Step index silica optical fibers are made from a synthetic silica core and a cladding material with a lower index of refraction than the core. This combination assures the clad contains light within the core and allows that light to travel at many different angles through the core. Step index silica optical fibers are typically …
Reference Guide to Coating Materials for Silica Optical Fibers Read More »
Silica (commonly referred to as quartz) fiber bundle assemblies are photon delivery subsystems consisting of many small individual silica fibers, bundled together and combined in either a custom machine-made ferrule or off-the-shelf connector housings designed for use as end fittings. A heavy-duty bundle sheathing is typically incorporated to protect the bundle assembly from damage during …
What follows is a general description of fiber assembly in most commonly used forms. For more fiber application insight, see our blog about “Glass vs Plastic” Most fiber manufacturers would agree, single fiber assembly is referred to as “jumper cable assembly”, or “patch cord assembly”. When two or more individual fibers are gathered inside a …
What Type of Fiber Bundle Assembly / Lightguide Should I Use for My Application? Read More »
Even though fiber optic products are made using tiny glass fibers, the general product is very rugged. Under normal conditions, fiber optic products can last for decades. Do you know the leading cause of fiber system failure? Overheating of the end tip, due to loosely packed fiber bundles. Why? When bundles are not tightly packed, …
In our previous blog, we talked about process risk analysis as part of a quality management system. Today, we’ll explore the importance of it when sourcing, and when manufacturing… We know that quality is one of your primary concerns, and we also know that — in pursuing higher quality and consistency, maintaining certification compliance, and …
If you’ve been in manufacturing for a while, you might remember a time when quality was somewhat of an afterthought, secondary to considerations like price, expediency, and availability. Gradually — and understandably — product quality has become a major concern and with it rose the popularity of quality management systems. More recently, evolutions in process-related …
When it comes to fiber optic technology, standard products can only go so far to meet the needs of engineers and designers who typically require specific lengths or configurations not offered by off-the-shelf fiber optics. Standard fiber optic products can be formed into a ring, a line, a bundle or even a multi-legged bundle. These …
Developing Custom Solutions for Fiber Optics—It’s All About Relationship Building Read More »
Navigating an increasing best practice for quality management service. About 25 years ago, customers’ requirements for parts included wanting a good part, on time and at fair price. But in today’s world, that just isn’t good enough anymore. Increasingly, more companies are taking a risk-based approach to running their business — wanting to ensure a …
Mitigating Customer Risk With Process Validation Read More »
The benign nature and unique advantages of light transmission through optical fiber have led to some unusual applications, from sensing methane gas to flow cytometry. Because fiber doesn’t use or conduct electricity, optical fiber is already widely used “as a conduit for temperature sensors based on infrared (IR) light.”1 These pyrometers, typically utilized in high-temperature …
Optical Fiber’s Utility Expands In Complex Instrumentation Read More »
The question concerning glass versus plastic optical fiber is fundamental, but it comes up more often than you’d think, so it’s worth a few words here, just for the record. We’ll not get into the structure of the actual fiber itself, as it follows the same basic principles of differing refractive indexes between the core …
Glass Fiber vs. Plastic Fiber in fiber optic applications Read More »
Manufacturing Standard and Custom fiber optics for Industrial, Medical, Commercial, Military and Machine Vision applications since 1977.