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The polishing technique is the same with all the LC Hot Melt connectors.
To begin, start with an air polish.
You may use any coarse grit such as 9 micron lapping film.
Air polishing is done by holding the connector in one hand with the ferrule end face up and
gently rotating the lapping film in 1 inch circles over the tip of the ferrule.
This procedure is done to dull any sharp edges on the fiber end face.
Continue air polishing 10-15 circles or until approximately half of the blue bead is removed
from the ferrule.
This will reduce the time required to polish the connector.
Be very careful not to over polish during this step.
Excessive polishing will cause the end face of the fiber to fall below the tip of the
ferrule.
Each sheet of the 9 micron lapping film can be used for approximately 20 connectors.
Once you have finished the air polish, clean the round polishing pad provided in the Hot
Melt kit with a lint free cloth and isopropyl alcohol.
Place two drops of distilled water on the pad. It’s very important that the pad be
free of any dust or debris.
Place a sheet of 2 micron blue green lapping film on the pad, glossy side down and repeat
the cleaning process.
Also at this time, clean the polishing jig assembly with alcohol and a lint free cloth
and then place the jig on the lapping film.
Clean the ferrule and fiber end face.
Ensure that the ferrule has no hot melt on its outside diameter prior to inserting into
the jig assembly.
Place the connector with the ferrule end down into the polishing jig aligning the latch
inside of the connector with the cutout slot until the ferrule end stops on the polishing
pad.
Once the connector is seated fully in the jig, slide the polishing weight over the cable
and down into the polishing jig covering the connector.
The opening in the weight should be placed over the connector latch.
Holding the jig assembly level on the lapping film, the weight should pop up slightly indicating
that the ferrule can move freely.
The ferrule must be able to slide freely inside the hole in the jig.
If not, the jig hole may have adhesive in it that must be cleaned prior to proceeding
with the polishing process.
Use the cleaning pins provided in your LC expansion kit to scrape out the adhesive and
then begin the polishing process again.
Begin polishing by grasping the black knurled jig assembly and moving the jig in a figure
eight pattern.
The speed of your figure eights should be between 1 and 2 per second.
Perform 10 figure eights or polish until all blue adhesive has been removed from the tip
of the ferrule and then pick the entire jig assembly up being careful not to unseat the
connector and check to see if the adhesive has been removed.
If adhesive remains, continue to polish until all adhesive is removed.
Due to the size of the LC, you will not be able to feel when the adhesive has been removed.
Once the adhesive has been removed perform 5 additional figure eights.
Each sheet of the blue green, one step 2 micron lapping film can be used for 4 LC connectors.
If you are terminating a multimode connector you are now ready to inspect your termination
with the 3M brand 6365-VS View Scope and complete the final step of the termination process.
Terminating a single mode LC Hot Melt requires 2 additional polishing steps.
Take both square gray polishing pads from your kit.
Clean both the gray pads with a lint free cloth and isopropyl alcohol.
On the first pad place several drops of distilled water on the pad before placing a sheet of
pale gray, 1/2 micron diamond lapping film on the pad glossy side down.
On the second square gray polishing pad add several drops of distilled water on the pad
before placing a sheet of frosted white final polish lapping film on the pad glossy side
down.
Now clean both the pale gray and white lapping films on the pads with a lint free cloth and
distilled water on them.
The pads are now ready for polishing a single mode LC hot melt connector.
Place several drops of distilled water on each of the lapping film pads.
Leaving the connector seated in the jig assembly, clean the bottom of the polishing jig with
a lint free cloth and isopropyl alcohol.
Begin polishing by grasping the black knurled jig assembly and moving the jig in a figure
eight pattern.
The speed of your figure eights should be between 1 and 2 per second.
Perform 8 figure eights only.
Clean the bottom of the polishing jig assembly with a lint free cloth and alcohol prior to
placing it on the second white pad.
Begin polishing in a figure eight pattern.
The speed of your figure eights, again should be between 1 and 2 per second.
Perform 8 figure eights only.
Once this is done remove the connector from the polishing jig and clean with a lint free
cloth and isopropyl alcohol.