Specific technical training in fiber optics

The company specialized in fiber optic telecommunications with more than 20 years of experience in the sector, fibercom , will hold a training session specialized in fiber optic installation on May 28, 29 and 30 in Zaragoza.

This unique training day in Spain, with a limit of twelve students per session, guarantees personalized treatment and the optimal completion of the internships, which will allow attendees to become specialists for the installation of fiber optics.

Combining in depth, theory (one third of the time) and practice (two thirds of the time), they are carried out in full-day sessions, from 9.30 to 19 hours. In the sessions, all the materials and equipment necessary for an optimal installation are used, such as splicers, cutters, FO tools , power meters and OTDR .

It is aimed at installers with or without experience who wish to acquire or refresh professional knowledge that will allow them to tackle the realization of any type of optical network, and their clear objective is to provide training that allows materially realizing any type of fiber optic infrastructure.

Read more @ fiber certification

To verify the continuity of the optical fibers,

Continuity check

To verify the continuity of the optical fibers, a visual continuity plotter, a visual fault locator or an optical loss test device (OLTS) must be used. Trace the fiber from point to point through any interconnection to ensure that the fiber path is properly installed and that the polarization and routing are correct and documented. 

Insertion losses

Insertion losses refer to the optical losses of the installed fibers when tested with an optical loss test equipment (OLTS). It is better to test multimode cables using Method B of TIA / EIA 526-14 (always document the method used) and single-mode cables using TIA / EIA 526-7.   

Test multimode fibers at 850 and 1300 nm and single-mode fibers at 1310 and 1550 nm, unless the standards or the customer require other values. 

Test the reference cables before the test to verify the quality and clean them frequently. 
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Those cables that will be used with high-speed systems and laser sources must be tested with suitable laser sources to ensure their operation with this type of source. 

If a large coil (equivalent to 40 cm) is used as a mandrel

If a large coil (equivalent to 40 cm) is used as a mandrel to pull the cable, the jacket of the cables of tight structure can be pulled in the wiring facilities in the internal plant. Wrap the cord around the coil 5 times and hold it gently when pulling.

It must not exceed the maximum value of the tensile tension. Manufacturers and suppliers of conduits, corrugated pipes and cable lubricants should be consulted for guidelines on stress values ??and lubricant use.

When pulling long cables in corrugated conduits or subducts (up to 3 miles or 5 kilometers on the outer floor or hundreds of meters on internal plant wiring), the appropriate cable lubricant should be used, but make sure it is compatible with the jacket of the cable. If possible, use a cable handle with tension control and / or an individual hitch swivel. In long-term cable runs on an external floor (more than 2.5 miles or 4 kilometers), the cable must be pulled to both ends or an automatic cable puller must be used at one or more intermediate points for a continuous run.   

When resting the fiber loops on a surface while making a roll, it must be supported in the form of an "8 figure" to avoid twisting the cable.

Read more @ cable installer certification

Are there independent instructors

Are there independent instructors in your area such as the FOA approved institutes? Does it cover what you need to know? Does the instructor have the latest version of the equipment necessary for training?   Will you receive training on your equipment?   Does the instructor have experience and know the products and technology?   Can the instructor offer the manufacturer's certification, as well as other certifications?

Where is the training offered? Transportation costs can significantly increase training costs. 

Remember that FOA-approved institutions often offer other types of classes and not only those of Certified Fiber Optic Technician (CFOT). For more information, consult your FOA-approved institution or the online list of FOA-approved institutions.

Security

Safety in the external plant is a very important issue, beyond the usual fiber problems such as protecting the eyes from fiber fragments or working with potentially dangerous chemicals. The route must be cleared by calling the relevant services first to ensure that no cables or pipes are buried in the planned route. Installers who work with machinery that installs cables need to be trained to operate them safely. Aerial installations are particularly dangerous since the poles generally have electrical cables nearby.    Each work in an external plant must have the safety procedures published and all personnel must be informed on how to proceed.

Safety in the laboratory or in the work area should be everyone's priority. In addition to the common safety issues for construction, which are regulated in the Employee Rights in the Workplace (OSHA), which all contractors and installers should know, work with fiber optics includes eye safety, chemicals, sparks caused by fusion splices, the removal of fiber fragments and other issues.  Before beginning an installation, safety standards should be attached to the classroom wall, the laboratory wall, and the work area, and should be reviewed together with personnel in the work area. In addition to construction safety clothing, all personnel must wear eye protection when working with fibers.

