Method and system for synchronous testing of fiber connector insertion force and optical performance

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of optical communication test, and relates to a method and system for simultaneously testing the insertion and withdrawal force and optical performance of a fiber connector. The method comprises: constructing a synchronous test environment and setting the insertion and withdrawal speed, synchronously collecting the insertion and withdrawal force, displacement and real-time optical insertion loss data in the full stroke of insertion and withdrawal, and aligning the data based on displacement; calculating the mechanical stiffness anomaly index according to the rate of change of the insertion and withdrawal force with displacement and the real-time optical insertion loss, which is used to represent the microscopic jamming degree in the insertion and withdrawal process; calculating the optical force coupling strength in combination with the mechanical stiffness anomaly index and the fluctuation characteristics of the optical insertion loss to identify the optical signal anomaly caused by mechanical vibration; and calculating the connector comprehensive defect score in combination with the optical force coupling strength and the total mechanical work in the insertion and withdrawal process to determine the quality grade of the connector. The present application can effectively identify the dynamic hidden defects existing in the fiber connector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of optical communication testing technology, specifically relating to a method and system for synchronously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors. Background Technology

[0002] Fiber optic connectors, as crucial passive components in optical communication networks, are widely used in data centers, 5G mobile communication base stations, and long-distance transmission networks. Their intricate internal structure, including ceramic ferrules, high-precision guides, and elastic elements, directly determines the signal transmission quality and long-term stability of the optical link. With the continuous increase in communication speeds, the reliability requirements for connection devices in networks are becoming increasingly stringent.

[0003] Currently, the factory testing of fiber optic connectors typically involves two independent processes: First, mechanical performance testing is conducted using an insertion and extraction force testing machine. This step mainly focuses on the fit of the mechanical structure. By recording the maximum insertion force and minimum extraction force during the insertion and extraction process, it is determined whether the shell size tolerance fit is appropriate and whether the internal spring elasticity meets the standards. Second, optical performance testing is performed, which involves measuring the insertion loss and return loss indicators using a light source and an optical power meter in a static state where the connector is fully inserted and locked.

[0004] However, this testing mode, which separates dynamic insertion and removal mechanical actions from real-time optical signal transmission performance, has obvious technical blind spots. Traditional mechanical testing only focuses on the extreme values ​​of macroscopic force, while optical testing is limited to the static results after final locking. The lack of temporal and spatial correlation analysis between the two makes it impossible to reproduce the dynamic changes in optical signals during actual insertion and removal operations of the connector.

[0005] In actual production, microscopic defects that are difficult to detect with the naked eye may exist on the surface of internal components of connectors, such as tiny burrs in ceramic ferrules or guide sleeves, or uneven plating thickness. These microscopic defects can cause high-frequency stick-slip vibrations between contact surfaces during insertion and removal. Although these weak vibrations are not noticeable in terms of macroscopic force, they are fatal for optical transmission paths that require extremely high alignment precision. This vibration can cause micrometer-level misalignment or jitter on the ferrule end face at the moment of contact, resulting in millisecond-level optical signal interruption or severe power fluctuations.

[0006] Current technologies cannot capture such dynamic coupling anomalies, allowing some products with latent defects to pass traditional static factory tests. However, once these products are delivered and put into use, they are highly susceptible to signal packet loss or increased bit error rate when exposed to external environmental interference such as vibrations from data center fans or vehicle bumps, severely impacting the stability of communication networks. Therefore, the industry urgently needs a testing technology that can simultaneously monitor and correlate changes in mechanical motion processes with optical performance to accurately identify and intercept dynamic latent defects in fiber optic connectors. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to propose a method and system for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors, in order to solve the technical problem that the existing technology separates static insertion and extraction force testing from optical performance testing, which makes it impossible to detect transient fluctuations in optical signals caused by micro-mechanical vibrations during the insertion and extraction process, and thus cannot effectively identify dynamic latent defects in fiber optic connectors.

[0008] To address the above problems, the technical solution of the fiber optic connector insertion / extraction force and optical performance synchronous testing method proposed in this invention is as follows:

[0009] A method for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors includes:

[0010] A synchronous test environment was constructed and the insertion and extraction speed was set. Insertion and extraction force data, displacement data, and real-time optical insertion loss data were collected synchronously throughout the entire insertion and extraction stroke of the fiber optic connector. The insertion and extraction force data and real-time optical insertion loss data were mapped and aligned with the displacement data as the reference axis to obtain the data of each sampling point.

