IEC 60793-1-32:2010

IEC 60793-1-32


®


Edition 2.0 2010-05



INTERNATIONAL



STANDARD



NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside


Optical fibres –
Part 1-32: Measurement methods and test procedures – Coating strippability

Fibres optiques –
Partie 1-32: Méthodes de mesure et procédures d'essai – Dénudabilité du
revêtement


IEC 60793-1-32:2010

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IEC 60793-1-32


®


Edition 2.0 2010-05



INTERNATIONAL



STANDARD



NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside


Optical fibres –
Part 1-32: Measurement methods and test procedures – Coating strippability

Fibres optiques –
Partie 1-32: Méthodes de mesure et procédures d'essai – Dénudabilité du
revêtement


INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
CODE PRIX K
ICS 33.180.10 ISBN 978-2-88912-474-9

® Registered trademark of the International Electrotechnical Commission
Marque déposée de la Commission Electrotechnique Internationale

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– 2 – 60793-1-32  IEC:2010




CONTENTS


FOREWORD . 3

1 Scope . 5

2 Normative references . 5

3 Apparatus . 5

3.1 Tensile equipment . 5

3.2 Load cell . 6

3.3 Transducer amplifier . 6

3.4 Stripping tool . 6
3.5 Fibre guide . 6
4 Specimen preparation. 7
4.1 Representative sample . 7
4.2 Strip length . 7
5 Procedure . 7
5.1 Introduction . 7
5.2 Stripping rate . 7
5.3 Preconditioning . 8
5.4 Calibrating the transducer amplifier . 8
5.5 Loading the test specimen . 8
5.6 Stripping the coating . 8
6 Calculations . 8
6.1 Calculation of the reported value for a specimen . 8
6.2 Calculation for the value of a piece. 8
6.3 Approach 1 – Average strip force . 8
6.4 Approach 2 – Peak strip force . 9
7 Documentation . 9
8 Specification information . 10

Figure 1 – Length of fibre to be stripped . 7
Figure 2 – Example of test arrangement . 9

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60793-1-32  IEC:2010 – 3 –


INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________



OPTICAL FIBRES –



Part 1-32: Measurement methods and test procedures –

Coating strippability





FOREWORD

1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
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patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

International Standard IEC 60793-1-32 has been prepared by subcommittee 86A: Fibres and
cables, of IEC technical committee 86: Fibre optics.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2001 and constitutes a
technical revision.
This edition has been modified to include current practices in the market place.
This bilingual version, published in 2011-04, corresponds to the English version.

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The text of this standard is based on the following documents:

CDV Report on voting


86A/1273/CDV 86A/1310/RVC




Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on

voting indicated in the above table.


The French version of this standard has not been voted upon.

This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts of IEC 60793-1 series, published under the general title Optical fibres –
Measurement methods and test procedures, can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.

IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.

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60793-1-32  IEC:2010 – 5 –


OPTICAL FIBRES –



Part 1-32: Measurement methods and test procedures –

Coating strippability








1 Scope


This part of IEC 60793 is intended primarily for testing either fibres as produced by a fibre
manufacturer or subsequently overcoated (tight buffered) using various polymers. The test
can be performed either on fibres as produced or after exposure to various environments.
This test applies to A1, A2, A3, B and C fibres.
The object of this standard is to establish uniform requirements for the mechanical
characteristic – coating strippability. This test quantifies the force required to mechanically
remove the protective coating from optical fibres along their longitudinal axis.
This test is not intended as a means to maximize fibre strength after the coating is removed
nor is it intended to specify the best conditions for field stripping of optical fibres.
This test is designed for optical fibres having polymeric coatings with nominal outer diameters
in the range of 240 μm to 900 μm. Application of this method to fibres with outer coating
diameters outside the range of 230 μm to 930 μm is not recommended.
Warning – Fibres can fracture while being stripped and pierce skin and eyes. Use of
protective eyewear is recommended.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document.
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition
of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
IEC 60793-1 (all parts), Optical fibres – Measurement methods and test procedures

3 Apparatus
3.1 Tensile equipment
Use a suitable device, for example a vertical tensile tester, which provides relative motion
between the test fibre and a stripping tool and is capable of imparting constant motion at the
velocity found in 5.2, without jerking the fibre under test or the stripping tool.
Use a device capable of providing relative motion in two directions to allow resetting. Provide
suitable means for clamping and maintaining the stripping tool blades perpendicular to the
fibre axis or in a position that prevents fibre bending, and for securing one end of the test
fibre. To prevent fibre breakage, secure the fibre at the clamping point without stressing the
fibre excessively.
Examples of test arrangements are shown in Figure 2.

