Guide To The Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line
An intermittent bonded ribbon production line connects fiber subunits at set intervals. Fibers remain organized for mass-fusion splicing, while the ribbon can fold into a compact cable shape. The design enables flexible ribbon cable production without compromising effective fiber handling.
In some processes, bonding material is applied 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. These methods illustrate how optical fiber ribbon manufacturing and fiber optic bonding operate together.
Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line Fiber Coloring Machine Fiber Secondary Coating Line
Understanding What An Intermittent Bonded Fiber Ribbon Is
Optical fibers are grouped 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.
The Arrangement Of Fiber Subunits And Intermittent Bonds
A coating holds each adjacent fiber pair or group together. These optical fiber subunits connect to neighboring subunits at spaced bond points rather than along their full length. A 12-fiber design may include six two-fiber subunits. Configurations can contain 4 to 36 fibers, with bonds spaced from 10 to 1,000 millimeters apart.
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. A rollable fiber ribbon can curl between bonds while retaining fiber alignment for mass-fusion splicing. Bending and folding are supported by the small bonding points used in Prysmian’s FlexRibbon.
Why Flexible Ribbons Support Compact, High-Density Cables
Inside a high-density fiber cable, a flexible ribbon can occupy less space. Cable designers can therefore accommodate more fibers in a compact structure without sacrificing an organized fiber layout.
Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line: Process And Equipment
Throughout an intermittent bonded ribbon production process, optical fibers are laid side by side along the ribbon’s length. A first material coats groups of two or more fibers to form subunits. Neighboring subunits are joined at spaced points with a second material, leaving flexible sections between bonds.
Organize Adjacent Optical Fibers Into Subunits
Fibers are positioned beside one another according to the planned ribbon layout. The first coating material encloses each selected group and holds its fibers together as a subunit.
Deposit Subunit Coating And Intermittent Bonding Material
Fiber ribbon coating creates the subunits. A discrete coating applicator deposits bonding material between neighboring subunits at intervals rather than along their entire length.
Create Diffusion Zones Through Wet-On-Wet Application
Wet-on-wet bonding involves applying the bonding material before the subunit coating has cured. The materials intermix across their shared interface to form a diffusion zone.
Cure The Subunit Coating And Bonds Together
Both the subunit coating and the intermittent bonds are cured in one curing step. Optical fiber ribbon equipment performs these operations, although a complete equipment list, line speed, and production capacity are not specified.
| Production Stage | Material Or Operation | Intended Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Optical fiber arrangement | Place fibers side by side | Establish the ribbon layout |
| Subunit formation | Apply the first coating material around fiber groups | Hold two or more fibers as subunits |
| Intermittent bonding | Apply the second material between adjacent subunits | Join subunits at spaced points |
| Wet-on-wet bonding interface | Deposit bonds while the subunit coating remains uncured | Allow materials to form a diffusion zone |
| Joint curing step | Cure coating and bonds in one step | Cure the assembled ribbon structure |
Main Production Line Stages And Process Controls
The fiber ribbon production stages follow a defined order. Workers arrange fibers into subunits, apply a subunit coating, add intermittent bonds between adjacent subunits, and then cure both together. The ribbon design must guide both optical fiber coating application and placement of the bonds.
Gaps of 5 to 100 micrometers between subunits are given in example designs. Example intermittent bond spacing extends from 10 to 1,000 millimeters. Some bond deposits take a diamond-like shape, tapering at the ends and widening in the center. These are disclosed examples, not fixed settings for every production line.
The selected materials, bond layout, and curing method determine ribbon manufacturing process control. Because the source material provides no line speeds, curing temperatures, or inspection intervals, do not presume any values for them.
Ribbon Flexibility, Bond Design, And Materials
Ribbon behavior during cable making and splicing depends on material choice and bond layout. Coatings protect each fiber while permitting the subunits to flex as intended.
Choose Compatible Coating And Bonding Materials
Subunit coatings and ribbon bonding materials have different functions, so their formulas need not be identical. Resins that mix or remain at least partly soluble can form a gradual interface. Intermixing may also be encouraged by lower coating viscosity.
A diffusion zone forms at this interface, with properties that change gradually. Differences in color, stiffness, surface friction, tear strength, or stretch may occur within this zone. The disclosed thickness range is 2 to 50 micrometers, while 5 to 15 micrometers is identified as 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. Some bond surfaces have a saddle shape made by intersecting convex and concave curves.
Maintain Fiber Organization While Balancing Ribbon Flexibility
Between bonds, unbonded spans let a flat ribbon move into a rolled, curled, or folded form. A flexible fiber ribbon design flexes during cable installation while keeping fibers organized for splicing.
Quality Checks To Maintain Consistent Ribbon Production
Reliable fiber ribbon quality checks measure defined features rather than relying on assumed pass limits. Design factors named in the patent include bond spacing, subunit gaps, diffusion-zone thickness, and bond shape. The patent does not, however, define inspection methods or acceptance limits.
Check Bond Continuity And Subunit Alignment
Check that intermittent bonds join adjacent subunits at planned locations and leave unbonded lengths between connections. Subunit alignment and gaps require checking because shifts may change ribbon shape and bond geometry.
Assess Ribbon Flexibility And Rollability
To evaluate ribbon rollability, watch whether it bends and gathers while keeping fibers in their original order. Throughout the ribbon design, compare bond spacing and flexibility. These comparisons are checks of the design, not universal production tolerances.
Confirm Fiber Identification And Ribbon Configuration
Confirm each fiber’s position using fiber color coding. A common 12-color sequence is blue, orange, green, brown, slate, white, red, black, yellow, violet, rose, and aqua. The color sequence may repeat when a ribbon has more than 12 fibers.
Applications, Cable Integration, And Splicing Benefits
By folding within a cable, intermittently bonded ribbons allow more fibers in a compact design. According to Prysmian, FlexRibbon enables high-density ribbon cable designs with smaller diameters and better fiber duct utilization.
Enable High-Density Cable Designs And Better Duct Utilization
For indoor, outdoor, and indoor/outdoor applications, Prysmian provides FusionLink and MassLink with FlexRibbon. 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. FlexDrop is a small-diameter outdoor option that accommodates 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 reduce splice time. For loose-tube cable connections, technicians separate the ribbon fibers and splice them one by one using a single-fiber splicer.
Consider Indoor, Outdoor, Access, And Broadband Uses
Applications for ribbon cable include point-to-point network links, indoor FTTH systems, MTP wiring-box links, and urban trunk routes. Choosing indoor and outdoor fiber cable to suit the route aligns its construction with building, aerial, and underground requirements.
Conclusion
Fiber layout, bond placement, curing, and inspection are combined in an intermittent bonded ribbon line guide. 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 create a diffusion zone before curing together. Careful control throughout the process supports reliable fiber cable manufacturing.
Mass-fusion ribbon splicing is also supported by flexible ribbons, helping crews splice many fibers in one operation. 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. Achieving that balance can simplify cable packaging while keeping ribbons ready for efficient installation and splicing.