WCA November 2010

Testing and measuring

Measuring technology for fibre optics Sikora offers sophisticated equipment for measurement in the fibre drawing tower. The Fiber Laser 6003 is an advanced device for diameter measurement of bare and coated fibres. The measuring principle is said to ensure an accuracy of ±0.05μm at a repeatability of 0.02μm. The 2,500 measurements per second, all with single value precision and a short exposure time of 0.5μsec, ensure highest accuracy even at high draw speeds. Both the diameter and the position of the fibre in the measuring field are calculated. The single values of the fibre position are graphically displayed at the processor system of the Ecocontrol series, in the form of a cloud diagram, providing information on the stability of the tension control. All statistical analyses are directly taken in the gauge head. By using FFT-analysis the tension, the spinning and the vibration frequency of the fibre in the measuring field can accurately be defined. Non-conformities during the drawing process and coating caused by variations of the line speed or by vibrating (oscillating) fibres are discovered at an early stage.

New options for measurement software

LaserLinc has introduced two new soft- ware options: Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Structural Return Loss (SRL). FFT allows users to analyse periodic deviations in a measurement, such as the diameter of a wire or cable. By combining the FFT information with specifications for line speed, the software can identify likely causes of the measurement deviation, such as a faulty pulley. SRL is an option of the FFT package of particular interest to the wire and cable industry. Periodic fluctuations in wire and cable dimensions can cause significant sig- nal loss, especially in high-frequency products such as network patch cables. By analysing periodic deviation, the software can compute the signal loss that will occur at various frequencies throughout a length of cable. Computing signal loss during a production run gives producers the opportunity to correct the problem before needing to scrap material. The SRL spectrograph shows a graphical representation of the signal loss that occurs at various transmission frequencies over the length of a product. An operator can quickly assess whether any portion of the cable is expected to show significant signal loss at one or more frequencies. The spectrograph display is cumulative, so it provides an excellent historical record of SRL information acquired over the entire run of a product. LaserLinc manufactures non-contact, laser and ultrasonic measurement systems, which operate via a standard Windows PC running Total Vu™ software, a proprietary system that provides in-process tolerancechecking, trending, SPC, feedback control, data logging and other features. FFT and SRL are options of the Total Vu package.

Fiber Laser 6003 measures the diameter of bare and coated fibres ❍ ❍

The devices are factory-calibrated and maintain their accuracy for the life of the gauge. The gauge head technology ensures the quality of the fibre, which guarantees reliable data transfer over long distances without data loss. The diameter sizing quality provided by the gauge guarantees a good connection of optical fibres. The measuring principle is based on Sikora’s patent-registered “Laser-shadow projection-principle" which has no moving parts. The Fiber Laser 6003 is believed to be the most advanced system for optical fibre measurement on the market. Besides diameter measurement lump detectors are essential for continuous quality control in drawing towers. The Fiber Lump 6003 offers reliable detection of the smallest lumps and neck-downs down to a size of 5μm. Non-conformities in the surface are detected even at production speeds of up to 3,000m per minute. The faults are analysed for type, dimension, length and position.

LaserLinc Inc – USA Fax : +1 937 318 2445 Email : info@laserlinc.com Website : www.laserlinc.com

Sikora AG – Germany Email : sales@sikora.net

Fax : +49 421 48900 90 Website : www.sikora.net

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Wire & Cable ASIA – November/December 2010