The quality screening of fiber optic patch cords is mainly carried out from the following aspects: appearance inspection, material inspection, insertion loss and return loss detection, end face detection and 3D interferometer detection.
First, appearance inspection is the first step in screening the quality of fiber optic patch cords. It is necessary to check whether the outer skin of the fiber optic patch cord is smooth, bright, has good flexibility, and has no bubbles and obvious pits. The outer skin of inferior fiber optic patch cords is usually rough and easy to crack or leak water12.
Secondly, material inspection is also very important. Regular fiber optic patch cords should use high-quality materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or low-smoke halogen-free flame retardant materials (LSZH). Inferior fiber optic patch cords may use recycled materials, which have poor fire resistance and are easy to burn or smoke13.
Insertion loss and return loss detection are key indicators for evaluating the performance of fiber optic patch cords. The insertion loss should be less than 0.3dB and the return loss should be greater than 45dB. Insertion loss and return loss directly affect the transmission distance and signal quality of fiber optic patch cords45.
Endface inspection ensures that the endface of the fiber optic connector is free of scratches, pits, cracks or dust contamination. These defects can cause signal loss and affect transmission performance46.
Finally, 3D interferometer inspection measures the curvature radius, vertex offset and fiber height of the fiber endface to ensure that these parameters are within the range specified by the technical standards to ensure optimal transmission performance6.
Through the comprehensive inspection of the above aspects, high-quality fiber optic patch cords can be effectively screened out to ensure the stability and reliability of network transmission.