Whole Optical Fibre Quality Certification in Production Draw Towers

Jean Franois Fardeau, David Miara, Sbastien Gathier, Jos Romro

CERSA-MCI Research and Development Dept. 13480 Cabries, France +33 4 4202 6044 sale@cersa-mci.com

Abstract
Three high performance instruments, developed over the last 15 years to answer the demands in optical fibre production plants, generate a complete line of real time data for measurement and defect detection (events). In order the fiber manufacturers can fully benefit all the data, in view to get a maximum in line quality check, CERSA-MCI has been working on software to easily set the instruments parameters, display, record and report, as clearly as possible, all real time measurement and events generated but also check at the process performance. The last instrument made for coating (LIS-Coating) and the very last software version, CIM, both introduced in 2010 complete the tools for a whole in line optical fibre quality certification. Keywords: LIS, NCTM, CIM, Optical fibres, optical fibers, coating, quality check, diameter, non circularity, ovality, eccentricity, measurement, internal defect, airline, bubbles, lump and neck, detection, record, report, data base, network, supervisor.

2.1 Bare fiber application

LIS/NCTM

1. Introduction
Since 1999, more and more draw towers have been using our Laser Interferometric measurement Sensors for bare fibre (LISGlass), as well as, more recently (2004), our Non Contact Tension Measurement sensor (NCTM). According to the number of data generated by our instruments, we developed software to record, display, report on the bare fibre quality from in line measurements. Just having introduced, early 2010, in production, our last Laser Interferometric Sensor for Coating (LIS-Coating), whose specifications are given here below, CERSA-MCI has now a complete offer of high performance measurement and defects checks instruments for optical fibre draw towers. Also, at the benefit of more than 15 years experience in optical fibre production, a new advanced software called Cersa Instruments data Management (CIM), was made to offer a system package that includes all the features needed to continuously check at the stability of the process, at the constant quality of the fibre and to insure the display, record and report on the production. This presentation includes the last performances of the system, especially for coating measurements and defect check performances and the whole data management, and its validations.

LIS-Glass, (Laser Interferometric Sensor) use the transparency,

and the cylindrical shape of the fiber, to generate an interferometric pattern whose model is perfectly known. This principle, long used in the fiber industry, has been fully used by the CERSA International patent.

Refracted laser rays

2. Instruments performances
To well understand the capabilities of the system it is important to review the measurement characteristics. All the specifications are given for real time measurement, without averaging, over an ambient temperature from 10 to 40C. Incident laser rays

Glass Fig 1

Fig 1, shows the laser rays propagation through the glass fibre (Transmitted rays).

International Wire & Cable Symposium

525

Proceedings of the 59th IWCS/IICIT

CIM specific LIS-G Feature: Real time oscilloscopes: diameter, diameter FFT, spinning profile, fringe signal, Fringe FFT. Parameter setting. **********

NCTM, (Non Contact Tension Measurement), for in line drawing force measurement. It is based on birefringence principle. The benefit of this method is the high sensitivity, the capability to work from very low to very high tension.
Fig 2

Specifications:
Drawing force: Range: 0 to 400 gr. Repeatability: 1gr Accuracy: 1gr. Measurement frequency: 1 000 Hz.

Fig 2, shows the phenomenon used by the LIS instruments, Reflected (R) and Transmitted (T) rays on the fibre that generate the Interferometric signal

Complementary measurements: Fiber position, X-Y.

2.2 Coated fiber application

LIS-Coating, (Laser Interferometric Sensor) also uses the
transparency, and the cylindrical shape of the fiber, to generate an interferometric pattern, in a significantly different approach than in the Glass application, that generates complementary measurements on internal characteristics. Fig 3 The complex layers assembly and material uncertain characteristics (coating indexes and layers diameters) for in line measurement doesnt allows an accurate Outside Diameter (OD) measurement. This is why LIS-C also includes a diffraction axis to measure the absolute OD independently of the internal structure.

Fig 3, shows the interferometric signal

Key instrument specifications:

Diameter measurement: Absolute measurement: 0.15m in line. Repeatability: 0.005m (5 nm). Measurement frequency: 50 000 Hz.

Key instrument specifications:

Diameter measurement: Absolute measurement: 0.2m Measurement frequency 400 Hz Repeatability: 0.2m

These characteristics are the basis of the process improvements and mastering, as well as the continuous check of its stability. Complementary measurements: Event: Ultra fine airline detection (0.7m min. diameter) Local defect. Tolerances Spinning frequency profile (at the top of the tower). Non circularity. Fiber position, X-Y. Pulse length counting and fibre speed measurement.

These characteristics allow a continuous check of the diameter stability, fine lump and neck detection. Complementary measurements: Lump and Neck: min. 0.3m at 300 000 Hz. Coating asymmetry (concentricity) Spinning measurement (advance) Non circularity. (advance) Fiber position, X-Y. Pulse length counting and fibre speed measurement. Coating fine defect density.

Comment: Coating asymmetry or concentricity is especially efficient when both coating layers are concentric. This is the case on wet on wet, widely used today. The primary coating independent

International Wire & Cable Symposium

526

Proceedings of the 59th IWCS/IICIT

eccentricity on wet on dry, doesnt allow an exact concentricity measurement after secondary layer deposition. We have to notice that on single coating layer these uncertainties could be leveled, then the primary coating index could be measured, and then the coating temperature evaluated in line. Event: Internal defect detection (bubbles, delaminations, inclusions). External diameter change (Lump and neck). Tolerances

These three above instruments are part of the standard package.

