Guide To The Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line
An intermittent bonded ribbon production line joins fiber subunits at set intervals. Fibers remain organized for mass-fusion splicing, while the ribbon can roll into a compact cable shape. Flexible ribbon cable production is supported by this design while preserving efficient fiber handling.
In some processes, bonding material is added while the subunit coating is still uncured. The materials can diffuse across their interface and cure together. Prysmian’s FlexRibbon technology provides one commercial example, and the company dates its original design to 2018. Together, these methods demonstrate the relationship between optical fiber ribbon manufacturing and fiber optic bonding.
Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line SZ Stranding Line Fiber Coloring Machine
What Is An Intermittent Bonded Fiber Ribbon?
Optical fibers are arranged into small subunits in an intermittent bonded fiber ribbon. Although they remain organized for splicing, the subunits can adjust their shape to fit within a cable.
How Fiber Subunits And Intermittent Bonds Are Arranged
A coating secures each adjacent fiber pair or group together. These optical fiber subunits connect to neighboring subunits at separated bond points rather than along their full length. Six two-fiber subunits may form a 12-fiber design. The configurations range from 4 to 36 fibers, and bond spacing ranges from 10 to 1,000 millimeters.
Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line
Differences Between Rollable Ribbons And Conventional Flat Ribbons
In a conventional flat ribbon, the fibers remain in one fixed plane. Between bonds, a rollable fiber ribbon can curl without losing the fiber alignment needed for mass-fusion splicing. Bending and folding are supported by the discrete bonding points used in Prysmian’s FlexRibbon.
Why Flexible Ribbons Support Compact, High-Density Cables
Ribbon flexibility reduces the space it occupies inside a high-density fiber cable. Cable designers can therefore fit more fibers in a compact structure without sacrificing an organized fiber layout.
Process And Equipment For An Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line
Throughout an intermittent bonded ribbon production process, optical fibers are laid side by side along the ribbon’s length. Subunits are formed when a first material coats groups containing two or more fibers. A second material joins neighboring subunits at spaced points and leaves flexible sections between the bonds.
Arrange Adjacent Optical Fibers Into Subunits
Fibers are positioned beside one another according to the planned ribbon layout. The first coating material surrounds each selected group and holds its fibers together as a subunit.
Apply Subunit Coating And Intermittent Bonding Material
The subunits are created by fiber ribbon coating. Bonding material is applied by a discrete coating applicator between neighboring subunits at spaced intervals, not continuously along their full length.
Use Wet-On-Wet Application To Form Diffusion Zones
During wet-on-wet bonding, the subunit coating remains unset when bonding material is applied. A diffusion zone develops as the materials diffuse through their shared interface.
Set The Subunit Coating And Bonds In One Cure
A single curing step sets both the subunit coating and the intermittent bonds. Although optical fiber ribbon equipment is used for these operations, the complete equipment list, line speed, and production capacity remain unspecified.
| Process Stage | Material Or Action | Intended Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Optical fiber arrangement | Arrange fibers next to one another | Establish the ribbon layout |
| Formation of subunits | Coat fiber groups with the first coating material | Keep groups of two or more fibers together as subunits |
| Intermittent bonding | Deposit the second material between neighboring subunits | Join subunits at spaced points |
| Wet-on-wet interface | Apply bonds before the subunit coating cures | Enable formation of a diffusion zone between the materials |
| Combined cure | Cure coating and bonds in one step | Set the assembled ribbon structure |
Main Production Line Stages And Process Controls
Fiber ribbon production stages take place in a set sequence. The sequence involves arranging fibers into subunits, applying a subunit coating, placing intermittent bonds between adjacent subunits, and curing the coating and bonds together. Optical fiber coating application and bond placement must match the ribbon design.
Example designs specify gaps of 5 to 100 micrometers between subunits. Example intermittent bond spacing extends from 10 to 1,000 millimeters. Bond deposits may have a diamond-like outline with narrow ends and a wider center. These are disclosed examples, not fixed settings for every production line.
Ribbon manufacturing process control depends on the chosen materials, bond layout, and curing method. The source material does not specify line speeds, curing temperatures, or inspection intervals, so these values must not be assumed.
Ribbon Flexibility, Bond Design, And Materials
Material selection and bond layout determine how the ribbon behaves during cable making and splicing. Each fiber is protected by coatings that still allow the subunits to flex as designed.
