AEM TestPro CV100-K61 Copper and Fiber Certification Kit

Fiber optic cabling is the neural network of modern society, carrying everything from breaking news to that meme you liked on Instagram last night. It is what powers internal servers and modern Internet connections, resulting in faster speeds than ever. Thanks to fiber splicing, when fiber breaks, that endless flood of data does not need to stop. Before we can explain how to splice fiber optic cables, we need to establish what splicing is as well as the different methods. Continue reading to learn more.   What is Fiber Splicing? Fiber optic splicing is the process of joining two different fiber optic cables and creating one functioning cable. When done correctly, splicing creates a cable with improved durability and minimal loss. The two most common methods of fiber splicing are mechanical and fusion. Both perform the same function, but the procedures differ greatly.   Mechanical Splicing vs. Fusion Splicing There are many factors to consider when choosing which type of fiber splicing to perform. One is simpler, but the other is more precise. Read on to learn the details.   Mechanical Splicing A mechanical splice aligns two or more cleaved fiber tips and keeps the fibers together with an assembly, usually a plastic snap-type cover. Mechanical splicing takes much less time and effort, using no power supplies and very few tools. However, a mechanical splice is often considered temporary and can cause an insertion loss of about 0.3 dB, meaning light will pass through a little less efficiently than before.   Fusion Splicing Fusion splicing is the most used method of fiber optic splicing and the main one we will discuss. Rather than using a cover to align the cables, this method involves heating and melting the ends together. This creates a much more durable connection that can reduce loss to 0.02 dB. Between increased durability and improved performance, technicians usually opt to use a fusion splicer when possible. Fusion