Tips for fiber cleaver operation

Fiber Cleaver Principles

Fiber Cleavers

Fiber cleaving is the deliberate, controlled process to break a fiber so as to provide a flat end face for coupling or fusion splicing. 

Fiberwill's fiber cleavers are capable of cleaving fibers with cladding diameters from 0.125mm to 0.9 mm of all models, and are available for single mode, multimode, and polarization-maintaining fibers: FW-11, FW-21, FW-31.

The fiber cleaver consists of several vital components that work together to achieve perfect cleaves. The blade assembly, typically made of Tungsten material, is the heart of the tool. This precision-engineered component requires special attention as it directly impacts the quality of your cleaves. The fiber holder and clamps ensure proper positioning and tension during the cleaving process, the rubber pad on the fiber cleaver ensure the fiber is tightly pressed, while the main body provides stability during operation; Another crucial element is the precision mechanism, which creates the initial stress point in the fiber. 

The Principle Of Fiber Cleaving:

1) The upper and lower rubber pressure pads hold the fiber tightly;

2) Use a Cleaver blade to make an incision on the fiber;

3) The fiber is finally cut by pressing the fiber through Slide Block.

If there is dirt on the fiber cleaver, the rubber pressure pad will not be able to hold the fiber properly. If so, a good cleaved end face cannot be obtained.

Therefore, in order to obtain a good cleaving angle, the maintenance of rubber pressure pads, slide guide block, and cleaver blade is very important.

Stripping and cleaving of the optics fiber

The following is a detailed description of the stripping and cutting process of bare fibers:

1) Open the pressure lever and small pressure plate, and push the slider with the blade to the side.

2) Strip the fiber coating layer about 30mm long, and wipe the bare fiber with a cotton ball dipped with alcohol.

3) Align the edge of the fiber coating with the appropriate scale on the ruler (10~20mm);

4) Put the fiber into the fiber guide groove with the left hand, and make the bare fiber to be placed straight on the rubber pad, cannot be bent.

5) Close the small pressure plate and pressure rod, push the slider with the blade, so that the blade cleaves the lower surface of the fiber, then slide to the other side, cut the fiber, pay attention not to use too much force and do it fastly;

6) Hold the cleaver base with the left hand, and open the pressing rod with the right hand.

7) Pinch the fiber with your left hand, open the small pressure plate with your right hand, and carefully remove the fiber with the cut end face.

Note: The neat fiber end face should not touch other objects!