LDC401 & LDC401A Automated Cleavers
Chapter 9: Controlling the LDC401 and LDC401A
Page 46
TTN100064-D02
9.10. Setup Tips – Cleaving a New Fiber
The Tablet Controller comes configured with a number of default files and these may be adapted or reconfigured
as necessary to meet your requirements. If a fiber of different dimensions is to be cleaved for the first time, the
following procedure will get the system setup in the right way to give a good starting point.
1.
Use the Insert Selection tool in Tablet Controller to choose appropriately sized inserts for the dimensions
of the fiber and fit these in accordance with the Instructions in section 7.8.
2.
Use the Auto Parameter tool in Tablet Controller to get the recommended
Cleave Tension
,
Pre-Cleave
Advance
and
Scribe Delay
. Touching the tick will upload the Parameters to the LDC401.
3.
Prepare the fiber and load it to the machine.
4.
Start the cleave and
observe the blade
. Make sure that the blade completes its fast move forward (
Blade
Pre-Cleave Advance
) before it goes in to the oscillation phase. If it strikes the fiber before it starts
to oscillate, raise the RHS FHB Lid immediately to prevent damage to the blade, then check that
Blade
Offset
is correctly setup (are different sized fibers cleaved properly when using the recommended
Pre-
Cleave Advance
? If yes, adjust
Pre-Cleave Advance
, if not, adjust
Blade Offset
). In some cases it may
be necessary to adjust Pre-Cleave Advance from that recommended by the machine to prevent the fiber
being struck by the blade in this way, but typically this is not necessary.
5.
If the blade strikes the fiber a number of times but otherwise the process proceeds normally, it may be
necessary either to use the Micrometer Backstop ( if the fiber is large - 800µm and up ), or simply increase
Cleave Tension
, but speciality fibers require careful treatment as dealt with in other sections of this manual.
6.
From the toolbar, touch File, Save As to save the parameters to file.
With ‘regular’ silica based fibers this procedure can get good results immediately, but more speciality fibers may
require further work and the application of more advanced techniques. Technical assistance is available from Vytran
Thorlabs.
If one is available, it is useful to observe the end face of the fiber with an Interferometer if developing a new process.
Summary of Contents for Vytran LDC401
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