3m Fibrlok ii User manual

January 2009

78-8140-1580-2-C

3M™Fibrlok™II Angle Fiber Splice 2529-AS

3M™Fibrlok™250 µm Angle Fiber Splice 2540-AS

Instructions

Contents

1.0 Summary.............................................................................................................................................3

2.0 Splicing Set-up....................................................................................................................................4

3.0 Fiber Preparation.................................................................................................................................4

4.0 Splice Assembly..................................................................................................................................7

5.0 Fiber Repositioning for 3M™Fibrlok™II Fiber Splice.......................................................................8

6.0 Fiber Organization and Splice Storage ...............................................................................................9

Safety Precautions

Protective Eyewear

cCAUTION

Safety glasses should be worn when handling chemicals and cleaving the optical ﬁber.

Chemical Precautions

cWARNING

Storage, use and disposal of isopropyl alcohol should be per your company health, safety and environmental instructions. Refer to

material safety data sheet for health hazards, safe handling, proper use and control measures.

cCAUTION

Product contains phenylmethyl silicone (63148-58-3), hydrophobic silica (68611-44-9) and may cause minimal eye irritation. Avoid

contact with eyes and wash hands before eating or smoking. Upon eye contact, immediately ﬂush eyes with water while holding

eyelids open and continue ﬂushing for ten minutes. Contact a physician. Upon skin contact, wash with soap and water. Product

Information: Material Safety Data Sheet or 3M Company, St. Paul MN, 55144-1000, (651) 733-1110 Operator 55

Bare Fiber Handling

cCAUTION

Cleaved glass ﬁbers are sharp and can pierce the skin. Use tweezers when handling shards and dispose of them properly per your

company health and safety instructions.

Fiber/Cable Handling

cCAUTION

Optical ﬁber can be damaged by excessive tensile, compressive and bending forces. Consult the manufacturers' speciﬁcations for

proper handling instructions.

Laser Safety

cCAUTION

Take the proper precautions when working with optical ﬁber because invisible laser light may be present. The principal laser hazard

when working with ﬁber optics is injury to the eye. Never look directly into the ﬁber or connector using the naked eye or a microscope.

1.0 Summary

1.1 3M™Fibrlok™II Angle Fiber Splice was designed for the splicing of any combination of 250 µm and 900 µm ﬁbers

while the 3M™Fibrlok™250 µm Angle Fiber Splice speciﬁcally splices 250 µm ﬁber with a smaller form factor. The

Fibrlok splices keyed, angle cleave ﬁbers for excellent optical reﬂection performance. Each angle ﬁber splice has a

green end cap to identify it as the angle splice version after installation.

The following installation instructions shown in sections 2, 3 and 4 apply to both Fibrlok II and Fibrlok 250 µm. Both

are installed with the same procedure and tools. Sections 5 and 6 are speciﬁcally for Fibrlok II 2529-AS. Section 5

relates to the repositioning of the ﬁber if a high splice loss is seen. This is possible only using Fibrlok II 2529-AS.

Section 6 has recommendations for the management of 900 µm ﬁber in a splice tray.

3M™Fibrlok™II Angle Fiber Splice 2529-AS 3M™Fibrlok™250 µm Angle Fiber Splice 2540-AS

1.2 Required tools, which are available in the 3M™Fiber Optic Angle Cleave Kit 2565

3M™Fiber Optic

Angle Cleaver 2535

Fiber Holders

3M™Fibrlok

Angle Splice

Assembly Tool

2501-AS with

Holders

Lint-Free Cloths

Base

3M™Fiber Stripper 6365-KS

Isopropyl Alcohol

Fiber Shard

Container

1.3 For situations where a suitable work area is not

available, the case and plastic plate, which are

included in the 3M™Fiber Optic Angle Cleave

Kit 2565, can create a work station. The case can

be set on level ground, on a vehicle, or hung by

the straps.

1.4 Add one full bottle (1.8 fl. oz./53 ml.) of 99%

pure isopropyl alcohol into lint-free cloth

container to pre-moisten wipes.

2.0 Splicing Set-up

2.1 Carefully clean both ﬁber holders with a lint-free

cloth and alcohol.

