the end of the cable must be at
least 1.8 meters. This is the minimum length to be stripped for
preparation of joint.
Sufficient cable length at both ends up to the jointing
vehicle/enclosure is then uncoiled from the pit for jointing.
7.2.2 Stripping/Cutting of the Cable
The cable is stripped of outer and inner sheath with each sheath
staggered approximately 10mm from the one above it.
Proper care must be taken when removing the inner sheath to

ensure that the fibres are not scratched or cut with the stripping
knife or tool. To prevent this, it is better to score the inner sheath
twice on opposite sides of the cable, rather than cutting completely
through it. The two scores marking on either side of the cable can be
easily stripped of the inner sheath by hand.
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The fibres shall be then removed from cable one by one and each
fibre is cleaned individually using kerosene oil to remove the jelly.
Armouring shall remain outside the gland and will not be connected
through.
7.2.3 Preparation of Cable Joint Closure for Splicing

The type of preparation work performed on the cable prior to splicing
differs on the type of joint closure and fibre organizer used. However,
the following steps shall be usually common for different types of
joint closure.
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(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
27
The strength member of each cable shall be joined to each

other and/or the central frame of the joint closure.
The joint closure shall be assembled around the cable.
The sealing compound or heat shrink sleeve shall be applied to
the cables and closure, or prepared for application after splicing
is complete.
Tags which identify the fibres number shall be attached at
suitable location on the fibres.
Splice protectors shall be slipped over each fibre in readiness
for placing over the bare fibre after splicing.
7.2.4 Stripping and Cleaving of Fibre

(a) Prior to splicing, primary protective coating of each fibre shall be
stripped off up to length of 50 mm. by using fibre stripper. Fibre
strippers shall be manufactured to fine tolerances and only score the
coating without contacting the glass fibre.
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The bare fibre shall be then wiped with a lint tissue paper rinsed with
ethyl alcohol.
Cleaving of the fibre shall then be performed to obtain as close as
possible to a perfect 90 degree face on the fibre.
7.2.5 Fusion splicing of fibre
Some of the general steps with full automatic micro processor

control splicing machines shall be as under:
(a) Hands shall be thoroughly washed prior to commencing this
procedure.
(b) The clean bare fibre shall be dipped in the beaker of ethyl
alcohol of the ultrasonic cleaver and ultrasonic clever switched
on for 5-10 seconds.
(c) The bare fibre shall then be placed inside V groove of the
splicing machine by opening clamp handle, in such a way so that
1 mm gap is available between the electrodes and the end of
fibre being spliced and heat shrink protector inserted.
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(d) The same procedure shall be repeated for other fibre.

(e) The start button on the splice controller shall be pressed.
(f) The machine shall pre-fuse set align both in X and Y
direction and then finally fuse the fibre.
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7.3
30
(g) The splice shall be inspected on monitor provide on the

fusion splicing machine, there shall be no nicking, bulging and
cores are adequately aligned. The above procedure shall be
repeated if the splice is not visually good looking.
(h) The heat shrink protector shall be slid over the splice and
tube shall be placed in tube heater. Heating shall be considered
complete when soft inner layer is seen to be oozing out of the
outer layer of the protector.
(i) The steps a) to (h) above shall be repeated for other fibres.
Organising fibre and finishing joints
(a) After each fibre has been spliced, the heat shrink protection
sleeve shall be slipped over the bare fibre before any handling of
fibre takes place as uncoated fibres are very brittle and cannot
withstand small radius bends without breaking.
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(b) The fibre shall then be organized into its tray by coiling the
fibres on east side of the protection sleeve using the full tray side
to ensure the maximum radius possible for fibre coils.
(c) The tray then shall be placed in the position.
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32
(d) OTDR reading shall be taken for all splices in this organized
state and recorded on the test sheet to confirm that of all fibres
attenuation is within specified limits. The OTDR test confirms
that fibres were not subjected to excessive stress during the
organizing process. Care should be taken that the fibres are not
interchanged while jointing.
(e) The joint shall then be closed with necessary sealing etc. and
considered ready for placement in the pit.
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7.4
33
Placing of completed joint in pit
7.5
(a) Joint shall be taken out from the vehicle and placed on the
tarpaulin provided near the pit.
(b) The cable is laid on the ground and looped according to the
marking done in the beginning. These loops shall then be tied
together with the tape.
(c) The joint shall be permanently closed and sealed by heating
heat shrinkable sleeve, etc.
(d) The joint closure shall be fixed to the bracket on the pit wall
and pit closed.
Some guidelines for splicers are given below.
Follow the applicable equipment manufacturers guidelines

