IEC 60793-1-3:2000

Applies to the tests of mechanical strength, ease of handling or the recognition of physical defects of primary coated or primary buffered optical glass fibres. The methods are to be used for inspection of fibres for commercial purposes.

Establishes uniform requirements for coating strippability. This test quantifies the force required to mechanically remove the protective coating from optical fibres along their longitudinal axis. The test is for fibres having polymeric coatings (or tight buffered) with nominal diameters in the range of 250 to 900 microns.

Describes methods for the determination of stress corrosion susceptibility parameters of optical fibres. Dynamic fatigue and static fatigue tests are used to determine stress corrosion susceptiblity parameters, dynamic n-value and static n-value. Five test methods are described: Dynamic and static n-value by axial tension, dynamic and static n-value by two-point bending, and static n-value by uniform bending. These tests provide values of the stress corrosion parameter, n, used for reliablilty calculations in IEC 62048.

Provides values of the tensile strength of optical fibre samples. Tensile strength values depend on the sample length, loading velocity and environmental conditions. The test can be used for inspection where statistical data on fibre strength is required. Results are reported by means of statistical quality control distribution.

Establishes uniform requirements for fibre curl or latent curvature in uncoated optical fibres. This is important in minimizing splice loss when using fusion splicers. Two methods are used: (a) side view microscopy, (b) laser beam scattering. Method (a) is the reference test method to resolve disputes.

Describes procedures for briefly applying a specified tensile load as a proof test to continuous lengths of optical fibre. The method is applicable to types A1, A2, A3 and B optical fibres.