Our partner 3SAE offers two new devices for testing the strength of fibers after processing. Fibers with a glass diameter between 30 µm and >2 mm can be tested with these devices.
The linear tensile tester subjects fibers that have a glass diameter between 30 µm and >2 mm to linear tensile stress to test their tensile strength. Tensile strength is extremely important in the medical field and in applications in which a high stability is required of the fibers (e.g., in underwater cables). This tester makes it possible to accurately identify weak spots during fiber processing. Particular attention must be paid in these applications to how the coating is removed because this is how the most damage is caused.
The new bend proof tester is used to test the bending strength of fibers with a thickness of between 250 µm and 1 mm. Users who manually bend and rotate thicker fibers after each splice to test the stability of the fiber and the splice will rejoice. For each fiber diameter, optimized programs can be developed and stored to produce an objective and reproducible test for which the dexterity and state of the user on a given day no longer play a role.