[0011] Based on the ratio of the insertion / extraction force difference to the displacement difference between the current sampling point and the previous sampling point, and combined with the standard reference stiffness and real-time optical insertion loss, the mechanical stiffness anomaly index of each sampling point is calculated. The mechanical stiffness anomaly index is used to characterize the degree of micro-stuck during the insertion / extraction process and the corresponding optical risk weight.

[0012] Based on the mechanical stiffness anomaly index and the deviation of the real-time optical insertion loss from the local average value, the optical-mechanical coupling strength of the entire insertion and extraction process is calculated. The optical-mechanical coupling strength is used to characterize the degree of correlation between mechanical micro-vibration and optical signal fluctuation.

[0013] The comprehensive defect score of the fiber optic connector is calculated based on the optical coupling strength and the total mechanical work done during the insertion and removal process; the comprehensive defect score is compared with a preset threshold to determine the quality level of the fiber optic connector.

[0014] This invention overcomes the data misalignment problem caused by minute fluctuations in insertion and removal speed in traditional time-domain analysis by constructing a synchronous testing environment and aligning multidimensional data with displacement as the reference axis. By calculating the mechanical stiffness anomaly index and optical coupling strength, this invention can capture the instantaneous optical signal fluctuations caused by microscopic jamming during insertion and removal from a physical mechanism perspective. This solves the technical problem that existing static tests cannot detect dynamic coupling defects and achieves accurate identification of hidden quality hazards in fiber optic connectors.

[0015] Furthermore, the construction of the synchronous test environment includes:

[0016] A testing system was built that includes a high-precision linear motor, a dynamic force sensor, a grating ruler, and a high-speed optical power meter;

[0017] A constant insertion and extraction speed is set using the high-precision linear motor. Insertion and extraction force data are collected by a dynamic force sensor, displacement data is collected by a grating ruler, and real-time optical insertion loss data is collected by a high-speed optical power meter. The sampling rate of the dynamic force sensor is synchronized with the sampling timing of the high-speed optical power meter.

[0018] Furthermore, the formula for calculating the mechanical stiffness anomaly index of each sampling point is as follows:

[0019]

[0020] In the formula, Indicates the first Mechanical stiffness anomaly index at each sampling point; and These represent the insertion and extraction forces at the current sampling point and the previous sampling point, respectively. and These represent the displacements of the current sampling point and the previous sampling point, respectively. This represents the preset minimum constant for preventing division by zero; Indicates displacement Standard reference stiffness at the location; Indicates the first Real-time optical insertion loss at each sampling point; Indicates the gain constant; This represents the function that takes the maximum value.

[0021] This scheme utilizes real-time optical insertion loss as a logarithmic weight term to achieve weighted fusion of mechanical and optical signals. This processing method enables the algorithm to automatically distinguish between mechanical friction in non-sensitive areas and key vibrations in optical path coupling areas. While amplifying key defect signals, it effectively suppresses mechanical noise interference in non-optical areas, thereby improving the detection sensitivity of defects in core functional areas.

[0022] Furthermore, the standard reference stiffness is obtained as follows:

[0023] A preset number of defect-free standard fiber optic connectors were selected for insertion and extraction tests to obtain standard insertion and extraction force-displacement curves.

[0024] The slope of each defect-free standard fiber optic connector at the current sampling point displacement is calculated by polynomial fitting and differentiation, and the average value of the slope is used as the standard reference stiffness.

[0025] This solution can effectively eliminate normal structural stiffness changes caused by spring compression or shell deformation, ensuring that the calculated mechanical stiffness anomaly index only reflects unexpected microscopic stagnation or abrupt changes, thereby eliminating the interference of the inherent design characteristics of fiber optic connectors on defect judgment.

