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By: Peter Brown 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 …

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 »

When I started working the fiber optics field I was meeting with Microscope dealers to learn the market and get first-hand feedback. Several dealers really wanted us to develop a multiport light source…they thought it could help them more-than-double their sale of units. Their argument made sense to me, so I brought the idea back …

Multi-port light sources are no bargin! Read More »

Sorry, I know this isn’t a question, but it’s great information and a very cool new piece of technology! In March 2014, we added high-definition additive machining to our capability. The machine (3D Systems Pro Jet 3000HD Plus) is capable of holding tolerance to +/-.001, more than good enough to create high quality housing and …

Need it Good, Quick, AND Cheap? ….Get it printed! Read More »

We get more calls and e-mails on this topic, more often than one would think… In general, the principle of using fiber optic components (with or without halogen light sources) as an illumination source to grow plants (or funnel sunlight into dark spaces for the same purpose) has some technical merit, but offers zero potential …

Can I use fber optic lighting for plant illumination? Read More »

We have received more than a few calls over the past several months inquiring about RoHS compliance. We have published a new webpage on our site to help educate and inform the market in general. Most of the recent RoHS confusion has been generated by a competitor’s marketing push to sell a new proprietary fiber. …

Will leaded glass fiber fall under restriction from use guidelines in the RoHS directive? Read More »

Contrary to what some folks believe, fiber optic glass strands have no ability to focus light. Many times designers and engineers believe that using fiber with a small numerical aperture (N.A) will collimate (or focus) light. While it’s true that the light output cone will emit at full angle commensurate with N.A., a small N.A. …

Can I use a fiber to focus light? Read More »

FTI offers a number of fiber optic imaging guides, or Fiberscopes, for almost any application. Unlike other fiber optic light guide solutions that only transfer light, Fiberscopes can carry an image over most working lengths. FTI can work with you to design a solution specific for your application; this includes offering Fiberscopes with a C-Mount …

Question: I am looking for a low-cost Fiberscope solution for imaging inspection, do you have a product that may help? Read More »