through operating manual for setup and maintenance of all splice
equipment. Besides cleaning regularly, they require electrode
alignment and occasional replacement.
Maintain clean equipment and a clean splice environment, being
especially wary of windy and/or dusty conditions.
Splice loss specifications should be set with the total link power
budget in mind and be based on average splice loss.
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8.
Testing of Splicing
8.1
Good Splicing
34
Visually inspect the splice after the program has run, using both X and Y
views. Some flaws that do not affect optical transmission are
acceptable, as shown below. Some fibres (e.g. fluorine-doped or
titanium coated) may cause white or black lines in splice region that are
not faults. Some graphics of a typical splicer Sumitomo manual are
given below.
Fusion splices provide a high-quality joint with the lowest loss (in the
range of 0.01 dB to 0.10 dB for single-mode fibres) and are practically
non- reflective.
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8.2
35
Bad Splicing
Some flaws are unacceptable and require starting the splicing process
over. Some, like black spots or lines, can be improved by repeating the
ARC step, but never more than twice. For large core offsets, bubbles or
bulging splices, always redo. Some graphics of a typical splicer
Sumitomo manual are given below.
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9.
36
Splice Problem Troubleshooting

Here are some common problems and likely causes.
1.
Not Fused Through
Reasons: Fusion current too low, Prefusion time too short
2.
Match heads
Reasons: Contaminated electrodes, Fusion current much too high

refusion time much too long, Prefusion current much too high, Autofeed
too small, Gap too large.
3.
Constriction
Reasons: Current too high, Feed rate too slow, Prefusion time too long,
Prefusion current too high, Gap too wide, Contaminated electrodes.
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4.
Enlargement
Reasons :
5.
37
Auto
feed
too
fast,
Incorrect
current
Bubble or Inclusion
Reasons : Contaminated fibre end faces, Poor cleave, Fusion current too
high, Prefusion current or time too low.
6.
Additional Problems
Fusion splicers generally have stored programs for most fibres and the
user can modify those program parameters or create new ones. Refer to
the instruction manual or ask the manufacturer is there is any question
about using the splicer with the fibre you are installing.
It is sometimes necessary to splice older fibres, either in restoration or
modifying networks. Older fibres may become brittle and hard to strip.
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10.
38
Maintenance schedule for fibre optic system equipment
Equipment
Item
Power
Supply
Equipment
Maintenance
of
Batteries
Meas. of Battery
voltages
Maintenance
of
Charger and In/Out
voltages
and
Currents
Checking of fuses
and terminations
Check of Earthing
General
Optical
Maintainer
Cleaning of the
flooring
Removal of dust
from the
equipment
and
cards
Measurement
of
room
temperature
Earthing of the
racks,
power equipment
etc.
Measurement
of
earth
resistance
Check of electrical
devices
Maintenance
of
pigtails,
fibre
distribution frame
OTDR
Weekly
Sectional
Supervisor
Monthly
Supervisor
Incharge
Quarterly
Weekly
Monthly
Quarterly
Weekly
Monthly
Quarterly
Weekly
Monthly
Quarterly
Weekly
Monthly
Quarterly
weekly
--
--
weekly
--
--
weekly
--
--
Weekly
Monthly
Quarterly
Quarterly
Quarterly
weekly
Monthly
Quarterly
weekly
Monthly
Quarterly
--
--
Quarterly
--
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39
Equipment
Item
Fibre Cable
Measurement of
spare fibres
Integrity of cable
route
Protective works on
bridges & culverts
Cable route markers
Cable
sheath
Earthing
Cable
Route
Periodical
Line Up
Maintainer
Sectional
Supervisor
Fortnightly
Quarterly
Yearly
Fortnightly
Quarterly
Yearly
Fortnightly
Fortnightly
Quarterly
Quarterly
Yearly
Yearly
OTDR meas. on all