[0026] Furthermore, the formula for calculating the optical-mechanical coupling intensity is as follows:

[0027]

[0028] In the formula, This indicates the optical coupling strength throughout the entire insertion and removal process; This represents the total number of valid sampling points in a single insertion / removal process. Indicates the first Mechanical stiffness anomaly index at each sampling point; Indicates the first Real-time optical insertion loss at each sampling point; Indicates the first Average optical loss of the local sliding window at each sampling point; This represents the smoothing constant.

[0029] This scheme calculates the optical-mechanical coupling strength to achieve time-domain cross-correlation analysis of mechanical abrupt changes and optical signal fluctuations. That is, the index will only increase significantly when mechanical jamming and optical loss jump occur at the same location simultaneously. This method can effectively eliminate misjudgments caused by simple shell interference friction or simple light source noise, and accurately locate the cause of signal packet loss.

[0030] Furthermore, the formula for calculating the average optical loss of the local sliding window is as follows: taking the current sampling point as the center, select the real-time optical insertion loss data of a preset number of sampling points before and after, and calculate their arithmetic mean as the average optical loss of the local sliding window.

[0031] Furthermore, the formula for calculating the comprehensive defect score is as follows:

[0032]

[0033] In the formula, This indicates the overall defect score of the fiber optic connector. This represents the transient defect weighting coefficient; This indicates the intensity of the optical-mechanical coupling; This represents the mechanical work weighting coefficient; and They represent the first The sampling point and the first Insertion and extraction force at each sampling point; and They represent the first The sampling point and the first Displacement of each sampling point; This represents the total number of valid sampling points; and is related to the mechanical work weighting coefficient. The term being multiplied represents the total mechanical work.

[0034] The comprehensive defect scoring formula proposed in this scheme combines microscopic transient coupling analysis with macroscopic mechanical work evaluation. It can identify microscopic structural damage that affects signal transmission, while also taking into account macroscopic fit tolerances that affect feel and assembly, thus achieving a comprehensive evaluation of the physical and optical performance of fiber optic connectors.

[0035] Furthermore, determining the quality level of the fiber optic connector includes:

[0036] If the comprehensive defect score exceeds the preset rejection threshold, the fiber optic connector is deemed unqualified. When deemed unqualified, if the product of the transient defect weight coefficient and the optical-mechanical coupling strength is greater than the preset proportion of the comprehensive defect score, a microstructural defect is determined to exist. If the value of the item corresponding to the mechanical work weight coefficient is greater than the preset proportion of the comprehensive defect score, there is a risk of excessive tightness or wear.

[0037] Furthermore, after determining the quality level of the fiber optic connector, the process also includes:

[0038] A two-dimensional fault analysis coordinate system is established, with the total mechanical work during the insertion and removal process as the first dimension and the optical-mechanical coupling strength as the second dimension.

[0039] The total mechanical work and optical coupling strength obtained from the test are mapped to the two-dimensional fault analysis coordinate system. The specific defect type of the fiber optic connector is determined according to the region where the mapping point is located. The defect type includes qualified products, optical path contamination, mechanical wear and structural defects.

[0040] The technical solution of the fiber optic connector insertion / extraction force and optical performance synchronous testing system proposed in this invention is as follows:

[0041] A system for synchronously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores computer program instructions. When the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the method for synchronously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors as described in any of the above technical solutions is implemented.

[0042] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By constructing a synchronous testing system for the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors, this invention utilizes a displacement reference to eliminate data deviations caused by sensor response delays, ensuring a strict spatial correspondence between mechanical stress and optical transmission performance. This invention introduces a mechanical stiffness anomaly index and an optical-mechanical coupling strength analysis model. By capturing the correlation characteristics between microscopic stiffness mutations and optical insertion loss fluctuations during the insertion and extraction stroke, it solves the technical problem that traditional static testing cannot identify dynamic signal interruptions caused by stick-slip effects. Simultaneously, this invention organically combines microscopic transient defect detection with macroscopic mechanical work evaluation. This not only accurately locates structural hazards causing signal anomalies but also effectively distinguishes different types of fault modes such as optical path contamination, mechanical wear, and abnormal fit tolerances. This achieves comprehensive screening of potential product risks and effectively improves the communication reliability and quality control level of fiber optic connectors under complex actual operating conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the steps in the method for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of an optical fiber connector in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram comparing the data acquisition results of the prior art and the present invention in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a waveform diagram of the mechanical-optical transient coupling characteristic analysis in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a scatter plot showing the distribution of the overall quality assessment of connectors in this embodiment of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0048] Specific embodiments of the fiber optic connector insertion / extraction force and optical performance synchronous testing method proposed in this invention:

