Applications Engineering Notes
Copyright 2020 US Conec, Ltd.
Document Title MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 2: Cable and Fiber Preparation
Document Number AEN-1423-2
Revision Number 2.0
Effective Date February 4, 2020
Document Title: MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 2: Cable and Fiber Preparation
Document Number: AEN-1423-2, Rev. 2.0
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1.0 Introduction
1.1 Purpose To provide instructions on preparing bare ribbon and round cables for terminating MXC® connector hardware.
1.2 Scope Covers bare ribbon and 3.0±0.2mm, 3.6±0.2mm, 4.0±0.2mm, 4.5±0.2mm, 5.0±0.2mm, and 5.5±0.2mm round cables.
1.3 Description This module follows AEN-1423-1. Ensure that you have the correct components specified in the tables in Module 1 before starting this module.
1.4 Notes
1.4.1 The photos in this document are representative and may not reflect the exact component color, cable construction, and tool model for your specific installation.
1.4.2 The dimensions shown are not to scale. 1.4.3 Follow the steps in this module in sequential order (e.g. Step 2.0 Step
2.1 Step 2.2 Step 3.0, etc.). Steps that end in “a” or “b” represent an either/or option. For example, Step 2.0a is for bare ribbon and Step 2.0b is for round cable. Depending on your particular installation (bare ribbon or round cable), you will follow either Step 2.0a or Step 2.0b. Once Step 2.0a or Step 2.0b is complete, proceed to the next step.
2.0 Safety 2.1 Safety Glasses
The use of safety glasses for eye protection is recommended.
2.2 Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Refer to the manufacturer’s SDS for proper handling and potential hazards of
chemicals. 2.3 Tool Safety Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for safely operating and maintaining
tools and equipment.
Document Title: MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 2: Cable and Fiber Preparation
Document Number: AEN-1423-2, Rev. 2.0
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3.0 Reference Documents
Document No. Title
AEN-1423-1 MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 1: Components List
AEN-1414 Operating Instructions for the US Conec Disposable Loose Fiber Ribbonizing Tool
AEN-1422 Operating Instructions for US Conec Fiber and Ribbon Holders
AEN-1816 US Conec Laser Cleaver Maintenance & Calibration Procedure
AEN-1919 PRIZM® Laser Cleave Quality Requirements
4.0 Tools and Materials
Description US Conec P/N,
unless otherwise noted
Comments Image
Safety Glasses Local Area Vendor
Kimwipes® EX-L Lint-free Wipes Vendor P/N: U-33670-00 Vendor: Cole-Parmer®
Eliminator™ Fiber Optic Cleaning Fluid
21098
Permanent Marker Local Area Vendor
Metric Ruler Local Area Vendor
Kevlar® Scissors Vendor P/N: KC699 Vendor: Clauss® Supply Co.
IDEAL® Coaxial Cable Stripper Vendor P/N: #45-163 Vendor: IDEAL
Fiber Optic Side Cutters Vendor P/N: 758-PL-018 Vendor: Techni-Tool® Company
Plastic-tipped Tweezers Vendor P/N: 169D-RT Vendor: Excelta®
Masking Tape Local Area Vendor
Note: Images shown for US Conec part numbers only.