2.2 Clean both edges of the area where the splice is set in

the tool.

2.3 Remove the 3M™Fibrlok™Angle Splice from the

package and identify that it is an angle splice by

the green end cap. Place splice in the tool with the

Fibrlok cap up.

3.0 Fiber Preparation

3.1 Open all three angle cleaver clamps and levers.

3.2 Carefully clean the cleaver clamps using a small

brush.

3.3 For 900 µm buffer ﬁber, cut the buffer. If the 900 µm

slides easily from the ﬁber it is loose tube or semi-

tight buffered ﬁber.

In this instance, use the ﬁber holders' clamp to

prohibit the buffer from moving or stretching during

the stripping process. Place the ﬁber into the ﬁber

holder groove, labeled "semi-tight", with the ﬁber to

be stripped protruding from the back of the holder.

Close the clamp and proceed to strip and clean

the ﬁber. Once complete, remove the ﬁber from

the holder. If the 250 µm fiber still moves inside the

900 µm buffer after it is clamped in the "semi-tight"

groove, then the connector must be installed on the

250 µm fiber. Strip at least eight inches (203 mm) of

the 900 µm buffer and complete the installation.

Semi-Tight Buffered Fibers

3.4 For all ﬁbers, strip the 900 µm and 250 µm coatings

exposing glass for 1.67" to 1.77" (42.5 mm to

45 mm).

Tight Buffered and 250 µm Fibers

3.5 To verify the correct strip length, use the white marks

on the left side of the cleaver. Align the coating edge

to the left edge of the cleaver and the ﬁber tip should

be between the two white lines.

3.6 Clean ﬁber with alcohol and lint-free cloth.

3.7 With the two covers and clamp open, place the

assembly tool ﬁber holder onto the cleaver. Push the

holder toward the cleaver blade until it stops.

3.8 Place ﬁber in angle cleaver so that the coating edge is

at 12.5 ± 0.5 mm.

Note: Make sure that the natural bow in the ﬁber is facing down

and laying properly in the bottom of V-groove in both cleaver

clamps 1 & 2.

Coating edge at 12.5 mm

3.9 Close the cleaver clamp #1 ﬁrst. This process sets the

appropriate cleave length.

3.10 Close the cleaver clamp #2.

Note: Ensure there is no ﬁber bow between the two clamps. If there

is a bow, open both clamps and repeat steps 3.9 and 3.10.

3.11 For 250 µm ﬁber and tight buffer 900 µm ﬁber, the ﬁber

should be placed in the ﬁber holder tool groove which is

labeled “Tight buffer”. For semi-tight buffer ﬁber, it should

be placed in the groove labeled “Semi-tight buffer”. This

provides the proper clamping force on the 900 µm buffer.

Tight buffer

Semi-tight buffer

3.12 Close the two covers and the clamp on the ﬁber holder.

The funnel cover will not close completely while in the

cleaver. Do not force or cover can break.

clamp

middle cover

funnel cover

3.13 Depress cleave activation lever (#3) and hold it down until

clamp #2 slide assembly has fully moved to the right,

indicating that the angle cleave is complete.

Note: If ﬁber does not break immediately upon activation,

or it breaks so that the cleave length is not 12.5

mm, then open clamps and carefully clean the

cleaver clamps with a brush and alcohol-soaked

lint-free cloth. Cut exposed ﬁber and strip, clean

and cleave again. If issues persist, rotate cleaver

blade to the next position using the supplied

wrenches and try again.

3.14 Open cleaver clamp #1 and remove ﬁber holder and ﬁber

from cleaver.

Note: Do not open activation lever after cleaving until ﬁber

holder and ﬁber have been removed.

3.15 Verify the 12.5 mm cleave length again by using the length

gauge on the assembly base. The 12.5 mm cleave length

is measured from the end of the 900 µm buffer to the end

of the cleaved ﬁber. On semi-tight buffer ﬁber, the 250 µm

coating may protrude 1 mm past the 900 µm semi-tight

buffer. Re-strip, clean and cleave the ﬁber if necessary to

meet length requirements.

3.16 Open activation lever #3 and clamp #2 of angle cleaver.

Dispose of ﬁber shard per company practice.