[0049] like Figure 1 As shown, the method for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0050] S1. Construct a synchronous test environment and set the insertion and extraction speed. Synchronously collect insertion and extraction force data, displacement data, and real-time optical insertion loss data throughout the entire insertion and extraction stroke of the fiber optic connector. Map and align the insertion and extraction force data and real-time optical insertion loss data with the displacement data as the reference axis to obtain the data of each sampling point.

[0051] In this step, a precision testing platform with high mechanical rigidity is first constructed to eliminate the interference of environmental vibration and mechanical deformation on the microscopic measurement results. This precision testing platform mainly integrates a high-precision linear motor, a dynamic force sensor, a grating ruler, and a high-speed optical power meter. The high-precision linear motor serves as the drive source, equipped with a high-performance closed-loop control system to drive the fiber optic connector to perform insertion and extraction movements at a set constant speed. The closed-loop control effectively suppresses motor thrust fluctuations, ensuring the smoothness of the movement process. For sensing and detection, a dynamic force sensor with strong dynamic response capability is selected to perceive the insertion and extraction resistance in real time. Its sampling rate is no less than 1kHz, which can completely capture the high-frequency stick-slip vibration signals generated by microscopic defects on the contact surface during the insertion and extraction process. Simultaneously, a grating ruler with a resolution better than 1μm is rigidly connected to the moving parts to accurately record displacement information during the insertion and extraction process in real time. Optical performance monitoring is completed through a high-speed optical power meter. The sampling triggering mechanism of this high-speed power meter is strictly synchronized with the dynamic force sensor to ensure the consistency of the photoelectric signal in the time dimension.

[0052] In the specific implementation process, a constant insertion and extraction speed is first set in the control system, for example... The speed value was chosen to reflect typical manual insertion and removal conditions while ensuring the repeatability of the test data. After the test was started, the data acquisition system synchronously recorded three dimensions of time-series data during the entire insertion and removal cycle of the fiber optic connector: insertion and removal force data, displacement data, and real-time optical insertion loss data that change over time.

[0053] Given the slight physical delays in signal response time among different types of sensors, and considering that the physical basis for analyzing the correlation between mechanical defects and optical performance lies in the overlap of spatial positions rather than the overlap of time points, the data processing does not directly rely on the time axis. This embodiment employs a data processing strategy with displacement data as the absolute reference axis. Through linear interpolation or equidistant resampling algorithms, the insertion / extraction force values ​​and real-time optical insertion loss values, originally based on time sampling, are mapped to a unified displacement coordinate system, thereby obtaining the corresponding data for each sampling point at a specific displacement position.

[0054] Through this multi-dimensional synchronous data acquisition and spatial domain mapping alignment mechanism, this step can eliminate the timing error caused by sensor response lag, ensuring that every mechanical mutation feature and optical loss fluctuation feature in the subsequent analysis strictly corresponds to the same physical contact position.

[0055] S2. Based on the ratio of the insertion / extraction force difference to the displacement difference between the current sampling point and the previous sampling point, and combined with the standard reference stiffness and real-time optical insertion loss, calculate the mechanical stiffness anomaly index of each sampling point. The mechanical stiffness anomaly index is used to characterize the degree of microscopic jamming during the insertion / extraction process and the corresponding optical risk weight.

[0056] Unlike conventional testing methods that focus solely on the absolute magnitude of the insertion / extraction force, this step focuses on analyzing the rate of change of the insertion / extraction force relative to displacement. From a physics perspective, the first derivative of the insertion / extraction force with respect to displacement represents the real-time contact stiffness of the interface. In an ideal insertion / extraction process, when the ferrule moves smoothly, the change curve of its contact stiffness is continuous and smooth. However, if microscopic jamming or a stick-slip effect occurs within the fiber optic connector, the insertion / extraction force value will oscillate violently within an extremely short micrometer-level displacement range, resulting in significant abrupt changes in the calculated stiffness value.

