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 roll 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 added while the subunit coating is still uncured. The materials can intermix across their interface and 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.
Fiber Draw Tower FTTH Cable Production Line Fiber Ribbone Line
Understanding What An Intermittent Bonded Fiber Ribbon Is
An intermittent bonded fiber ribbon groups optical fibers into small subunits. The subunits stay organized for splicing while remaining able to change shape to sit inside a cable.
The Arrangement Of Fiber Subunits And Intermittent Bonds
A coating holds each adjacent fiber pair or group together. These optical fiber subunits connect to neighboring subunits at separated bond points rather than along their full length. A 12-fiber design may include 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
How Rollable Ribbons Differ From 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. Bending and folding are supported by the discrete bonding points used in Prysmian’s FlexRibbon.
Why Flexible Ribbons Support Compact, High-Density Cables
Inside a high-density fiber cable, a flexible ribbon can occupy less space. 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. The first coating material encloses each selected group and holds its fibers together as a subunit.
Deposit Subunit Coating And Intermittent Bonding Material
The subunits are formed by fiber ribbon coating. A discrete coating applicator deposits bonding material between neighboring subunits at intervals rather than along their entire length.
Use Wet-On-Wet Application To Form Diffusion Zones
Wet-on-wet bonding involves depositing 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
A single curing step sets both the subunit coating and the intermittent bonds. 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 | Place fibers side by side | Establish 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 | Join subunits at spaced points |
| Wet-on-wet interface | Apply bonds before the subunit coating cures | Allow materials to form a diffusion zone |
| Joint curing step | Set the coating and bonds together 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. 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. Example intermittent bond spacing extends 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.
The selected materials, bond layout, and curing method determine ribbon manufacturing process control. The source material does not specify line speeds, curing temperatures, or inspection intervals, so these values must not be assumed.
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
Subunit coatings and ribbon bonding materials have distinct functions, so their formulas need not be identical. Resins that mix or remain at least partly soluble can produce a gradual interface. Intermixing may also be increased by lower coating viscosity.
A diffusion zone forms at this interface, with properties that change gradually. Differences in color, stiffness, surface friction, tear strength, or stretch may occur within this zone. 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. Intermittent bond geometry provides unbonded spans between bond points. Intersecting convex and concave curves create the saddle shape used on some bond surfaces.
Maintain Fiber Organization While Balancing Ribbon Flexibility
Unbonded spans allow the ribbon to change from a flat layout into a rolled, curled, or folded shape. A flexible fiber ribbon design bends during cable installation while keeping fibers organized for splicing.
Quality Checks For Consistent Ribbon Production
Reliable fiber ribbon quality checks measure 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
Verify that intermittent bonds join adjacent subunits at the planned positions, with unbonded lengths between them. Review subunit alignment and gaps because shifts can affect ribbon shape and bond geometry.
Assess Ribbon Flexibility And Rollability
To evaluate ribbon rollability, watch whether it bends and gathers while keeping fibers in their original order. Throughout the ribbon design, compare bond spacing and flexibility. These comparisons are design checks, not universal production tolerances.
Confirm Fiber Identification And Ribbon Configuration
Confirm each fiber’s position through fiber color coding. Blue, orange, green, brown, slate, white, red, black, yellow, violet, rose, and aqua make up a widely used 12-color sequence. For ribbons containing more than 12 fibers, this sequence may repeat.
Cable Applications, 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 improved fiber duct utilization.
Enable High-Density Cable Designs And Better Duct Utilization
For indoor, outdoor, and indoor/outdoor applications, Prysmian provides FusionLink and MassLink with FlexRibbon. FusionLink uses 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. FlexDrop is a small-diameter outdoor option that accommodates up to two 12-fiber ribbons.
Enable Mass-Fusion Splicing And Faster Deployment
Multiple ribbon fibers, often 12 at a time, are joined in one operation through mass-fusion splicing. 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.
Consider Indoor, Outdoor, Access, And Broadband Uses
Applications for ribbon cable include point-to-point network links, 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
An intermittent bonded ribbon line guide brings together 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. 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. Prysmian describes FlexRibbon in various cable designs, including compact configurations containing up to 6,912 fibers.
Manufacturers and network planners need to manage fiber alignment, bond strength, and rollability. Achieving that balance can ease cable packaging while keeping ribbons ready for efficient installation and splicing.