4.0 Splice Assembly

4.1 Slide the ﬁber holder’s guide funnel fully forward and close

the funnel cover. An audible click can be heard. Check for

proper cleave length again by inspecting the amount of ﬁber

protruding beyond the funnel end of the holder. The amount

of exposed ﬁber should be from 0 to 1 mm (0.04").

1 mm

4.2 Place the ﬁber holder into the assembly tool base

and push the holder to 3M™Fibrlok™Splice opening.

Check the ﬁber alignment to ensure the ﬁber tip will

enter the splice smoothly.

4.3 Insert the ﬁber into the splice SLOWLY. The ﬁber tip

should NOT contact the outside entrance cone of the

splice. If it does, the ﬁber must be stripped, cleaned

and cleaved again per section 3. When fully inserted

the front cover should open and the ﬁber should have

a slight bow. The middle cover may not open.

Fiber Bow

4.4 Grip the ﬁber near the splice and continue inserting

the ﬁber to ensure it is fully seated in the splice.

4.5 Follow steps in all of section 3 Fiber Preparation and

section 4.1 to 4.3 of Splice Assembly for preparing

and inserting the second ﬁber into the 3M™Fibrlok™

Splice.

4.6 For the second ﬁber, grip the ﬁber near the splice and

continue to insert until it is fully seated in the splice.

Watch for the ﬁrst ﬁber bow to increase. This occurs

when the end face of the second ﬁber contacts the

ﬁrst ﬁber and pushes the ﬁrst ﬁber slightly back out

of the splice.

Note: Check that the ﬁrst and second ﬁber holders stay

fully end-stopped against the splice when inserting

ﬁbers and adjusting for equal bow height.

Note: Do not pull on either of the ﬁbers following

establishment of the bows in the ﬁrst and second

ﬁbers. The ﬁber ends must be held together by the

compressive forces induced by the bows to produce

a low loss splice.

4.7 Slowly push back ﬁber one to have equal bow height

with ﬁber two.

If ﬁber bows are NOT observed to move as

described, repeat steps 4.4 – 4.6 of Splice Assembly

but do NOT fully remove ﬁbers from the splice. If

bow movement is still not observed, remove ﬁbers,

strip, clean and re-cleave, checking for proper cleave

length. Re-splice per splicing procedure using a new

splice.

Do not attempt to “tune” or optimize the splice

as this may result in higher splice loss. The 3M™

Fibrlok™Splice is not designed to be “tuned”. Fiber

alignment does not occur until the splice is activated.

4.8 Press the lever to activate the splice. A click will be

heard when the splice is actuated.

4.9 Open the ﬁber holder clamps and covers and remove

the Fibrlok splice from the assembly tool by pulling

on the splice. Do not pull on the ﬁbers.

5.0 Fiber Repositioning for

3M™Fibrlok™II Angle Fiber

Splice 2529-AS

5.1 If high loss is observed after a splice has been

actuated, it is possible that the ﬁber ends are

separated. In this case, lift the splice cap and

reposition ﬁber ends, as instructed below.

Note: If the splice has been in service, place the splice

back into the tool. Insert the ﬁber holders into the

tool and push them towards the splice. Recreate

ﬁber bows on both sides of the splice and close

the ﬁber clamps to maintain the angled cleaved

ﬁber keying.

Note: Do not completely remove ﬁber from Fibrlok

splices.

5.2 Place the two ﬁber holders into Fibrlok assembly tool

base and open the guide funnel, middle covers and

the back clamp on the ﬁber holder.

5.3 Insert Fibrlok into the tool and lay the ﬁbers in

the appropriate channels so there is no twist in the

ﬁbers. Ensure the ﬁber holders are fully inserted into

the tool.

5.4 Lightly close the ﬁber clamp on the holder so the

ﬁber can move under the clamp.

5.5 Create a ﬁber bow and then fully clamp the ﬁber.

Repeat with the second ﬁber. Ensure second bow is

the same size as ﬁrst bow.

5.6 While the splice is in the splice holding cradle, insert

the short prongs of the 3M™Fibrlok™II Splice cap

lifter into the two holes on the side of the splice.