[0057] To assess this abrupt change in stiffness caused by microscopic defects, this step constructs a calculation model for the mechanical stiffness anomaly index, with the specific calculation formula as follows:

[0058]

[0059] In the formula, Indicates the first Mechanical stiffness anomaly index at each sampling point; and These represent the insertion and extraction forces at the current sampling point and the previous sampling point, respectively. and These represent the displacements of the current sampling point and the previous sampling point, respectively. This represents the preset minimum constant for preventing division by zero; in this embodiment, the value is taken as... This is used to prevent the denominator from being zero. This indicates the real-time optical insertion loss at the current sampling point; This represents the gain constant, which is 10 in this embodiment; This represents the function that takes the maximum value.

[0060] Indicates displacement The standard reference stiffness at the sampling point is a benchmark for evaluating the mechanical performance of fiber optic connectors. It is obtained by performing insertion and extraction tests on at least 50 defect-free standard fiber optic connectors under identical test conditions. The standard insertion and extraction force-displacement curves are then obtained, and the curves are smoothed using a polynomial fitting algorithm before differentiation. This yields the slope of each defect-free standard fiber optic connector at the current sampling point displacement. This slope objectively represents the smooth feel and contact stiffness expected of a high-quality fiber optic connector.

[0061] The formula contains logarithmic terms that include real-time optical insertion loss and gain constant. This is to achieve cross-modal fusion of mechanical and optical data. Its physical significance lies in dynamically adjusting the sensitivity to mechanical anomalies based on the transmission quality of the optical signal. When the real-time optical insertion loss is high, such as during periods of poor contact or optical path misalignment, the logarithmic value will change accordingly, thereby altering the amplification factor of the mechanical stiffness anomaly. Conversely, when the optical path is fully conductive and the real-time optical insertion loss approaches zero, this term approaches a constant. This design mechanism ensures that the algorithm can not only detect fluctuations in force values ​​but also assess the potential risk of these mechanical fluctuations to signal transmission using the magnitude of optical loss.

[0062] This step, by introducing a mechanical stiffness anomaly index, shifts the focus from the macroscopic magnitude of force to the microscopic changes in stiffness, specifically the derivative of force with respect to displacement. The mechanical stiffness anomaly index can sensitively detect instantaneous stick-slip phenomena caused by microscopic burrs on the ceramic ferrule end face, uneven coating thickness, or foreign matter. Furthermore, through weighted fusion of optical insertion loss data, it enables precise location and highly sensitive detection of critical microscopic mechanical defects occurring in sensitive areas of the optical path.

[0063] S3. Based on the mechanical stiffness anomaly index and the deviation of the real-time optical insertion loss from the local average value, calculate the optical-mechanical coupling strength of the entire insertion and extraction process. The optical-mechanical coupling strength is used to characterize the correlation between mechanical micro-vibration and optical signal fluctuation.

[0064] In practical applications, simple mechanical jitter may not necessarily constitute a fatal defect if it does not affect the transmission of optical signals. Similarly, simple fluctuations in optical power may only be light source noise if they are not caused by structural problems. Only when the sudden change in stiffness in the mechanical dimension and the instantaneous interruption of signal in the optical dimension are highly synchronized in the time domain can it be judged as a serious structural hazard.

[0065] To evaluate this synchronous coupling effect, this invention constructs a photomechanical coupling intensity model, the specific calculation formula of which is as follows:

[0066]

[0067] In the formula, This indicates the optical coupling strength throughout the entire insertion and removal process; This represents the total number of valid sampling points in a single insertion / removal process. This indicates that the first step calculated in step S2 is... Mechanical stiffness anomaly index at each sampling point; Indicates the first Real-time optical insertion loss at each sampling point; Indicates the first Average optical loss of the local sliding window at each sampling point; This represents the smoothing constant, which is set to 0.01 in this embodiment.

[0068] The method for obtaining the average optical loss of the local sliding window is as follows: taking each current sampling point as the center, select a preset number of sampling points before and after it, such as 10 points before and after, and calculate the arithmetic mean of the real-time optical insertion loss of these sampling points as the average optical loss of the local sliding window at that position.

[0069] The square of the difference between the real-time optical insertion loss at the current sampling point and the average optical loss of the local sliding window is used to filter out the slow DC drift trend caused by the change in optical loss with the insertion and removal distance.