Document Title: MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 2: Cable and Fiber Preparation
Document Number: AEN-1423-2, Rev. 2.0
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Description US Conec P/N, unless otherwise noted Comments Image
Instant Adhesive 14375 or Vendor P/N: 74795A74 (Loctite® 4861™ Prism®) or See AEN-1414 for alternative adhesives
Vendor: McMaster-Carr
0.84mm ID x 12.7mm Flexible Tip, 18 Gauge, Green
Vendor P/N: 7018143 Vendor: Nordson EFD®; for the instant adhesive
US Conec Disposable Fiber Ribbonizing Tool
16764 4 fiber only; gray
14682 8 fiber only; light purple
14316 12 fiber only; white
15360 16 fiber only; green
Torque-Limiting Screwdriver 16385 Torque set to 4ozf.in
Torx Insert Bit, Size T6 16386 For use with 16385
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Document Number: AEN-1423-2, Rev. 2.0
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Description
US Conec P/N, unless otherwise
noted
Comments Image
US Conec PRIZM MT Ferrule Ribbon Handler
16512 8 fiber wide; bare ribbon; violet
15708 8 fiber wide; jacketed cable; violet
16513 12 fiber wide; bare ribbon; white
15710 12 fiber wide; jacketed cable; white
16514 16 fiber wide; bare ribbon; green
15712 16 fiber wide; jacketed cable; green
Screw, Button Head, 2-56 Thread Size, 1/2", Torx (Optional)
Vendor P/N: 90910A782
Vendor: McMaster-Carr®; for use with 15708, 15710, 15712
Fiber Cable/Ribbon Holder 13923 12 fiber wide; bare ribbon, 3.0mm and 3.6mm cable; black
13591 12 fiber wide; 4.0mm, 4.5mm, 5.0mm, and 5.5mm cable; red
17147 16 fiber wide; bare ribbon, 3.0mm, 3.6mm, and 4.0mm cable; green doors
Thermal Fiber Ribbon Stripping Kit
Vendor P/N: JR-6 Vendor: Sumitomo; for stripping up to a 16 fiber ribbon
PMT Ribbon Stacker Tool 16832
Document Title: MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 2: Cable and Fiber Preparation
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Description US Conec P/N,
unless otherwise noted
Comments Image
Laser Fiber Cleaver for PRIZM Note: High value and/or long lead time item
Vendor P/N: OS7500P OptiSaber™ PRIZM® Laser Cleaver
Vendor: Domaille Engineering
20642 Includes: -KEYENCE 3-axis CO2 Laser Marker -Fixturing -Computer Software
US Conec Laser Cleave Insert 16728 For use with 20642
Ribbon Separating Tool 18435 For use with 16728
3cc Syringes Vendor P/N: 301073 Vendor: Ellsworth Adhesives
Syringe Tip Cap Vendor P/N: 7012198 Vendor: Nordson EFD®
Disposable Safety Gloves Local Area Vendor
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5.0a Ribbon Preparation for MXC Plug or Receptacle For round cable preparation, follow Step 5.0b.
5.1 Using fiber optic side cutters, cut the ribbon to the desired length adding approximately 20mm for ribbon preparation.
5.2a MXC Plug For MXC Receptacle, follow Step 5.2b. Slide the spring push onto the ribbon followed by the spring. Place a piece of
masking tape around the ribbon to prevent the parts from sliding off.
Figure 5.0a/5.2a
5.2b MXC Receptacle For MXC Plug, follow Step 5.2a. There are no components that need to be preinstalled on the ribbon.
5.0b Round Cable Preparation for MXC Plug For bare ribbon preparation, follow Step 5.0a.
5.1 Using Kevlar scissors, cut the cable to the desired length adding approximately 140mm for cable preparation. If necessary, trim the cable end to ensure that the jacket edge, aramid yarn, and fibers are even. Slide the boot followed by the crimp band onto the cable. Place a piece of masking tape around the cable to prevent the parts from sliding off. The spring will be installed after the fibers have been ribbonized.
Figure 5.0b/5.1
Document Title: MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 2: Cable and Fiber Preparation
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5.2 If the opposite end of the cable is not already terminated, it is recommended to pinch that end of the cable to prevent movement of the fibers while terminating the other end.
Figure 5.0b/5.2
5.3 Mark the cable jacket at 70mm from the end of the cable. 5.4 Adjust the blade of the cable stripper (refer to manufacturer’s instructions) so that
it only scores the cable jacket and not cut through the jacket.
WARNING: If the blade cuts through the jacket, it is possible that fibers will be damaged.
Score the cable jacket at the 70mm mark by making one revolution of the cable stripper around the cable. Using your fingers, bend the cable where it was scored. It should snap apart. Pull the cable jacket straight away from the rest of the cable and remove it from the loose fibers. Tape the cable to the work surface.
