MCVD Tip: Add Options to Optimize Preform Design, Ensure Reproducibility, and Get High Yields

During my MCVD years, I actively sought out various add-on control devices to improve our process and fiber quality.In fact, some features were specifically designed for my needs.Here's a brief overview of recommended options.Read more: "MCVD options: These add-on features can enhance your optical fiber preform strength, yield, and reproducibility."

• Multichannel gas drier and dew point monitor – Removes moisture from the input gas streams and includes a dew point monitor to track moisture levels.
• Automatic valve leak testing – Cycles each valve in the system in the open and closed position.This reduced our leak test time from 2 days of manual testing to 2 hours of automatic testing.
• Auto-calibration software interface – Gives you absolute clarity on the operation of your mass flow controllers.
• Atmospheric pressure compensation – Modifies the preform recipe to compensate for atmospheric pressure changes.
• Lathe enclosure – Offers a combination of positive pressure and filtered air to reduce particulates, which can cause weak spots in the drawn fiber.
• Supplementary isothermal bubbler heater – Adds heat to the bubbler chemical to compensate for cooling due to the bubbling effect, re-stabilizing the temperature in less than 5 minutes.
• Scanning pyrometer – Ensures the pyrometer is reading the maximum tube temperature to prevent overheating the deposition tube, which can reduce the efficiency of your depositions and potentially cause premature tube shrinkage.
• Diameter control – Gives you a greater ability to control deposition tube diameter from run to run, and within a run.
• Extended bed lathe with motorized tail stock – Allows you to stretch preforms to a smaller diameter, which can have a direct impact on fiber yields.
• Vertical stretch over jacket lathe – Eliminates the gravity issue that causes tubes to sag when you heat them and allows you to process longer preforms.
• Manual lathe control box – Allows you to manually control the burner temperature during setup.Automatic chemical refill system – Mostly takes the operator out of the process, which significantly reduces the chance for errors and introducing moisture into the system.

Additional resources from the FOC team include:

• Category Resource
  • FOC Fiber Design and Manufacturing Page
• View the Glossary,Acronyms,Military Specifications for Connectors
• Q&A Resource: email technical questions toAskFOC@www.spnnc.com

Have questions about this FOC Tip?

Contact FOC with questions at: (800) 473-4237 / 508-992-6464 or email:FiberOpticCenter@www.spnnc.comand we will respond ASAP.

Additional articles from our preform fabrication consultant include:

• MCVD Tips: 14 ideas to enhance preform strength, yield, and reproducibility
• MCVD Options: These add-on features can enhance your optical fiber preform strength, yield, and reproducibility
• Controlling the optical fiber preform deposition process
• Preparing to Manufacture an Optical Fiber Preform
• Critical Design Goals to Manufacture Optical Fiber Preforms
• Comparing the 2 types of MCVD gas delivery systems to manufacture optical preforms: Stainless steel and Teflon/glass
• Attention specialty fiber manufacturers: Take advantage of FOC's preform fabrication consulting to troubleshoot your system and achieve reproducibility and high yields