While quite obvious to those in the fiber industry, this basic question is common among those outside of this niche. With that, we’ll do our best to give a high-level overview and definition of the fusion splicer.

Fusion Splicer Definition:

A fusion splicer is a device that uses an electrical arc to weld two pieces of fiber cable together. This process of welding the cables together is called “fusing” or “splicing”. Thus the devices “splice” the cables using “fusion” and are called “Fusion Splicers.”

The process in which this equipment works is as such: Two Strands of fiber are mounted on corresponding fixtures and properly aligned. The fiber ends are inspected under a microscope as the quality of the ends and the proper angle at which they fuse is important to reduce “splice loss”. The machine then splices the two fibers with the electrical arc.

Originally, fusion splicers used nichrome wire to heat each fiber end but now there are advanced techniques more commonly employed including gas flames, CO2 Carbon Dioxide and of course most commonly electrical arcs.

Fusion Splicer Users:
Typical users of fusion splicers and splicing hardware include telecommunications workers, cable companies employees, the military and anyone else who might work with fiber-optics on a regular basis. Regular users of these devices greatly appreciate the increased speed and precision as well as automatic splicing capabilities that come with the latest models.