Fibre
Tx/Rx optical power
Pulse mask for all
digital
interfaces
Channel meas. as
per CCITT
G821/G823 tests on
64KBPS/2MBPS for
10 days
Loss measurement
with optical source
& power meter
Measurement of
Order
wire
performance
circuits.
--
--
Supervisor
Incharge
Yearly
---
-Quarterly
Yearly
Yearly
--
Quarterly
Yearly
--
Quarterly
Yearly
--
Quarterly
Yearly
--
Quarterly
Yearly
Note :
1. Items related to cable gang shall be done by cable maintenance Gang.
2. Items related to equipment shall be done by equipment maintenance
gang.
December 2013
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11.
T&P Items and Measuring Equipments for Maintenance Staff
Sr.
No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
40
GANG
Recommended T&P Items & Equipments
Soldering Iron
Vacuum Cleaner
Standard Tool Kit containing Screw Drivers,
etc.
Digital Multi-meter
Optical Fibre connector Cleaning kit
Sectional
All equipments as prescribed for eqpt maint
Supervisor
gang.
Equipment
Portable BER & PCM Test Set
Meager
Optical Attenuation Measurement set
consisting of optical power meter, optical
source and optical
attenuator
Supervisory
Test and Repair Van
Incharge
PCM Transmission Analyzer
for equipments
PCM Channel Analyzer along
Digital Storage Oscilloscope
Frequency Counter
Fibre Optic tool kit
Mini portable Generator
SDH analyzer
Sectional Engineer Digital Multi-meter\
Cable Maintenance Mini ODTR
Mechanical splicing kit
Ruggedised Optical Fibre cable 200 Mts
Splicing machine with battery
Fibre Optic Tool Kit
All types of Adopters & Connectors
Fibre Optic Talk set
Insulation Tester
TMS kit
HQ gang for cable 200 Mtr of OFC cable
Equipment
Maintenance
December 2013
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Sr.
No.
41
GANG
Recommended T&P Items & Equipments
Test & Repair van