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3.2 Load cell


Use any appropriate device that is capable of sensing the force imparted to the fibre during

the removal of the fibre coating.


3.3 Transducer amplifier

This device receives signals from the load cell and indicates the tensile force on the test fibre
up to the point when the coating is stripped off. The transducer shall acquire the force data at

a rate > 100 Hz. The transducer and/or measurement system shall have the ability to plot the

test data on a continuous chart, such as a strip chart or line chart. It shall also have

the capability of capturing sufficient information to calculate the maximum and average forces,

along with the amplitude and frequencies of any oscillations in the force during the stripping
process
The accuracy of the force measurement shall be stated in the detail specification.
3.4 Stripping tool
3.4.1 Because the results from this test are strongly dependent upon the design of tool
used, it is important that the following tool design guidelines be observed:
a) Unless otherwise specified in the detail specification, use tool blades with the diameter
of the hole greater than the nominal cladding diameter of the fibre to be stripped in
order not to damage the cladding surface. The stripping tool shall be constructed such
that the blades form a circular aperture. A practical example is a hole which is 15 μm
larger that the nominal cladding diameter; for 125 μm cladding diameter fibres this
results in a 140 μm circular hole.
b) The stripping tool blades shall be constructed such that the blades do not cause fibre
bending. Stripping tools in which the blades butt together in the same plane are
preferred in this test.
3.4.2 Mount the stripping tool on the test fixture and provide a means to hold it closed
around the fibre using suitable clamps. Ensure the fibre is pulled in a direction normal to the
plane of the blades.
3.4.3 Replace the stripping tools at intervals as dictated by a documented quality schedule,
when the blades become dull or damaged, or whenever wear appears sufficient to affect the
test results.
NOTE Tool wear can affect any or all of the following:
– fibre breakage,

– the amount of residue left on the glass surface,
– the way in which the coating is removed from the fibre, and
– the force required to remove the coatings.
3.5 Fibre guide
A fibre guide shall be provided to support the fibre which extends past the stripping tool blade
(if not already designed into the tool) and which meets the following requirements:
a) the guide shall support the fibre to prevent sagging due to the weight of the fibre;
b) the guide shall prevent bending of the fibre caused by buckling of the fibre coating as it is
removed;
c) the guide shall be located as close to the stripping tool as possible without interfering with
the stripping operation;

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60793-1-32  IEC:2010 – 7 –


d) the guide shall allow for easy insertion into the test set-up and for easy cleaning, and shall

provide freedom from interference if the coating buckles.


4 Specimen preparation


4.1 Representative sample


The sampling should consist of a minimum of 10 specimens assumed to be representative of

the population of fibres under evaluation. The specimens should be tested and their results

will be averaged.


4.2 Strip length
The length of fibre stripped on a particular piece can affect the strip force. However for
245 μm nominal coating diameter fibres, the length of fibre stripped has minimal effect on the
strip force. The length of fibre stripped shall be specified in the detail specification. For
245 μm nominal coating diameter fibres, a preferred value is 30 mm. For larger coating
diameter, shorter stripping lengths are preferred, e.g. 15 mm.
To perform the measurement a specimen of fibre must be provided that is longer than just the
specified length to be stripped. The total specimen length consists of the fibre required to
secure itself to the capstan, the fibre between the capstan and the stripping tool (see Figure
2) and the fibre length to be stripped that extends past the stripping tool (see Figure 1). The
total specimen length shall be sufficiently long to meet this deployment. The test results are
not dependent on the total sample length. The test results are, in part, dependent on the
length of fibre to be stripped.

Tool blade position before
stripping

  Length to be stripped

IEC  868/10


Figure 1 – Length of fibre to be stripped
5 Procedure
5.1 Introduction
This procedure involves
a) severing the coating at the prescribed distance from the end of the fibre;
b) then removing the coating from the fibre while measuring the force required to accomplish
this removal.
5.2 Stripping rate
The force required to remove coatings from fibre is dependent, in part on the stripping rate. If
results of different tests are to be comparable, the same stripping rate should be used. Set up

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the test equipment so as to impart a relative motion between the fibre and the stripping tool at

the rate specified in the detail specification. A preferred value for 245 μm nominal coating is

500 mm/min. For fibre with larger nominal coating, a lower value is preferred, .e.g. 10 mm/min

to 25 mm/min.


