EoW November 2012

ESM leads the field in research Technologynews

Whilst the commercial production of optical fibre may be in decline for telecoms applications, and copper cable increasingly the preferred alternative, considerable research effort is now being focused on a new generation of fibre optic products, leading to the prowess of UK-based Engineering Services Management (ESM) being in considerable demand. This specialist company has recently been responsible for the design, build and installation of a bespoke, dual-purpose fibre optic tower to draw fibre and canes for research. Whilst a comparable commercial system is a large steel fabricated structure, the ESM system is modular and much more compact, designed to suit the space and access restrictions of a research environment. An essential part of the fibre optic production process for which this ESM system has been designed is the smooth, friction-free vertical feed of the glass preform, a cylindrical glass blank, into an in-line furnace. As it melts, a thin strand of silica is produced that is ultimately coated with resin for additional strength and flexibility. The basis of this vertical feed mechanism is a reduced engineering package from HepcoMotion®. This screw driven linear actuator system, specified for clean room conditions, comprises a heavy-duty beam onto which is mounted a Profile Screw Driven PSD120. This product is particularly suited to Z-axis applications and features HepcoMotion® Herculane wheels which provide smooth, low maintenance performance. The PSD120 ball screw drive and linear guide are housed in a strong aluminium beam protected by a stainless steel cover strip that runs the entire length of the product to prevent ingress of dirt and debris. It is therefore an ideal alternative to a linear motion system with integral bellows that could easily cause particle contamination of a sensitive environment. The system was designed to be a simple solution for the main tower construction and for the purpose was supplied with joining plates for easy on-site assembly. The T-slots on the beam also provide a simple method of attachment for ancillary components. The ball screw drive is required for small slow adjustments of the glass furnace position.

▲ ▲ The expertise of ESM in global demand

fibre development. It houses a research group led by Belfast-born Professor Philip St John Russell FRS, the eminent scientist whose extensive work in this field resulted in the realisation of photonic crystal fibres in 1996. The second tower was delivered to the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2010 for research into flat fibres. A third tower was shipped to Brazil in February this year. Engineering Services Management – UK Website : www.esmgroup.co.uk

On the ESM ‘mini’ tower, the chuck that holds the glass preform securely as it enters the furnace is attached to an extra large carriage plate on the PSD120. To provide the stability required to ensure high linearity of feed movement, the PSD120 was also specified with additional Utilitrak® rollers to increase moment capacity and rigidity. The first of the ESM compact fibre optic towers is now installed and operating well at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, a leading centre of excellence for photonics crystal fibre and soft glass

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EuroWire – January 2012