Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1472963
July/August/September 2022 I 53 FIGURE 4: Exchangeable fusion splicer V-grooves. EFA SMART FUSION SPLICERS As cable and connectivity advance to meet and exceed the needs of smart infrastructure, mass fusion splicers (sometimes referred to as ribbon splicers) compliment these innovations with the same EFA benefits. Many fusion splicing technicians are leery of ribbon splicing due to unfamiliarity, poor cleaning practices, or local consensus. Some newer mass fusion splicers on the market offer exchangeable V-grooves, which is not an easy feat technically. The V-grooves of a fusion splicer are responsible for retention of the optical fiber during precision alignment via internal motors directed by image processing algo- rithms. Removing and installing new V-grooves with precision alignment of each fiber maintained is vital for the fusion splicer to achieve low splice losses. Ribbon splicers with removable V-grooves allow for faster, more thorough cleaning, and job continuation in minutes without halting, regardless of cleanliness, poor cleaning practices, or unavoidable environmental characteristics. Additionally, as 200 micron (µm) ribbon fibers grow in prevalence to serve higher density needs, new V-grooves and fiber holders are required to seam- lessly splice these fibers to themselves and existing 250 µm ribbons. A fusion splicer that is capable of appli- cation flexibility by exchanging V-grooves ensures job continuity and future-proofing as smaller pitched ribbon fibers develop. Singlemode fibers with 80 µm cladding and 160 µm fiber coating for telecommunications applications are now available. Research and development of these fibers in a ribbon format is ongoing and require new V-grooves for a successful fusion splice, if exchangeable V-grooves are not part of the machine's design. A fusion splicing chassis with modular V-grooves ensures EFA in fiber network construction if or when optical fiber ribbon changes fiber counts, pitch, or fiber type. While EFA capabilities in the physical layer strongly support smart infrastructure, the physical layer does not then acquire the "smart" label per the definition provided. Given the role of the physical layer, it is not entirely practical or feasible to integrate smart into the fiber itself. However, the tools used to install or repair the physical layer can be smart if designed as such. One example of smart fiber equipment supporting the physical layer for smart infrastructure is the modern fusion splicer. Figure 4 shows the exchangeable V-grooves. A fusion splicer that is capable of application flexibility by exchanging V-grooves ensures job continuity and future-proofing as smaller pitched ribbon fibers develop.