5.3 Preconditioning


Unless otherwise specified, pre-condition the test samples for a minimum of 2 h at the

standard test conditions given in IEC 60793-1 series.


5.4 Calibrating the transducer amplifier

Calibrate the transducer and load cell before each series of tests or as dictated by a
documented calibration schedule.
5.5 Loading the test specimen
Ensure the area around both blades of the stripping tool is free of debris and/or build-up from
any previous use before loading the fibre.
Secure one end of the test fibre to the test fixture so that it will not slip under load (e.g. wrap
one end of the fibre three times around an 80 mm diameter capstan). Thread the other end
through the stripping tool and insert it through the fibre guide/support.
5.6 Stripping the coating
Start the test apparatus to provide a constant relative motion between the fibre and the
stripping tool.
Observe and record the force required to remove the coating from the glass fibre. Exclude
data from fibres that break during the test.
The test is complete when the coating has been completely removed from the fibre.
NOTE Any remaining coating residue visible to the naked eye should be easy to remove by gently wiping the fibre
with a laboratory tissue.
6 Calculations
6.1 Calculation of the reported value for a specimen
Calculate the average and standard deviation of the sampling.

6.2 Calculation for the value of a piece
There are two approaches to measuring strip force. Both incorporate the same experimental
technique but each emphasizes a different focal point for the strip force.
6.3 Approach 1 – Average strip force
Start the test apparatus to provide a constant relative motion between fibre and stripping tool.
Observe and record the force required to remove the coating from the glass fibre. Exclude
data from fibres which break during the test. The average strip force is then calculated,
excluding the initial 20 % of the strip length data. The average of the sampling strip force
values is then reported as “average strip force”.

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60793-1-32  IEC:2010 – 9 –


6.4 Approach 2 – Peak strip force


Start the test apparatus to provide a constant relative motion between the fibre and stripping

tool. Observe and record the force required to remove the coating from the glass fibre. The

peak strip force is then recorded. Exclude data from fibres which break during the test. The

average of the sampling peak strip force values is then reported as “peak strip force”.


7 Documentation


7.1 The following information should be presented:


– test date;
– identification of the fibre tested including coating outer diameter and coating material type;
– average of strip force results (10 or more test pieces);
– method of calculation for a given piece: average or peak.
7.2 The following information should be available for each test:
– identification and type of stripping tool used including manufacturer and nominal blade
hole size;
– strip rate;
– length of coating stripped;
– standard deviation or range of the pieces tested for a specimen;
– number of fibres which broke or were damaged before completely removing the coating;
– environmental conditions for preconditioning and during the test including temperature and
relative humidity;
– mention, if the coating residue is not readily removable as required in 5.6.

Stripping tool

Fibre
Capstan
Tensile equipment
Either the stripping tool of the capstan is fixed
IEC  869/10

Figure 2 – Example of test arrangement

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8 Specification information


The detail specification shall specify the following information:


– failure or acceptance criteria;

– any deviations to the procedure that apply.




___________

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SOMMAIRE


AVANT-PROPOS . 13

1 Domaine d'application . 15


2 Références normatives . 15

3 Appareillage . 15

3.1 Matériel d'essai de traction . 15

3.2 Cellule dynamométrique . 16

3.3 Capteur et amplificateur . 16

3.4 Outil de dénudage . 16
3.5 Guide-fibre . 17
4 Préparation des spécimens . 17
4.1 Echantillon représentatif . 17
4.2 Longueur à dénuder . 17
5 Procédure . 18
5.1 Introduction . 18
5.2 Vitesse de dénudage . 18
5.3 Préconditionnement. 18
5.4 Etalonnage du capteur et de l'amplificateur . 18
5.5 Application de la charge sur le spécimen d'essai . 18
5.6 Enlèvement du revêtement . 18
6 Calculs . 19
6.1 Calcul de la valeur consignée pour un spécimen . 19
6.2 Calcul pour la valeur d'un échantillon . 19
6.3 Approche 1 – Force de dénudage moyenne . 19
6.4 Approche 2 – Force de dénudage crête . 19
7 Documentation . 19
8 Informations à mentionner dans la spécification . 20

Figure 1 – Longueur de fibre à dénuder . 17
Figure 2 – Exemple d'équipement d'essai .
...