Installation Manual

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Page 2 of 12

BEST PRACTICES

FS061

Refer to IEC document 61300-3-35 for inspection test and measurement guidelines which presents

visual inspection criteria and test methods. Standards created by inspection equipment

manufacturers and connector manufacturers typically state tolerances concerning the locations and

severity of the defects as well as specifying the magnification used for the inspection. The primary

consideration that must be justified in any inspection process is that it must protect the end-user

(customer) of the product from defects that could potentially lead to field failure. On the other hand,

the process must also protect the manufacturer from discarding their product due to overly tight

specifications which do not correlate with product performance and reliability.

When cleaning fiber components, procedures must be followed precisely in order to prevent dust

accumulation or other forms of end face contamination. Clean connectors function properly; while

contaminated connectors may transfer dirt and debris to other components or damage optical

surfaces. Inspection and cleaning are critical steps that must be performed before making any fiber

connection.

This document addresses inspection and cleaning issues by describing the impact of workmanship

deficiencies in field assembly and test, performance problems caused by interconnect defects, and

the fiber optic connector end face workmanship standards established by Panduit to ensure

consistent high-quality interconnect systems.

2.0 Subject Connectivity Systems in Link Segments and Channels

All fiber connectivity in the cabling system shall be subject to inspection and cleaning according to the

guidelines presented herein. For the purposes of this document, connectivity systems consist of the

fiber connector and adapters connecting different segments of the network.

3.0 Safety Precautions

Always check the connector with a power meter to ensure no power is present.

Never use unfiltered handheld magnifiers or focusing optics to inspect fiber connectors.

Never connect a fiber to a fiberscope while the system lasers are “ON”.

4.0 Defect Classification

Fiber optic connector end face workmanship is typically inspected for defects by magnified visual

examination of the end face. When defects are visualized, they can typically be identified and

categorized as follows:

Scratches

Scratches are surface defects. They act as reflection and scattering sites thereby increasing insertion

loss and net reflectivity. Deep scratches have the potential of collecting debris that increase

reflectance, absorption and scattering of light leading to further degradation of the optical path.

Scratches outside of the core area can possibility lead to debris collection that results in the

impairment of the physical contact between the fiber cores. It is also possible that a scratch that has

significant subsurface damage may enlarge under stress and cause a fiber break.