Select Compatible Coating And Bonding Materials
Because subunit coatings and ribbon bonding materials serve separate roles, they do not have to share the same formula. Resins that mix or remain at least partly soluble can produce a gradual interface. Intermixing may also be increased by lower coating viscosity.
This interface forms a diffusion zone in which properties change gradually. Differences in color, stiffness, surface friction, tear strength, or stretch may occur within this zone. Disclosed thicknesses extend from 2 to 50 micrometers, with 5 to 15 micrometers representing a narrower range.
Manage Bond Placement, Spacing, And Geometry
Bond spacing controls where fiber subunits stay connected and where they can move freely. Intermittent bond geometry leaves unbonded spans between bond points. Intersecting convex and concave curves create the saddle shape used on some bond surfaces.
Maintain Fiber Organization While Balancing Ribbon Flexibility
Between bonds, unbonded spans let a flat ribbon transform into a rolled, curled, or folded form. During cable installation, a flexible fiber ribbon can bend without disrupting the fiber organization needed for splicing.
Quality Checks For Consistent Ribbon Production
Instead of using assumed pass limits, dependable fiber ribbon quality checks focus on defined features. The patent identifies design factors such as bond spacing, subunit gaps, diffusion-zone thickness, and bond shape. However, it does not establish inspection methods or acceptance limits.
Check Bond Continuity And Subunit Alignment
Check that intermittent bonds connect adjacent subunits at planned locations and leave unbonded lengths between connections. Subunit alignment and gaps require review because shifts may change ribbon shape and bond geometry.
Evaluate Ribbon Flexibility And Rollability
Assess ribbon rollability by examining how the ribbon bends and gathers without changing fiber order. Throughout the ribbon design, evaluate bond spacing and flexibility. These comparisons are design checks, not universal production tolerances.
Verify Fiber Identification And Ribbon Configuration
Use fiber color coding to confirm the position of each fiber. A common 12-color sequence is blue, orange, green, brown, slate, white, red, black, yellow, violet, rose, and aqua. For ribbons containing more than 12 fibers, this sequence may be repeated.
Applications, Cable Integration, And Splicing Benefits
Intermittently bonded ribbons can fold inside a cable, enabling more fibers to fit into a compact design. Prysmian says FlexRibbon supports high-density ribbon cable designs, smaller diameters, and improved fiber duct utilization.
Enable High-Density Cable Designs And Better Duct Utilization
Prysmian offers FusionLink and MassLink with FlexRibbon in indoor, outdoor, and indoor/outdoor designs. Dry water blocking is used in FusionLink, which comes with either 250 μm or 200 μm ribbon. Under NESC Heavy loading conditions, EcoSpan aerial cable can accommodate spans of up to 300 feet. As a small-diameter outdoor option, FlexDrop can hold up to two 12-fiber ribbons.
Enable Mass-Fusion Splicing And Faster Deployment
Mass-fusion splicing connects several ribbon fibers in a single operation, often 12 at once. On compatible ribbon routes, this method can shorten splice time. When connecting to loose-tube cable, technicians split ribbon fibers and individually splice them with a single-fiber splicer.
Review Indoor, Outdoor, Access, And Broadband Applications
Applications for ribbon cable include point-to-point networks, indoor FTTH systems, MTP wiring-box links, and urban trunk routes. Selecting indoor and outdoor fiber cable for each route helps match cable construction with the needs of buildings, aerial runs, and underground installations.
Conclusion
An intermittent bonded ribbon line guide covers fiber layout, bond placement, curing, and inspection. The process produces a flexible optical fiber ribbon that stays organized for handling while rolling or folding into compact cable designs.
The process involves applying bonds while the subunit coating is still uncured. The materials form a diffusion zone before curing together. Careful control throughout the process supports reliable fiber cable manufacturing.
Flexible ribbons also support mass-fusion ribbon splicing, allowing crews to join multiple fibers at once. FlexRibbon is described by Prysmian as suitable for multiple cable designs, including compact configurations with up to 6,912 fibers.
For manufacturers and network planners, the priority is to balance fiber alignment, bond strength, and rollability. This balance may make cable packaging easier while ensuring ribbons remain prepared for efficient installation and splicing.