EoW January 2014

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News
Technology
January 2014 50
Beta LaserMike has launched the
next-generation Excess Fibre Length (EFL)
measurement system for loose tube fibre
and fibre ribbon cable manufacturing.
The ability to precisely monitor excess
fibre length is important in a loose tube
and fibre ribbon cable production,
and is essential to the cable’s optical
and mechanical performance. Leading
optical fibre manufacturers have learned
that excess fibre length can change
dramatically during the production
process. This change directly affects
product quality, plant productivity, and
production costs.
Currently, many manufacturers still use
time-consuming and costly techniques
such as cutting cable and exposing,
cleaning cable fibres to measure
product and calculate the excess fibre
length-to-jacket ratio.
Beta LaserMike’s latest EFL measurement
system enables manufacturers to
efficiently, accurately and reliably control
the excess fibre length to make sure the
fibre-to-jacket ratio of product meets
exact production specifications. As a
result, manufacturers are realising a
number of process, product quality, and
bottom-line benefits.
The latest EFL measurement system
integrates Beta LaserMike’s LaserSpeed®
length and speed gauges and the
EFLTrak™ software.
Here’s how it works: one LaserSpeed
gauge is installed upstream in the process
in-between the fibre guide and the jacket
extruder. The other LaserSpeed gauge
is installed downstream in-between the
final cooling trough and the capstan.
This system setup enables comparison
of the fibre bundle-to-jacket ratio during
the jacketing phase with an EFL ratio of
0.01% (0.1 per mil). Operation is made
simple through the use of an easy-to-use
software interface. Using the EFLTrak
software, users can quickly create and
store an unlimited number of product
recipes for efficient production run
setup, document product quality via data
logging, conveniently configure input/
outputs to monitor external devices, and
use real-time statistical process control
to improve product quality and reduce
unwanted process variation to minimise
waste, scrap and rework.
Beta LaserMike’s EFL measurement
system can be specified with either
LaserSpeed 8000 or 9000 gauges. (The
LaserSpeed 9000 gauge measures
forward and reverse directions, and
true zero speed.) The EFL measurement
system can be interfaced with a PLC
to monitor the differential speed and
ultimate EFL ratio, and can be connected
to a light stack or alarm to notify
operators when the EFL ratio exceeds
tolerances. The EFL measurement system
can also be used on fibre optic ribbon
lines.
Beta LaserMike – USA
Website:
Next generation system
▲ ▲ The latest EFL from Beta LaserMike allows precision monitoring of excess fibre length