Portable generator
Automatic Fusion Splicing machine
OTDR
Fibre Optic Tool Kit
Mechanical Splicing kit
Optical Talk set
All types of Adopters & Connectors.
Lighting
arrangements
&
emergency
lamps(2Nos)
Emergency phones (4 Nos)
Walkie-Talkie sets (4 Nos)
Torches with batteries (6 sets)
Spare batteries for splicing machines (1No)
Puncha (to remove ballast) (2 Nos)
Pickaxe (4 Nos)
Motar pan & showel (4 Nos)
Spade (4 Nos)
Portable tent (1 No)
Crow bar (2 Nos)
OFC spare cables (cables of adequate length)
HDPE pipe pieces (10 Nos)
Drinking water can (20 litres) (1 No)
Glasses (2 Nos)
Folding table and chair (1 each)
Stool light weight (2 Nos)
First aid box (1 No)
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12
42
Safety
When working with fibre there are a few rules that MUST always be
remembered and practiced.
Safety Glasses
Safety glasses MUST be worn at all times during the fibre optic lab
exercises or anytime termination or splicing work is performed on a
fibre cable. The biggest hazard when working with fibre optics are small
and sharp shards of the fibre produced when stripping or cleaving the
cable.
Glass Fibre Shards
Be very careful when disposing of fibre ends. Use a Disposable Fibre
Trash Bin (Fibre Disposal Unit FDU) to hold small bits of glass until they
can properly disposed of in the trash. For safety, remember to cover
the holes on top of the FDU before storing your bin (unit) in your tool
kits (box).
If you dont have a FDU to use when working in some environments,
then carefully make a container, like a half empty water bottle or soda
can, before using. This helps to prevent accidents.
The glass fibre creates slivers or shards that can easily cause injury to
the eyes or create glass splinters in fingers or hands that are difficult to
see to remove from skin, which can become infected if not completely
removed. Always keep a disposable fibre trash bin nearby for all fibre
scraps. Develop the habit of picking up scraps from the work surface
and the floor too. You may know a glass shard is dropped or lost and
can take care, but another person like a co-worker or cleaning crew may
come along and not be aware that fibre was being worked in the area.
Scotch tape can be used to pick up small shards of fibre. Fold the
scotch tape around the glass shards before disposing in the trash can.
This helps to keep others, like members of the cleaning crew, from
becoming hurt accidentally.
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43
Black Paper
Black paper or other dark colored paper or fabric can be used to give a
dark colored work surface. This helps make the fibre more visible when
working with it.
Chemicals
When doing fibre work epoxy, anaerobic adhesive, and isopropyl alcohol
will be used. The isopropyl alcohol is flammable. Take extra care when
handling these substances. It is best to develop the habit of watching
for bits of epoxy on your tools or work surface and cleaning it with the
alcohol. Develop the habit of wiping all tools frequently with a fibre free
cloth or wipe and alcohol. Keep in mind that epoxy is not removable
from clothing.
Skin Oils
Do not touch bare fibres with fingers. The oil from your skin can weaken
the fibre over time. It tends to make the glass fibre brittle.
Hot ovens & terminators
Terminators removed from the curing ovens will be EXTREMELY HOT.
Use caution when touching hot terminators. Small amounts of alcohol
on a fibre free wipe may be used to help cool the terminator more
quickly. After the terminator is removed from the oven, the exposed
fibre is dangerous and more brittle. Take great care to ensure the glass
rod does not break, pierce the skin, or get into the eyes.
General Precautions
How to handle optical fibre.
When the fibre is not handled properly stress as torsion, bend,
tension etc.
Lorry with air cond. If dust is presence in the splicing loss will increase.
Cutting OFC do not use a metallic saw, use a cable cutter.
Keep your hand clean.
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13.
44
Connectors
An optical fibre connector terminates the end of an optical fibre, and
enables quicker connection and disconnection than splicing. The
connectors mechanically couple and align the cores of fibres so light can
pass. Better connectors have very little light lose due to reflection or
misalignment of the fibres.
Optical fibre connectors are used to join optical fibres where a
connect/disconnect capability is required. The basic connector unit is a
connector assembly. A connector assembly consists of an adapter and
two connector plugs. Optical fibre connectors are used to connect
equipment and cables, or to cross-connect cables.
Most optical fibre connectors are spring-loaded, so the fibre faces are
pressed together when the connectors are mated. The resulting glassto-glass or plastic-to-plastic contact eliminates signal losses that would
be caused by an air gap between the joined fibres.
Every fibre connection has two values:
Attenuation or insertion loss

Reflection or return loss.
A variety of optical fibre connectors are available, but SC and LC

connectors are the most common types of connectors. Typical
connectors are rated for 5001000 mating cycles. The main differences
among connectors are dimensions and methods of mechanical coupling.
Different connectors are required for multimode, and for singlemode fibres.
Features of good connector design:
Low insertion loss
High return loss (low amounts of reflection at the interface)
Ease of installation
Low cost
Reliability
Low environmental sensitivity
Ease of use
Typical connector is shown in figure given below:
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45
13.1 Parts of connector and their description