The cap lifter will be at an angle to the splice. The

long prongs will be resting against the top of the

splice cap.

5.7 Slide the bottom of the cap lifter inward until it is in

a vertical position, lifting the splice slightly out of the

cradle.

5.8 Hold the cap lifter in place with one hand and push

down on the ends of the splice with the other hand.

This action should reseat the splice into the holding

cradle and lift the cap at the same time.

5.5 Repeat ﬁber centering and splice actuation (See steps

4.6 – 4.8.) Open the ﬁber holder clamps and remove

splice from tool. If after two attempts an acceptable

splice loss is not obtained, remove ﬁber, strip, clean

and re-cleave. Resplice using a new splice.

Note: If there is difficulty using the cap lifter, a

second cap lifter is packaged with the 3M™

Fibrlok™Angle Splice Assembly Tool 2501-AS

that can be used to pull the cap up.

6.0 Fiber Organization and

Splice Storage

6.1 When storing ﬁber slack in a splice tray, the spliced

ﬁber ends will twist one full turn for each full loop

of ﬁber being stored. This rotation places stress

on the ﬁbers. This rotational stress makes ﬁber

organization more difﬁcult and may affect ﬁber/

splice performance, particularly in 900 µm coated

ﬁbers. The stiffness of the 900 µm ﬁber does not

distribute this stress in the same manner as 250 µm

coated ﬁber.

Note: The following procedure must be followed

when splicing 900 µm coated fibers and will

improve fiber organization when splicing all

fiber types.

6.2 Secure the buffer tubes of the ﬁbers to be spliced to

the tray so that the ﬁbers are free to rotate through

the point of attachment.

6.3 Select the ﬁrst two ﬁbers to be spliced and lay them

into the tray. Trim the two ﬁbers to be spliced so they

are the right length for splicing plus approximately

1.75 inches (45 mm) for ﬁber end preparation.

6.4 Place the splice assembly tool close to or on top of

the splice tray. Match the orientation of the tool to

that of the splice holder or tray whenever possible.

6.5 Remove the minimum amount of fiber required for

fiber preparation and splicing. Remove less than one

loop if possible.

6.6 Prepare fibers and complete splice as described in

Sections 3 and 4.

6.7 Carefully lay the splice on top of the holder without

securing the splice into the holder.

Note: In order to minimize torsion on the fiber,

perform the following:

6.8 For 250 to 250 µm and 900 to 900 µm splices:

a. Store the shorter of the two ﬁbers in the tray.

b. Observe how the splice lays in its relaxed state.

Rotate the splice through the smallest possible

angle to install it in the tray.

c. Store the second ﬁber.

6.9 For 250 to 900 µm splices:

a. Store the 900 µm ﬁber ﬁrst.

b. Grasping the splice by the 900 µm ﬁber, observe

how the splice lays in its relaxed state. Rotate

the splice through the smallest possible angle to

install it in the tray.

c. Store the 250 µm ﬁber.

3M and Fibrlok are trademarks of 3M Company.

Important Notice

All statements, technical information, and recommendations related to 3M’s products are based on information believed to be reliable, but the accuracy or completeness is not

guaranteed. Before using this product, you must evaluate it and determine if it is suitable for your intended application.You assume all risks and liability associated with such

use.Any statements related to the product which are not contained in 3M’s current publications, or any contrary statements contained on your purchase order shall have no

force or effect unless expressly agreed upon, in writing, by an authorized officer of 3M.

Warranty; Limited Remedy; Limited Liability.

This product will be free from defects in material and manufacture for a period of one (1) year from the time of purchase. 3M MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES INCLUDING,

BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. If this product is defective within the warranty

period stated above, your exclusive remedy shall be, at 3M’s option, to replace or repair the 3M product or refund the purchase price of the 3M product. Except where

prohibited by law, 3M will not be liable for any indirect, special, incidental or consequential loss or damage arising from this 3M product, regardless of the

legal theory asserted.

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Please Recycle. Printed in USA.

78-8140-1580-2-C

3M™Fibrlok™Splices, Kit and Tool Descriptions

Product Number Description Packaging

2529-AS Fibrlok™II Angle Fiber Splice 60/package