Figure 5.4
Document Title: MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 2: Cable and Fiber Preparation
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Figure 5.6
5.5 Using plastic-tipped tweezers, separate the aramid yarn from the fibers. Take care to not disturb the fiber bundles, if there are any, during this step.
Figure 5.5
5.6 Separate the stranded fibers into
sub-groups of 8, 12, or 16 fibers, depending on the specific cable fiber bundling. Pull the binding string tight which will tighten up on the fibers that are bundled together allowing you to isolate the sub-group. Label each sub-group. Note the bundling string color corresponding to each label. The string color will aid in identifying the sub-groups when terminating the other end of the cable. Cut the bundling string as close to the end of the cable jacket as possible.
5.7 Fold the aramid yarn back against
the cable jacket and secure the yarn using a piece of tape. Cut off the excess yarn using Kevlar scissors, which should leave at least 20mm of yarn. The yarn will be trimmed to size in AEN-1423-5, “MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 5: Connectorization”.
Figure 5.7
Document Title: MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 2: Cable and Fiber Preparation
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5.8 Fiber Ribbonization
5.8.1 See US Conec Document AEN-1414, “Operating Instructions for the US Conec Disposable Loose Fiber Ribbonizing Tool” for instructions on loose fiber ribbonization.
5.8.2 Begin ribbonizing 15mm (+0/-2mm) from the end of the cable jacket. This
will ensure enough transition from the jacket to the ribbon, which helps in handling the sub-groups.
Figure 5.8.2
5.8.3 Label each ribbon with a permanent marker consistent with the labels
created in Step 5.0b/5.6.
Figure 5.8.3
15 +0/-2mm
Document Title: MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 2: Cable and Fiber Preparation
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6.0 Fiber Stripping
6.1 Mark each ribbon at 40mm and 30mm from the end of the jacket (Figure 6.1-1). Using side cutters, cut the excess fiber at the 40mm mark.
Figure 6.1-1
For factory ribbon, mark each ribbon 10mm from the end of the ribbon (Figure 6.1-2).
Figure 6.1-2
40mm
30mm
10mm
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6.2 Insert the ribbon in the appropriate US Conec Fiber Cable/Ribbon Holder depending on fiber count and cable diameter. Refer to AEN-1422, “Operating Instructions for US Conec Fiber and Ribbon Holders” for basic operation and maintenance. If you are stripping more than one ribbon, follow these steps for one ribbon at a time.
Figure 6.2 Note: For ribbonized fiber, it is not recommended that it be left in the holder for
hours at a time (e.g. overnight).
6.3 Place the ribbon holder in the thermal fiber ribbon stripper. Ensure that the 30mm mark for cable or 10mm mark for factory ribbon is located at the blade of the thermal fiber ribbon stripper. Strip the ribbon following the manufacturer’s instructions. When all ribbons have been stripped remove the ribbons from the holder.
Figure 6.3-1 Figure 6.3-2
Document Title: MXC® Connector and PRIZM® MT Ferrule Installation Module 2: Cable and Fiber Preparation
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6.4 If terminating an MXC Plug on round cable, install the connector spring at this time. Clean the bare fibers using lint-free wipes and fiber optic cleaning fluid.
Figure 6.4
7.0 Ribbon Positioning
7.1 Place all the ribbons in the appropriate PRIZM MT Ferrule Ribbon Handler depending on fiber count and jacketed cable versus bare ribbon. Using the torque-limiting screwdriver with the Torx bit, loosely secure the front retention clamp. You should be able to freely slide the ribbon back and forth in the handler in the Z-axis.
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7.2 Use the PMT Ribbon Stacker Tool to position the ribbons correctly. Insert the base onto the dowel at the front of the ribbon handler (Figure 7.2-1). Use the slider to align multiple fiber rows in the X-axis so that the fiber rows are directly on top of each other (Figure 7.2-2). Line up the coated edge of the ribbons to the edge of the ribbon stacker base (Figure 7.2-3), and then tighten down on the front retention clamp.
