In the hundreds of fiber optic training and certification classes I have presented since 2002, there has been a common issue that fledgling fiber techs need to overcome. The basic technology of how fiber optics works is very simple. The transmitter has a blinking LED or laser, the light travels down the fiber optic link, and the receiver counts the blinks and converts them into either digital or analog electrical signals. It’s pretty simple, with one caveat: the wavelengths used in fiber optic transmissions are higher than those that the human eye can see, so a technician cannot see the blinking signal when looking at the tip of a fiber optic connector.  It is important to note that laser fiber optic transmitters emit enough energy to potentially damage your eyesight, so avoid staring at the tip of a connected fiber optic link to protect your eyes.

The issue that comes up time and again in my training classes is teaching the necessary hand skills for students to successfully strip the fiber optic strand before the installation of a fiber connector or splice. The problem is that fiber optic strands are extremely small, with the typical diameter of an unstripped fiber being 250 microns, or millionths of a meter. The stripping of a fiber strand is performed by using the correct tool to remove the outer clear plastic “buffer coating” that adds strength and flexibility to the fiber. This coating must be removed, as the fiber end needs to be stripped down to the 125-micron diameter of the glass itself so that it will fit into a connector or splice housing. With a human hair possessing a diameter of roughly 90 microns, you can imagine the difficulties posed when stripping fibers. They are so small that the glass is hard to see and manipulate, and it can be very difficult to see if a fiber is properly stripped. As the plastic coating is typically clear, neophyte technicians often will remove the outer 900-micron colored plastic jacketing without taking off the 250-micron coating.