Guide To The Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line
At defined intervals, an intermittent bonded ribbon production line joins fiber subunits. 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 efficient fiber handling.
Some processes deposit bonding material before the subunit coating cures. Diffusion can occur through 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. These methods illustrate how optical fiber ribbon manufacturing and fiber optic bonding work in combination.
Fiber Draw Tower SZ Stranding Line Compact Fiber Unit
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 fit 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 linked to neighboring subunits at spaced bond points. Six two-fiber subunits may make up 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
A conventional flat ribbon holds its fibers in a single fixed plane. Between bonds, a rollable fiber ribbon can fold 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.
How Flexible Ribbons Enable Compact, High-Density Cables
Ribbon flexibility limits 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
Throughout an intermittent bonded ribbon production process, optical fibers are arranged side by side along the ribbon’s length. A first material coats groups of two or more fibers to create subunits. 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 surrounds and holds its fibers together.
Apply Subunit Coating And Intermittent Bonding Material
The subunits are created by fiber ribbon coating. 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
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
A single curing step cures both the subunit coating and the intermittent bonds. Optical fiber ribbon equipment supports these operations, although a complete equipment list, line speed, and production capacity are not specified.
| Process Stage | Material Or Action | Intended Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber arrangement | Arrange fibers next to one another | Establish the ribbon layout |
| Formation of subunits | Coat fiber groups with the first coating material | Hold two or more fibers as subunits |
| Bonding at intervals | Apply the second material between adjacent subunits | Connect subunits at separated bond points |
| Wet-on-wet interface | Apply bonds before the subunit coating cures | Allow materials to form a diffusion zone |
| 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 follow a defined order. The sequence involves organizing fibers into subunits, applying a subunit coating, placing intermittent bonds between adjacent subunits, and curing the coating and bonds together. The ribbon design must guide both optical fiber coating application and placement of the bonds.
Example designs specify gaps of 5 to 100 micrometers between subunits. 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. The disclosed examples should not be treated as fixed settings that apply to every 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
Material selection and bond layout govern 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
Subunit coatings and ribbon bonding materials have different 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 promote intermixing.
A diffusion zone forms at this interface, with properties that vary gradually. The zone may differ in color, stiffness, surface friction, tear strength, or stretch. Disclosed thicknesses extend from 2 to 50 micrometers, with 5 to 15 micrometers representing a narrower range.
Manage Bond Placement, Spacing, And Geometry
Where subunits remain linked 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 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 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 specify inspection methods or acceptance limits.
Inspect 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.
Evaluate Ribbon Flexibility And Rollability
To evaluate ribbon rollability, observe whether it bends and gathers while keeping fibers in their original 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. Blue, orange, green, brown, slate, white, red, black, yellow, violet, rose, and aqua make up a common 12-color sequence. For ribbons containing more than 12 fibers, this sequence may be repeated.
Applications, Cable Integration, And Splicing Benefits
Intermittently bonded ribbons can roll inside a cable, enabling more fibers to fit into a compact design. Prysmian says FlexRibbon supports high-density ribbon cable designs, smaller diameters, and better 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. 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 support 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 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
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.
In this process, bonds are applied before the subunit coating cures. The materials create a diffusion zone before curing together. Reliable fiber cable manufacturing is encouraged 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 multiple cable designs, including compact configurations with up to 6,912 fibers.
For manufacturers and network planners, the priority is to coordinate fiber alignment, bond strength, and rollability. This balance may make cable packaging simpler while ensuring ribbons remain prepared for efficient installation and splicing.
