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 roll into a compact cable shape. The design enables flexible ribbon cable production without compromising efficient fiber handling.
Some processes apply bonding material before the subunit coating cures. Diffusion can occur across the shared interface before the materials cure together. One commercial example is Prysmian’s FlexRibbon technology, whose original design the company says dates to 2018. Together, these methods demonstrate the relationship between optical fiber ribbon manufacturing and fiber optic bonding.
SZ Stranding Line SZ Stranding Line Fiber Ribbone Line
Understanding What An Intermittent Bonded Fiber Ribbon Is
An intermittent bonded fiber ribbon organizes optical fibers into small subunits. The subunits stay organized for splicing while remaining able to change shape to sit inside a cable.
How Fiber Subunits And Intermittent Bonds Are Arranged
A coating secures each adjacent fiber pair or group together. Instead of joining along their entire length, these optical fiber subunits are connected to neighboring subunits at spaced bond points. A 12-fiber design may use six two-fiber subunits. 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 a single fixed plane. Between bonds, a rollable fiber ribbon can curl without losing the fiber alignment needed for mass-fusion splicing. Prysmian’s FlexRibbon uses compact bonding points to permit bending and folding.
How Flexible Ribbons Enable Compact, High-Density Cables
Ribbon flexibility reduces the space it occupies inside a high-density fiber cable. 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
The intermittent bonded ribbon production process places optical fibers side by side along the ribbon’s length. Subunits are created 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
The planned ribbon layout determines how fibers are arranged next to one another. Each selected group becomes a subunit when the first coating material encases and holds its fibers together.
Deposit Subunit Coating And Intermittent Bonding Material
Fiber ribbon coating forms the subunits. Bonding material is applied by a discrete coating applicator between neighboring subunits at spaced intervals, not continuously along their full length.
Create Diffusion Zones Through Wet-On-Wet Application
During wet-on-wet bonding, the subunit coating remains uncured when bonding material is applied. The materials diffuse across their shared interface to form a diffusion zone.
Set The Subunit Coating And Bonds In One Cure
Both the subunit coating and the intermittent bonds are cured in one curing step. 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 | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Optical fiber arrangement | Arrange fibers next to one another | Set the ribbon layout |
| Formation of subunits | Apply the first coating material around fiber groups | Hold two or more fibers as subunits |
| Bonding at intervals | Deposit the second material between neighboring 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 | Set the coating and bonds together in one step | Set the assembled ribbon structure |
Key Production Line Stages And Process Controls
Fiber ribbon production stages take place in a specific 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 correspond to the ribbon design.
Gaps of 5 to 100 micrometers between subunits are described in example designs. A range of 10 to 1,000 millimeters is described for intermittent bond spacing in example designs. 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.
Ribbon manufacturing process control depends on the chosen materials, bond layout, and curing method. Because the source material provides no line speeds, curing temperatures, or inspection intervals, avoid assuming any values for them.
Materials, Bond Design, And Ribbon Flexibility
Ribbon behavior during cable making and splicing depends on the chosen materials and bond layout. Each fiber is protected by coatings that still allow the subunits to flex as designed.
Choose Compatible Coating And Bonding Materials
Subunit coatings and ribbon bonding materials have distinct functions, so their formulas need not be identical. A gradual interface can be formed by resins that intermix or remain at least partly soluble. Lower coating viscosity may also encourage intermixing.
This interface forms a diffusion zone in which properties change gradually. The zone may differ in color, stiffness, surface friction, tear strength, or stretch. The disclosed thickness range is 2 to 50 micrometers, while 5 to 15 micrometers is given as a narrower range.
Manage Bond Placement, Spacing, And Geometry
Where subunits remain joined or move freely is governed by bond spacing. An intermittent bond layout creates unbonded spans separating the bond points. Some bond surfaces have a saddle shape made by intersecting convex and concave curves.
Balance Ribbon Flexibility With Fiber Organization
Between bonds, unbonded spans let a flat ribbon move into a rolled, curled, or folded form. A flexible fiber ribbon design bends during cable installation while keeping fibers organized for splicing.
Quality Checks To Maintain Consistent Ribbon Production
Instead of using assumed pass limits, dependable fiber ribbon quality checks focus on defined features. Design factors named in the patent include bond spacing, subunit gaps, diffusion-zone thickness, and bond shape. However, it does not specify inspection methods or acceptance limits.
Check Bond Continuity And Subunit Alignment
Verify that intermittent bonds join adjacent subunits at the planned positions, with unbonded lengths between them. Subunit alignment and gaps require checking because shifts may change ribbon shape and bond geometry.
Assess Ribbon Flexibility And Rollability
Assess ribbon rollability by observing how the ribbon bends and gathers without changing fiber order. Compare bond spacing and flexibility across the entire ribbon design. Treat these comparisons as design checks rather than universal production tolerances.
Confirm 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. 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.
Support High-Density Cable Designs And Duct Utilization
Prysmian offers FusionLink and MassLink with FlexRibbon in indoor, outdoor, and indoor/outdoor designs. FusionLink features dry water blocking and is available with 250 μm or 200 μm ribbon. EcoSpan aerial cable supports spans of up to 300 feet under NESC Heavy loading conditions. As a small-diameter outdoor option, FlexDrop can hold up to two 12-fiber ribbons.
Support Mass-Fusion Splicing And Quicker Deployment
Mass-fusion splicing joins several ribbon fibers in a single operation, often 12 at once. This approach may reduce splice time where ribbon routes are compatible. When connecting to loose-tube cable, technicians separate ribbon fibers and individually splice them with a single-fiber splicer.
Review Indoor, Outdoor, Access, And Broadband Applications
Ribbon cable is used in point-to-point networks, indoor FTTH systems, MTP wiring-box links, and urban trunk routes. Choosing indoor and outdoor fiber cable to suit the route matches its construction with building, aerial, and underground requirements.
Conclusion
Fiber layout, bond placement, curing, and inspection are addressed 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. Before they cure together, the materials develop a diffusion zone. Reliable fiber cable manufacturing is supported by careful control at every stage.
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 various cable designs, including compact configurations with up to 6,912 fibers.
Manufacturers and network planners need to manage fiber alignment, bond strength, and rollability. This balance may make cable packaging easier while ensuring ribbons remain prepared for efficient installation and splicing.