i.
Ferrule
The fibre is mounted in a long, thin cylinder, the ferrule, which acts as a
fibre alignment mechanism. The ferrule is bored through the centre at a
diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the fibre cladding.
The end of the fibre is located at the end of the ferrule. Ferrules are
typically made of metal or ceramic, but they may also be constructed of
plastic.
ii.
Connector Body
Also called the connector housing, the connector body holds the ferrule.
It is usually constructed of metal or plastic and includes one or more
assembled pieces which hold the fibre in place. The details of these
connector body assemblies vary among connectors, but bonding and/or
crimping is commonly used to attach strength members and cable
jackets to the connector body. The ferrule extends past the connector
body to slip into the coupling device.
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iii.
46
Cable
Cable is attached to the connector body. It acts as the point of entry for
the fibre. Typically, a strain-relief boot is added over the junction
between the cable & the connector body, providing extra strength.
iv.
Coupling Device
Most fibre optic connectors do not use the male-female configuration

common to electronic connectors. Instead, a coupling device such as an
alignment sleeve is used to mate the connectors. Similar devices may be
installed in transmitters & receivers to allow these devices to be mated
via a connector. These devices are also known as feed through bulkhead
adapters.
13.2 Characteristics of connectors
Parameter
Insertion loss
Repeatability
(loss)
Suitability
Return loss
Description
Loss due to use of connector (unavoidable)
Manufacturers specify typical value
Use of strain relief boot over the junction
between the cable & connector body and
attaching strength member to the connector
minimize the insertion loss
Connector is re-useable (up to 500 times). The
increase in loss shall be less than the
repeatability loss
Suitable to SM / MM fibre
Important factor for SM fibres (shall be less
than 60 db)
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47
13.3 Connector Type

a. FC Connector
FC/PC is one of the most popular single mode connectors. It screws on
firmly, but make sure you have the key aligned in the slot properly
before tightening. It's being replaced by SCs and LCs.
Insertion loss
0.5 to 1.0 db
Repeat-ability
0.20 db
Fibre type
SM / MM
Application
Transmission NW
b. FDDI Connector (Fibre Distributed Data Interface)
Insertion loss
0.2 to 0.7 db
Repeatability
0.20 db
Fibre type
SM / MM
Application
FDDI LAN
c. LC Connector
LC is a new connector that uses a 1.25 mm ferrule, half the size of the
ST. Otherwise, it's a standard ceramic ferrule connector, easily
December 2013
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48
terminated with any adhesive, good performance, highly favored for

single mode.
Insertion loss
Repeat-ability
Fibre type
Application
0.15 db (SM)
0.10 db (MM)
0.20 db
SM / MM
High density
interconnection
Insertion loss
Repeatability
Fibre type
Application
0.3 to 1.0 db
0.25 db
SM / MM
Ribbon fibre cables
Insertion loss
Repeat-ability
Fibre type
Application
0.2 to 0.45 db
0.10 db
SM / MM
Transmission NW
MT RJ Connector
SC Connector
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f.
49
SC Duplex Connector
SC is a snap-in connector that is widely used in single mode systems for

it's excellent performance. It's a snap-in connector that latches with a
simple push-pull motion. It is also available in a duplex configuration.
Insertion loss
Repeatability
Fibre type
Application
0.2 to .45 db
0.10 db
SM/ MM
Transmission NW
g.
ST Connector
ST is the most popular connector for multimode networks. It has a bayonet

mount and a long cylindrical ferrule to hold the fibre. Most ferrules are
ceramic, but some are metal or plastic. And because they are spring-loaded,
you have to make sure they are seated properly. If you have high loss,
reconnect them to see if it makes a difference.
Insertion loss Repeatability
Fibre type
Application
0.4db (SM)
0.5db (MM)
SM / MM
Inter/Intra
Building
0.4db (SM)
0.2db(MM)
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h.
50
E-2000 Connector
E2000 connector exceeds all standards for performance and operation.

