Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line Guide
At defined 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 preserving efficient fiber handling.
In some processes, bonding material is added while the subunit coating is still uncured. 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. Together, these methods demonstrate the connection between optical fiber ribbon manufacturing and fiber optic bonding.
Fiber Secondary Coating Line Fiber Coloring Machine Fiber Draw Tower
What Is An Intermittent Bonded Fiber Ribbon?
Optical fibers are grouped into small subunits in an intermittent bonded fiber ribbon. 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. 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 one fixed plane. A rollable fiber ribbon can fold 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.
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 fit more fibers in a compact structure without sacrificing an organized fiber layout.
Process And Equipment For An Intermittent Bonded Ribbon Production Line
Throughout an intermittent bonded ribbon production process, optical fibers are laid side by side along the ribbon’s length. Subunits are formed when a first material coats groups containing two or more fibers. Neighboring subunits are joined at separate points with a second material, leaving flexible sections between bonds.
Arrange 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.
Apply Subunit Coating And Intermittent Bonding Material
The subunits are formed by fiber ribbon coating. Bonding material is deposited by a discrete coating applicator between neighboring subunits at spaced intervals, not continuously along their full length.
Use Wet-On-Wet Application To Form Diffusion Zones
Wet-on-wet bonding involves applying the bonding material before the subunit coating has cured. A diffusion zone develops as the materials intermix through their shared interface.
Set The Subunit Coating And Bonds In One Cure
Both the subunit coating and the intermittent bonds are set in one curing step. Although optical fiber ribbon equipment is used for these operations, the complete equipment list, line speed, and production capacity are not provided.
| Process Stage | Material Or Operation | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber arrangement | Arrange fibers next to one another | Set the ribbon layout |
| Subunit formation | Coat fiber groups with the first coating material | Hold two or more fibers as subunits |
| Bonding at intervals | Deposit the second material between neighboring subunits | Connect subunits at separated bond points |
| Wet-on-wet bonding interface | Deposit bonds while the subunit coating remains uncured | Allow materials to form a diffusion zone |
| Combined cure | Cure coating and bonds in one step | Cure the assembled ribbon structure |
Main Production Line Stages And Process Controls
Fiber ribbon production stages take place in a set sequence. 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.
Gaps of 5 to 100 micrometers between subunits are described in example designs. Example intermittent bond spacing ranges from 10 to 1,000 millimeters. Bond deposits may have a diamond-like outline with narrow ends and a broader center. The disclosed examples should not be interpreted as fixed settings that apply to every line.
Ribbon manufacturing process control depends on the chosen material selection, 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 material choice and bond layout. Coatings protect each fiber while permitting the subunits to flex as intended.
Select Compatible Coating And Bonding Materials
Because subunit coatings and ribbon bonding materials serve separate roles, they do not have to share the same formula. 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. 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
Bond spacing determines 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.
Balance Ribbon Flexibility With Fiber Organization
Between bonds, unbonded spans let a flat ribbon move into a rolled, curled, or folded form. During cable installation, a flexible fiber ribbon can flex without disrupting the fiber organization needed for splicing.
Quality Checks To Maintain Consistent Ribbon Production
Instead of using assumed pass limits, dependable fiber ribbon quality checks assess defined features. Design factors named in the patent include bond spacing, subunit gaps, diffusion-zone thickness, and bond shape. However, it does not establish inspection methods or acceptance limits.
Check Bond Continuity And Subunit Alignment
Check that intermittent bonds connect 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
Assess ribbon rollability by examining how the ribbon bends and gathers without changing fiber order. Compare bond spacing and flexibility across the overall ribbon design. Treat these comparisons as design checks rather than universal production tolerances.
Confirm Fiber Identification And Ribbon Configuration
Confirm each fiber’s position through 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 start again when a ribbon has more than 12 fibers.
Applications, Cable Integration, And Splicing Benefits
Intermittently bonded ribbons can roll inside a cable, enabling more fibers to fit into 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
Prysmian offers FusionLink and MassLink with FlexRibbon in indoor, outdoor, and indoor/outdoor designs. 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.
Support Mass-Fusion Splicing And Quicker Deployment
Mass-fusion splicing connects several ribbon fibers in a single operation, often 12 at once. This approach may reduce 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.
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 aligns its construction with building, aerial, and underground requirements.
Final Conclusions
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.
In this process, bonds are placed before the subunit coating cures. The materials form 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.