Optical Fiber Wire UV Curing with Inert Gas Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing optical fiber wires face issues with non-uniform coating quality due to fogging of the ultraviolet transparent tube, which leads to insufficient UV radiation and increased volatilization of ultraviolet curable resin constituents, especially during longer manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
The method involves applying ultraviolet curable resin onto the optical fiber and cooling it with cooled inert gas before curing, using an ultraviolet transparent tube to ensure consistent UV radiation and prevent volatilization, thereby maintaining the quality of the coating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ultraviolet curable resin is applied and cured without cooling, then the curing process is simpler and faster, but the resin constituents volatilize and fog the ultraviolet transparent tube, reducing UV radiation quality
Solution Approach 1:
The ultraviolet curable resin is cooled by inert gas before the ultraviolet irradiation step. This preliminary cooling action prevents volatilization of resin constituents during curing, thereby preventing fogging of the ultraviolet transparent tube and maintaining uniform coating quality throughout the manufacturing process.
2Productivity
If the preform size is increased to draw longer optical fibers, then productivity increases, but the manufacturing process takes longer and fogging has more time to occur
Solution Approach 1:
By cooling the resin beforehand with inert gas, the system prevents fogging from occurring during extended manufacturing cycles. This allows longer optical fibers to be drawn from larger preforms without compromising coating quality consistency, thereby maintaining reliability while improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Inert gas is used to cool the ultraviolet curable resin and create a protective atmosphere that prevents volatilization and fogging. This inert environment maintains coating quality consistency even during prolonged manufacturing processes required for producing longer optical fibers from larger preforms.
3Productivity
If ultraviolet radiation is applied through a fogged tube, then the process continues without interruption, but the coating quality becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The resin is cooled before irradiation to prevent fogging, ensuring that the ultraviolet transparent tube remains clear throughout continuous manufacturing. This maintains both productivity and coating quality uniformity by preventing the fogging problem from occurring in the first place.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach stabilizes the coating quality along the optical fiber wire's length and allows for continuous operation without the issues of fogging and reduced UV radiation, ensuring a consistent and efficient manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
cooling the ultraviolet curable resin applied to the optical fiber using first cooled inert gas
Implementation Method 2
curing the ultraviolet curable resin by radiating an ultraviolet ray on the ultraviolet curable resin
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing an optical fiber wire includes applying ultraviolet curable resin onto the outer periphery of a traveling optical fiber, cooling the ultraviolet curable resin applied to the optical fiber using first cooled inert gas, and curing the ultraviolet curable resin by radiating ultraviolet rays on the ultraviolet curable resin that is cooled by the first cooled inert gas through an ultraviolet transparent tube.