The E2000 features a latch lever locking mechanism to prevent
accidental disconnection. With the power of todays laser transmitters
reaching levels that are a danger to an unprotected user, the E2000
offers a level of protection no other connector can match. Each E2000
connector and adapter has its own shutter that automatically opens and
closes as the connector slides into its adapter.
Connector Type Polishing Insertion Loss

SM
PC/UPC
0.12/0.25
SM
APC APC
0.12/0.25
MM
PC
0.2/0.5
Cable
3.5
3.5
3.5
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51
13.4 Steps in attaching connectors to fibre

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cut the cable one inch longer than the required finished length.
Carefully strip the outer jacket of the fibre with no nick fibre
strippers. Cut the exposed strength members, and remove the
fibre coating. The fibre coating may be removed two ways: by
soaking the fibre for two minutes in paint thinner and wiping the
fibre clean with a soft, lint-free cloth, or by carefully stripping the
fibre with a fibre stripper. Be sure to use strippers made
specifically for use with fibre rather than metal wire strippers as
damage can occur, weakening the fibre.
Thoroughly clean the bared fibre with isopropyl alcohol poured
onto a soft, lint-free cloth such. NEVER clean the fibre with a dry
tissue. Note: Use only industrial grade 99% pure isopropyl alcohol.
The connector may be connected by applying epoxy or by
crimping. If using epoxy, fill the connector with enough epoxy to
allow a small bead of epoxy to form at the tip of the connector.
Insert the clean, stripped fibre into the connector. Cure the epoxy
according to the instructions provided by the epoxy manufacturer.
Anchor the cable strength members to the connector body. This
prevents direct stress on the fibre. Slide the back end of the
connector into place (where applicable).
Prepare the fibre face to achieve a good optical finish by cleaving
and polishing the fibre end. Before the connection is made, the
end of each fibre must have a smooth finish that is free of defects
such as hackles, lips, and fractures. These defects, as well as other
impurities and dirt change the geometrical propagation patterns
of light and cause scattering.
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14.
52
Precautions
Dont handle the bare fibre with bare hands, always use hand
gloves.
Dont cleave the fibre without removing the primary coating

otherwise the diamond edge of the cleaver is damaged.
Donts use the bare fibre without cleaning properly for splicing
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53
Dont clean the bare fibre after cleaving
Dont remove excessive length of primary coating beyond the

dimensions of the sleeve.
Dont expose the bare portion of the fibre outside the sleeve
while enclosing the joint inside the sleeve.
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54
Dont use the spliced fibre with heavy splice loss (more than
.08dB) for communication.
Dont allow any sharp bends on the fibre while organising the
fibre in the splicing tray.
******
December 2013
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Handbook On OFC Jointing

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Hkkjr ljdkj &GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

jsy ea=ky;& MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING

MAHARAJPUR, GWALIOR 474 005

Click for Contents

03 Reasons of Light Losses In Optical Fibre Joint

04 Tools & Instruments

05 Brief Description of Instruments

06 Brief Description of Tools

07 Jointing (Splicing) of Optical Fibre Cable

09 Splice Problem Troubleshooting

11 T&P Items and Equipments for Maintenance Staff

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ISSUE OF CORRECTION SLIPS

Page no. and Item

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Jt. Director (Signal & Telecommunication)

Centre for Advanced Maintenance

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OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING

Guidelines for use of Optical Fibre System on various routes.

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING

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- Short Haul Communication will be on STM-1 System and Primary

Objectives for the System Design

(c) Requirement of system capacity to meet present and future channel

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING

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Capacity of Fibre Optic System

Low attenuation and greater distance

Immunity and reliability

Fibre provides extremely reliable data transmission. Its completely

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING

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The proliferation and lower costs of media converters are making

The cost for fibre cable, components, and hardware is steadily

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING

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Cross-sectional view of 24 Fibre cable used in Indian Railways

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING

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OFC having 24 Fibres armoured cable is normally used for underground

55-2006, Rev.1 colour code of loose tubes is as shown

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING

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Reasons of Light Losses in Optical Fibre Joint

A connector splice loss occurs due to an axial run-out between the

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING

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Tools & Instruments

Tools & Equipments Required for Jointing and Termination

Branch Joint Closure

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE JOINTING

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Tools required for sheath Removal

To cut the cable in full