[0070] Analysis of the optical-mechanical coupling strength model reveals that a significant numerical contribution is made when, at a specific location, a significant mechanical jamming occurs in the fiber optic connector, leading to an abnormal increase in mechanical stiffness, and this mechanical jamming simultaneously induces a drastic optical signal jump, resulting in an increase in the optical fluctuation term. This product of the two factors significantly boosts the final optical-mechanical coupling strength. Conversely, if only mechanical interference such as shell friction exists without affecting the optical path, or if only random noise from the light source exists without mechanical anomalies, the aforementioned product term will remain at a low level. Through this computational mechanism, this invention can effectively eliminate false positives and accurately distinguish structural hazards that truly cause signal packet loss due to mechanical micro-vibrations, thus achieving precise judgment of the cause of communication failures.

[0071] S4. Calculate the comprehensive defect score of the fiber optic connector based on the optical coupling strength and the total mechanical work during the insertion and removal process; compare the comprehensive defect score with a preset threshold to determine the quality level of the fiber optic connector.

[0072] This invention organically combines the potential risks of transient signals at the microscopic level with the mechanical assembly performance at the macroscopic level. It ensures that the fiber optic connector does not suffer from structural damage at the microscopic level that could lead to signal packet loss, while also ensuring that it meets the requirements for insertion and removal feel and fit tolerances at the macroscopic level.

[0073] Specifically, the formula for calculating the comprehensive defect score is as follows:

[0074]

[0075] In the formula, This indicates the overall defect score of the fiber optic connector. This represents the transient defect weighting coefficient, which is set to 1 in this embodiment, and its unit is mm / N; This indicates the intensity of the optical-mechanical coupling; This represents the mechanical work weighting coefficient, which is set to 0.05 in this embodiment, and its unit is 1 / (N·mm). and They represent the first The sampling point and the first Insertion and extraction force at each sampling point; and They represent the first The sampling point and the first Displacement of each sampling point; This represents the total number of valid sampling points.

[0076] As can be seen from the above calculation formula, the comprehensive defect scoring model mainly consists of two parts: the first part is the optomechanical coupling strength term reflecting the integrity of dynamic signals, and the second part is the total mechanical work term reflecting the mechanical fit state. The calculation of the total mechanical work employs the trapezoidal numerical integration method, that is, accumulating the product of the average insertion / extraction force and the displacement increment for each sampling interval on the force-displacement curve. Physically speaking, this integration process calculates the area under the insertion / extraction force-displacement curve, accurately representing the total energy consumed by the connector to overcome frictional resistance and spring potential energy throughout the entire insertion / extraction stroke.

[0077] After obtaining the comprehensive defect score, the system first compares it with a preset rejection threshold. If the score exceeds the rejection threshold, the fiber optic connector is directly determined to be a defective product. Based on this, to guide improvements in the production process, the system further executes fault attribution analysis logic. Specifically, it calculates the contribution ratio of the optical coupling strength and mechanical work items in the comprehensive defect score: if the optical coupling strength item contributes the majority of the score (i.e., the product of the transient defect weight coefficient and the optical coupling strength is greater than the preset ratio of the comprehensive defect score), the defective product is determined to have microstructural defects, such as damage to the ceramic ferrule end face or internal suspended contaminants. These defects mainly affect signal transmission stability. If the total mechanical work item contributes the majority of the score (i.e., the value of the total mechanical work item is greater than the preset ratio of the comprehensive defect score), the defective product is determined to have a risk of excessive tightness or mechanical wear. These defects mainly affect the connector's mating life and interchangeability. In this embodiment, the preset ratio is set to 50%. Of course, in other embodiments, it can be adjusted according to the tolerance of the specific product, for example, setting the preset ratio to 40% or 60%.

[0078] By establishing a two-dimensional fault analysis coordinate system with the total mechanical work during the insertion and removal process as the first dimension and the optical coupling strength as the second dimension, the total mechanical work and optical coupling strength obtained from the test can be mapped onto this two-dimensional fault analysis coordinate system. Based on the region where the mapping point is located, the products can be clearly divided into qualified products, optical path contaminated products, mechanically worn products, and structurally defective products, thereby achieving precise control over the quality of fiber optic connectors.