Read more: fiber optic installation jobs

Provision of equipment for installation personnel

The cables terminate within facilities where they connect with telecommunications equipment.   In general, external plant cables do not meet the flammability requirements established by the NEC, so the cable entering a building must end in indoor cables, or be spliced ?? to indoor cables as soon as it enters, usually, within 16 meters to comply with fire codes.  Some external plant cables have double sheathing, one exterior for exterior and one interior for internal use so that the exterior can be removed for use within the building and the cable reaches the equipment room. Those cables that terminate on pedestals or vaults do not have this requirement.

In general, external plant single-mode cables end in connectorized fiber cables (pigtails) and the splices are installed in a junction box. Multimode fibers can be handled in the same way or terminated directly in the fibers. Almost all external plant cables require the installation of a kit to protect the fiber termination (breakout kit) that wears each fiber optic with a tube strong enough for direct termination.

 Provision of tools for the installer

When the installation time is approaching, it is time to decide how to equip the staff that will perform the work. Choosing equipment for installation and testing is important, as it will affect the time it will take for installation and its quality, and even determine the profitability of the work. The frequency with which problems caused by tools appear is shocking: due to its poor design, incorrect use, poor condition or lack of familiarity with its use. 

Also read: fiber optics technician jobs

Installation tools include some large ones such as crane trucks, trenchers, cable handles or trailers. In the planning stage it will be determined if these tools are needed. Many contractors do not have expensive equipment like these, so it is more profitable to rent them as needed. If your staff is not familiar with particular equipment, it will be more profitable to delegate work to someone who has the equipment and qualified personnel,
 since errors in the operation of the equipment would be
disastrous (both costly and dangerous). 

components that are delivered in the work area

Those components that are delivered in the work area may require security. Theft can be a problem, particularly for cables, as many thieves think that all cables contain copper, and the price of copper makes it worth stealing them. Vandalism is another problem since it requires that the components be kept locked or, if they cannot be stored because they are very large, such as cable reels or corrugated subduct for fiber optics, security will be needed at night. 

Then, one must schedule the work. Again, the calculations will tell us how many installers are needed, how much experience they should have and how long it is estimated that they will finish the installation.   If some training is required, more time should be added to the program.

Once the work and materials are on the schedule, the planning is almost complete.   Review the schedule with all the people involved to start working and start the processes, starting with the acquisition of the materials. Then a review of the safety standards for supervisors, installers and for all those who may be in the work area must be added to the planning. Notes should also be added for saving all scrap of cables, connectors, etc. and inform the user, in case they are needed in a future restoration. 

If the work start date is not tomorrow (because the client wanted it for yesterday ...) and you have other projects in the interim, check this schedule daily to see if everything is on time, to avoid surprises at the last moment.

Also Read : certified fiber optic technician

Mandatory vs. optional tests

Testing the entire cable network implies that insertion loss tests are carried out with a light source and a power meter, or with an optical loss test equipment (OLTS) in accordance with the OFSTP-14 test procedure of the TIA standard for multimode or OFSTP-7 for single mode. The test plan must specify the method to set the reference level of “0 dB” chosen (one, two or three reference wires), as this will affect the value of the loss. The TIA 568 standard recommends the reference of a cable, but this may not be an option for all combinations of testing equipment and cable network connectors.

OTDR tests are not mandatory, nor are they sufficient in themselves to obtain the certification of the cable network. However, long runs of external plant cable that include splices can be tested with an OTDR to verify the operation of the splices and detect possible problems caused by tension in the cable during installation. While there are those who defend the OTDR to test all types of cable network installations, including short wiring in the internal plant, it is not mandatory according to industry standards nor is it recommended for wiring in the internal plant.

Coordination of tests and documentation

The test plan must be coordinated with the documentation of the cable network. This should indicate the links to be tested and the expected results according to the estimated optical loss calculations. Likewise, the test plan must specify the way in which the test data will be included in the documentation in order for the installation to be accepted and in case it should be consulted because of possible future problems that require an emergency restoration.
Read more @ cfot salary