Note: For ribbonized fiber, it is not recommended that it be left in the handler for
hours at a time (e.g. overnight).
Figure 7.2-1 Figure 7.2-2 Figure 7.2-3 7.3 Tighten down the back retention clamp. If the cable jacket is too stiff or the
outside diameter is too large, change the Torx screw in the back retention clamp from 3/8” long, 2-56 thread size to 1/2” long, 2-56 thread size. Remove the ribbon stacker tool.
8.0 Laser Cleaving
8.1 If using the laser cleaver with a US Conec part number, ensure that the laser cleaver is calibrated according to AEN-1816, “US Conec Laser Cleaver Maintenance & Calibration Procedure”. Otherwise, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your particular laser cleaver. Ensure that the laser cleaver used is designed for the PRIZM MT ferrule. The following steps are for the laser cleaver with a US Conec part number.
Base
Slider
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8.2 Attach the US Conec Laser Cleave Insert to the ribbon handler, but stop short of the ribbons (Figure 8.2-1). Use the ribbon separating tool to guide the appropriate fiber row to be cleaved in the laser cleave insert slot (Figure 8.2-2 and 8.2-3). Once the proper fiber row is in the slot, slide the laser cleave insert the rest of the way onto the ribbon handler.
WARNING: The laser cleave insert is made of a brittle material. It is
recommended that the operator work on a cushioned surface to protect the insert from damage if accidentally dropped.
Figure 8.2-1 Figure 8.2-2
Figure 8.2-3
Cleave Row A Cleave Row B Cleave Row C Cleave Row D
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Clamp
8.3 Insert the ribbon handler into the laser cleave fixture. Ensure that the clamp is engaged.
Figure 8.3
8.4 Cleave the fibers using the cleave program “PMT_MM_Laser_Cleave_01” (equivalent to “PMT-Cleave-Program”) to create a 5.35 ±0.15mm length of bare fiber.
Figure 8.4
8.5 Repeat Steps 8.2 to 8.4 for every fiber row. 8.6 The offset between the longest fiber to the shortest fiber among all the fiber rows
once all the fiber rows are cleaved should be < 50µm. Ensure that all laser cleaves conform to AEN-1919, “PRIZM® Laser Cleave Quality Requirements”.
9.0 Proceed to AEN-1423-3
5.35 ±0.15mm
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• MTP®, MTP® PRO, MTP Elite®, MTP®-16, MXC®, MT Elite®, PRIZM®, LightTurn®, EZ Shuffle™, ELiMENT™, IBC™, and Eliminator™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of US Conec, Ltd., Hickory, NC
• IDEAL® is a registered trademark of IDEAL Industries, Inc., Sycamore, IL • Loctite®, Prism®, 4861™, 411™, 403™, 4860™, 4851™, BIPAX®, TRA-BOND™, and F113SC™ are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Henkel IP & Holding GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany • Chemtronics® and Techspray® are registered trademarks of Illinois Tool Works, Inc., Glenview IL • SafetyLok™, Performus™, Nordson®, and EFD® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nordson Corporation, Westlake,
OH • Clauss® is a registered trademark of Acme United Corporation, Fairfield, CT • Kimwipes® and Kimberly-Clark® are registered trademarks of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI • Cole-Parmer® is a registered trademark of Cole-Parmer Instrument Company, LLC, Vernon Hills, IL • Kevlar® and DuPont™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, DE • Techni-Tool® is a registered trademark of Techni-Tool, Inc., Worcester, PA • Excelta® is a registered trademark of Excelta Corporation, Buellton, CA • McMaster-Carr® is a registered trademark of McMaster-Carr Supply Company, Elmhurst, IL • OptiSaber™ and AbraSave® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Domaille Engineering, LLC, Clayton, MO • Ellsworth Adhesives® is a registered trademark of Ellsworth Corporation DBA Ellsworth Adhesives, LLC, Germantown, WI • ÅngströmBond® is a registered trademark of Fiber Optic Center, Inc., New Bedford, MA • Sumitomo® is a registered trademark of Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