[0079] The following combination Figures 2-4 The solution and effects of the present invention will be further explained.

[0080] Figure 2A comparative diagram of existing technology detection data and synchronously acquired data from this invention is presented. In the diagram, the horizontal axis represents insertion / removal displacement, the left vertical axis represents insertion / removal force values, and the right vertical axis represents optical insertion loss values. The curve composed of sparse discrete points in the diagram represents the low-frequency discrete sampling results of the existing technology. The force curve shown is too smooth, and the corresponding optical insertion loss curve is approximately a straight line, failing to reflect the dynamic characteristics during the insertion / removal process. In contrast, the high-frequency insertion / removal force curve obtained by the embodiment of this invention exhibits obvious sawtooth-shaped high-frequency jitter characteristics in the middle of the displacement, while the optical insertion loss curve shows transient spike fluctuations at the corresponding displacement moments. This intuitive comparison fully demonstrates that the synchronous high-frequency acquisition scheme adopted in this invention can effectively capture transient defects that are difficult for existing technologies to detect.

[0081] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the waveforms used in the transient coupling characteristic analysis of mechanical and optical systems. The waveforms depicted by dashed lines represent the mechanical stiffness anomaly index calculated using the method described in this invention. This index exhibits a sudden spike at the displacement point where a defect exists. The waveforms depicted by solid lines represent the calculated optomechanical coupling intensity. A horizontal straight line is also included in the diagram as a defect detection threshold. When the value of the optomechanical coupling intensity curve exceeds this horizontal threshold, it indicates that the system has detected a structural vulnerability caused by mechanical micro-vibrations leading to optical signal anomalies. This diagram visually demonstrates how this invention establishes a causal relationship between microscopic mechanical stiffness abrupt changes and optical signal fluctuations in the time domain through a mathematical model.

[0082] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates the scatter plot of the comprehensive quality assessment results for fiber optic connectors. The horizontal axis represents the total mechanical work done against friction during the insertion / removal process, and the vertical axis represents the optical coupling strength throughout the process. Based on the clustering characteristics of the data, this coordinate plane is divided into four quadrants. The lower left quadrant contains data points with low values ​​for both total mechanical work and optical coupling strength, representing qualified products with excellent performance across all indicators. The upper left quadrant shows high optical coupling strength but low total mechanical work, indicating that the fiber optic connector has optical path contamination but normal mechanical fit. The lower right quadrant shows high total mechanical work but low optical coupling strength, indicating that the fiber optic connector has a risk of overly tight fit or mechanical wear, but this does not affect optical signal transmission. The upper right quadrant contains data points with high values ​​for both, indicating serious structural defects in the fiber optic connector that affect both mechanical fit and optical signal instability. This distribution diagram demonstrates that this invention can not only effectively detect defective products but also accurately classify the causes of failures based on the data mapping location.

[0083] Specific embodiments of the fiber optic connector insertion / extraction force and optical performance synchronous testing system proposed in this invention:

[0084] The fiber optic connector insertion / extraction force and optical performance synchronous testing system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores computer program instructions. When the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the fiber optic connector insertion / extraction force and optical performance synchronous testing method in the above embodiments is implemented.

