Guide To The Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line
At set intervals, an intermittent bonded ribbon production line joins fiber subunits. This maintains fibers in an organized arrangement for mass-fusion splicing while letting the ribbon roll or fold into a compact cable shape. Flexible ribbon cable production is supported by this design while maintaining efficient fiber handling.
In some processes, bonding material is applied while the subunit coating is still uncured. The materials can intermix 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 work in combination.
Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Compact Fiber Unit SZ Stranding Line
Understanding What An Intermittent Bonded Fiber Ribbon Is
Optical fibers are arranged into small subunits in an intermittent bonded fiber ribbon. The subunits stay organized for splicing while remaining able to change shape to fit inside a cable.
The Arrangement Of Fiber Subunits And Intermittent Bonds
Each neighboring pair or group of fibers is held together by a coating. These optical fiber subunits connect to neighboring subunits at spaced bond points rather than along their full length. Six two-fiber subunits may form a 12-fiber design. Configurations can contain 4 to 36 fibers, with bonds spaced from 10 to 1,000 millimeters apart.
Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line
How Rollable Ribbons Differ From Conventional Flat Ribbons
In a conventional flat ribbon, the fibers remain in a single fixed plane. A rollable fiber ribbon can fold between bonds while retaining fiber alignment for mass-fusion splicing. Prysmian’s FlexRibbon uses small bonding points to permit bending and folding.
How Flexible Ribbons Enable Compact, High-Density Cables
Ribbon flexibility limits the space it occupies inside a high-density fiber cable. This enables cable designers to fit more fibers into a compact structure while maintaining an organized fiber layout.
Process And Equipment For An Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line
The intermittent bonded ribbon production process places optical fibers side by side along the ribbon’s length. A first material coats groups of two or more fibers to create subunits. Neighboring subunits are joined at separate points with a second material, leaving flexible sections between bonds.
Organize Adjacent Optical Fibers Into Subunits
Fibers are placed 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.
Deposit Subunit Coating And Intermittent Bonding Material
Fiber ribbon coating forms the subunits. A discrete coating applicator places bonding material between neighboring subunits at intervals rather than along their entire length.
Use Wet-On-Wet Application To Form Diffusion Zones
During wet-on-wet bonding, the subunit coating remains uncured when bonding material is applied. The materials intermix 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 set 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber arrangement | Arrange fibers next to one another | Set the ribbon layout |
| Subunit formation | 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 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 |
Key Production Line Stages And Process Controls
The fiber ribbon production stages proceed in a defined order. Workers arrange fibers into subunits, apply a subunit coating, add intermittent bonds between adjacent subunits, and then cure both together. Optical fiber coating application and bond placement must match the ribbon design.
Gaps of 5 to 100 micrometers between subunits are given in example designs. A range of 10 to 1,000 millimeters is specified for intermittent bond spacing in example designs. 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.
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, avoid assuming any values for them.
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.
Choose Compatible Coating And Bonding Materials
Because subunit coatings and ribbon bonding materials serve different roles, they do not have to share the same formula. Resins that mix or remain at least partly soluble can form a gradual interface. Lower coating viscosity may also promote intermixing.
A diffusion zone forms at this interface, with properties that change gradually. The zone may differ in color, stiffness, surface friction, tear strength, or stretch. Disclosed thicknesses range from 2 to 50 micrometers, with 5 to 15 micrometers representing a narrower range.
Manage Bond Placement, Spacing, And Geometry
Where subunits remain joined or move freely is governed by bond spacing. Intermittent bond geometry leaves unbonded spans between bond points. Intersecting convex and concave curves form the saddle shape used on some bond surfaces.
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
Reliable fiber ribbon quality checks evaluate defined features rather than relying on assumed pass limits. 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.
Inspect Bond Continuity And Subunit Alignment
Verify that intermittent bonds join adjacent subunits at the intended positions, with unbonded lengths between them. Subunit alignment and gaps require checking because shifts may change ribbon shape and bond geometry.
Evaluate 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. These comparisons are design checks, not universal production tolerances.
Verify Fiber Identification And Ribbon Configuration
Use fiber color coding to check 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 start again when a ribbon has more than 12 fibers.
Cable Applications, 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
For indoor, outdoor, and indoor/outdoor applications, Prysmian offers FusionLink and MassLink with FlexRibbon. FusionLink uses dry water blocking and is available with 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 joins several ribbon fibers in a single operation, often 12 at once. This approach may shorten splice time where ribbon routes are compatible. 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
Ribbon cable is used in 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
Fiber layout, bond placement, curing, and inspection are combined in an intermittent bonded ribbon line guide. The result is a flexible optical fiber ribbon that remains orderly during handling yet can roll or fold into compact cable designs.
In this process, bonds are applied before the subunit coating cures. Before they cure together, the materials form a diffusion zone. 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.
Manufacturers and network planners need to manage fiber alignment, bond strength, and rollability. This balance may make cable packaging simpler while ensuring ribbons remain prepared for efficient installation and splicing.