How It's Made, Fiber Optics.

Summary

This script details the intricate process of manufacturing fiber optic cables, essential for modern communication. It begins with large glass tubes that are cleaned, heated, and fused together. A chemical gas mixture is introduced, reacting to form the core of the fiber. The glass tube then collapses into a solid rod, which is thinned into a fiber. The fiber is drawn, coated, and rolled onto a drum, ready for use. Fiber optics are preferred for their efficiency, security, and resistance to interference, showcasing the marvel of light traveling through glass.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The script explains the process of creating fiber optic cables, which are essential for transmitting voice and data through pulses of light.
• 🔬 Fiber optic cables are made from thin strands of glass that transmit light signals over long distances.
• 🏭 The manufacturing process begins with large glass tubes that are treated with hydrofluoric acid to remove oil residues.
• 🔥 The glass tubes are heated and fused together using a hydrogen-oxygen flame, reaching temperatures of about 2000°C.
• 🧪 A chemical gas mixture containing silicon and germanium is introduced, which reacts to form the core of the optical fiber.
• 🔍 The core is formed by heating the glass tube until the soot turns into glass, creating the internal structure of the fiber.
• 🔩 The preform, a large rod, is then thinned out in a drawing tower, where it's heated to 2000°C and stretched into a thin fiber.
• 📏 The fiber's diameter is precisely controlled to be just 5/1000 of an inch to ensure optimal performance.
• 🛡️ The fiber is coated with an acrylic layer using UV lamps to protect it from dust and other contaminants.
• 📦 The final product is either shipped as individual fibers or assembled into cables, offering advantages over copper cables in terms of size, weight, and signal integrity.
• 🔒 Fiber optic cables are resistant to electromagnetic interference and difficult to tap without detection, providing enhanced security for data transmission.

Q & A

What is the primary medium through which voice and data travel in fiber optics?

Voice and data travel through fiber optics via pulses of light.

How are the initial large glass tubes prepared for the fiber optic manufacturing process?

The large glass tubes are first unwrapped, then submerged in a corrosive bath of hydrofluoric acid to remove oil residues.

What happens to the glass tubes when they are heated with a hydrogen-oxygen flame?

When the glass tubes turn white, they are close to reaching their peak temperature, which is around 300°C.

How do the two glass tubes fuse together during the manufacturing process?

The two tubes are fused together by spinning them and heating them with a hydrogen-oxygen flame until they reach the peak temperature, causing them to fuse.

What is the role of the chemical gases injected inside the spinning glass tube during the fiber optic manufacturing?

The chemical gases, containing liquid forms of silicon and germanium, undergo a chemical reaction when heated, leaving a white soot on the inside of the glass tube that forms the core of the optical fiber.

Why is the internal structure of the optical fiber initially in the form of a bulky rod called a preform?

The internal structure of the optical fiber is initially in the form of a preform to allow for the controlled thinning process that turns it into a fine optical fiber.

How is the preform thinned out to create the final optical fiber?

The preform is excised from the glass tube and installed vertically into a drawing tower, where it is heated to 2000°C, causing it to soften and be drawn out into a thin glass fiber.

What is the purpose of the UV lamps in the fiber optic manufacturing process?

The UV lamps are used to bake on an acrylic coating to the fiber, which protects it against dust and other contaminants.

Why are fiber optic cables more efficient than traditional copper cables?

Fiber optic cables are smaller and lighter, carry more information, require fewer repeaters, and are immune to electromagnetic interference, making them more efficient than traditional copper cables.

How does the manufacturing process ensure the fiber is precisely the right diameter?

A series of pulleys measure the tension on the fiber as it's being drawn, and a special monitor ensures the fiber is precisely the right diameter, just 5/1000 of an inch.

What makes fiber optic cables difficult to tap without detection?

Fiber optic cables are hard to tap without being detected due to their nature of transmitting data through light pulses, which can be easily monitored for any unauthorized access.