[0085] The fiber optic connector insertion and extraction force and optical performance synchronous testing system also includes other components well known to those skilled in the art, such as communication buses and communication interfaces. Their setup and functions are known in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0086] While various embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in this specification, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Many modifications, alterations, and alternatives will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and essence of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors, characterized in that, include: A synchronous test environment was constructed and the insertion and extraction speed was set. Insertion and extraction force data, displacement data and real-time optical insertion loss data were collected synchronously throughout the entire insertion and extraction stroke of the fiber optic connector. Using displacement data as the reference axis, the insertion and extraction force data and real-time optical insertion loss data are mapped and aligned to obtain the data for each sampling point; Based on the ratio of the insertion / extraction force difference to the displacement difference between the current sampling point and the previous sampling point, and combined with the standard reference stiffness and real-time optical insertion loss, the mechanical stiffness anomaly index of each sampling point is calculated. The calculation formula is as follows: , Indicates the first Mechanical stiffness anomaly index at each sampling point and These represent the insertion and extraction forces at the current sampling point and the previous sampling point, respectively. and These represent the displacements of the current sampling point and the previous sampling point, respectively. This represents the preset minimum constant for preventing division by zero. Indicates displacement The standard reference stiffness at that location Indicates the first Real-time optical insertion loss at each sampling point Represents the gain constant. This represents the maximum value function; the mechanical stiffness anomaly index is used to characterize the degree of microscopic jamming during the insertion and removal process and the corresponding optical risk weight; Based on the mechanical stiffness anomaly index and the deviation of the real-time optical insertion loss from the local average value, the optical-mechanical coupling strength during the entire insertion and extraction process is calculated using the following formula: , This indicates the optical coupling strength throughout the entire insertion and removal process. This represents the total number of valid sampling points in a single insertion / removal process. Indicates the first Average optical loss of the local sliding window at each sampling point The smoothing constant is represented; the optical-mechanical coupling strength is used to characterize the degree of correlation between mechanical micro-vibrations and optical signal fluctuations. The comprehensive defect score of the fiber optic connector is calculated based on the optical-mechanical coupling strength and the total mechanical work done during the insertion and removal process. The overall defect score is compared with a preset threshold to determine the quality level of the fiber optic connector.

2. The method for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that, The construction of the synchronous test environment includes: A testing system was built that includes a high-precision linear motor, a dynamic force sensor, a grating ruler, and a high-speed optical power meter; A constant insertion and extraction speed is set using the high-precision linear motor. Insertion and extraction force data are collected by a dynamic force sensor, displacement data is collected by a grating ruler, and real-time optical insertion loss data is collected by a high-speed optical power meter. The sampling rate of the dynamic force sensor is synchronized with the sampling timing of the high-speed optical power meter.

3. The method for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that, The standard reference stiffness is obtained as follows: A preset number of defect-free standard fiber optic connectors were selected for insertion and extraction tests to obtain standard insertion and extraction force-displacement curves. The slope of each defect-free standard fiber optic connector at the current sampling point displacement is calculated by polynomial fitting and differentiation, and the average value of the slope is used as the standard reference stiffness.

4. The method for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that, The formula for calculating the average optical loss of the local sliding window is as follows: taking the current sampling point as the center, select the real-time optical insertion loss data of a preset number of sampling points before and after, and calculate their arithmetic mean as the average optical loss of the local sliding window.

5. The method for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that, The formula for calculating the comprehensive defect score is as follows: In the formula, This indicates the overall defect score of the fiber optic connector. This represents the transient defect weighting coefficient; This indicates the intensity of the optical-mechanical coupling; This represents the mechanical work weighting coefficient; and They represent the first The sampling point and the first Insertion and extraction force at each sampling point; and They represent the first The sampling point and the first Displacement of each sampling point; This represents the total number of valid sampling points; and is related to the mechanical work weighting coefficient. The term being multiplied represents the total mechanical work.

6. The method for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors according to claim 5, characterized in that, The determination of the quality level of the fiber optic connector includes: If the comprehensive defect score exceeds the preset rejection threshold, the fiber optic connector is deemed unqualified. When unqualified, if the product of the transient defect weight coefficient and the optical-mechanical coupling strength is greater than the preset proportion of the comprehensive defect score, a microstructural defect is determined to exist. If the total mechanical work item corresponding to the mechanical work weight coefficient is greater than the preset proportion of the comprehensive defect score, there is a risk of excessive tightness or wear.

7. The method for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that, After determining the quality level of the fiber optic connector, the method further includes: A two-dimensional fault analysis coordinate system is established, with the total mechanical work during the insertion and removal process as the first dimension and the optical-mechanical coupling strength as the second dimension. The total mechanical work and optical coupling strength obtained from the test are mapped to the two-dimensional fault analysis coordinate system. The specific defect type of the fiber optic connector is determined according to the region where the mapping point is located. The defect type includes qualified products, optical path contamination, mechanical wear and structural defects.

8. A system for simultaneously testing the insertion and extraction force and optical performance of fiber optic connectors, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing computer program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, implement the method for synchronous testing of fiber optic connector insertion and extraction force and optical performance as described in any one of claims 1-7.

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