Top square display: list of parameters displayed in the graphs with corresponding colors. List of graphs, from the left side: Diameter in m, (red) Spinning max frequency (t/m) (yellow) Non circularity in m (bleu). Bare fibre positions (green) Coating diameter (Violet dark). Coating asymmetry (pink dark), Tension (brown), Fibre speed (Pink) Coating defect density (yellow) Coated fibre positions (green). Bottom of the screen: Instruments statuses, G, N and C Bare fibre tolerances o Diameter o Non circularity o Spinning Bare fibre events o Defect o Airline Bare fibre drawing force Coated fibre tolerances o Diameter o Asymmetry Coated fibre events o Lump and neck o Internal defect (bubbles, inclusions, .)

2.3 Other instruments

Other instruments were made and new ones are coming to complete this line for specific cases (no spinning mainly); Existing: AIR, fine air line detection 100% glass section coverage. Coming: ultra fast, accurate, three axes diameter measurement.

3. CIM, Instrument Management software

This last software version includes the experience in production draw towers and follows the expansion of the CERSA instruments in variety and performance. It also answers a long demand for full in line quality certification that derives from instruments performance.

3.1 Production display

Fig. 4 shows a screen in production start for the three instruments. Each graph and corresponding texts share the same colors. From top to bottom:

Fig 4

International Wire & Cable Symposium

527

Proceedings of the 59th IWCS/IICIT

3.2 Software features

As each instrument receive the pulse length, all measures and events refer to the position on the spool. Display could be either according to time or length. Zooming can be done on any part of the display. Display could be from production start or for a period of time or limited length. Apart the display of the measures, the software includes all features for instruments parameter settings as well as production management parameters: draw tower n, preform n (automatically asked at the end of previous production), n of spool per preform, automatically incremented. The measures and events are recorded in files, spool by spool. A reset spool must be connected to the computer. A viewer is used to open the files and display in detail the measures either spool by spool or for the whole production. Fig 6

4. CIM Supervisor
Supervisor is a PC software planned to be used by the factory manager. It will allows the permanent display of the production statuses, statistics, efficiencies. It will allows the access to each individual CIM data and displays.

3.3 System package implementation

The system generates the data for process control to the PLC (mainly analog outputs) and transfers all quality control parameter to the CIM computer. The PLC can access the CIM computer by serial link to get directly the process control parameter.

5. Marketing information
This system was introduced in production early 2010. Several customers are evaluating these packages to adapt to each case. At August 2010, validation should be made shortly for extensions. We expect to have several complete factories using this system by end of 2010.

6. Conclusion
All along the 10 past years, optical processes improved in a significant ways, drawing speed, preform size and drawing time in view to cost reduction. In parallel, demands for quality improvement and certification rose to higher levels. The technologies developed by CERSA for measurement instruments all along these last 15 years in close cooperation with the producers, are well suited to follow these requirements. The in line real time and full quality check would improve the quality certification (100% check) as well as would reduce the off line tests and then the production costs. The next steps, with Supervisor software, would be to improve the production efficiency itself.

Fig 5

3.4 Production management and software organization

Fig 6 shows the general organization of the system package in production factories. All computers are in a network connection to be accessed by the customers central computer, to insure the data transfer and the future CIM supervisor accesses. The software data management is made on the widely used SQLITE3 data base structure that allows the connection to any type of the customers data base. The ODBC driver for windows NT/2000/XP is provided by CERSA. It respects SQL-92 standard The data base structure, allows the management of different production types with automatic instruments parameters settings. It allows the access to condensed production parameters as statistics on production performances per tower, preform, and spool.

7. Acknowledgments
Many thanks to the fibre producers that closely cooperate with our CERSA team for long time, opening the production facilities to our team, that allows us to validate and adapt our development works to the industries needs. Thanks to the CERSA team for their continuous personal investments in developments and production efficiencies. Special thanks to the IWCS organizers and staff for this world renowned yearly event.

8. References
[1] J.F. Fardeau, European patent n 00920792.9, Dispositif pour la mesure des fibres optiques en production April 1999. [2] IWCS 2008 conference : Optical fibre spinning measurement at the top of the draw tower.

International Wire & Cable Symposium

528

Proceedings of the 59th IWCS/IICIT

9. The Authors
JF Fardeau, President and CEO at CERSAs was graduated engineer in automation engineering in 1972 in France. After seven years as project engineer he started CERSA company for automation engineering in 1980. At the end of the eighties, the part of the measurement instrument business grows well enough to justify a specific organization, named Measure and Control Instruments division (MCI). CERSA-MCI brand name is today world renowned in wire and optical fibre industries. David Miara, General Manager at CERSAs, graduated in instrumentation technologies. He joined CERSA early 2000s to work on optical fibre applications, coating especially. Sebastien Gathier, graduated engineer in electronic and telecommunication in France joined CERSA MCI team early 2005 to reinforce the R&D team. He is now in charge of on board electronic and real time software development.

Jos Romro, master in optoelectronic, high wave and telecommunication, joined the company early in 2007. He is in charge of industrial optronic applications.

CERSA-MCI, Parc Expobat n16-53, 13480 CABRIES, France Tel. : +33 4 4202 60 44, email : sale@cersa-mci.com Web : www.cersa-mci.com

USA : Finoptics, M. Jukka Kohtala, 285 Camden Creek Ct. LAWRENCEVILLE GA 30043. Tel. : +1 (404) 247 1324 Email : j.kohtala@cersa-mci.com

International Wire & Cable Symposium

529

Proceedings of the 59th IWCS/IICIT