Contributed by Vladimir Grozdanovic

Tools For Installers Overview 

Download a list of tools for installation here. (PDF, 100kB)

In the process of installing and preparing fiber optic cables for fusion and mechanical splicing, a number of special tools are required. The types of tools may vary by the types of cable and fibers being prepared. Different tools are required for loose tube, tight buffer, hard ribbon and flexible ribbon cables, and even different tools for fibers with 900, 250 or 200 micron buffer coating. Even for the same purpose and component, different tool manufacturers may offer different styles of tools for the same purpose, based on user preferences.

There are hundreds of manufacturers of fiber optic tools, but the most well-known companies involved in the production and sale of these tools are Ripley (Miller) and Jonard. Many fiber optic companies offer their own tools also. One should be cautious about the source of the tools as there are numerous counterfeit tools being sold online that are of substandard quality.

The most common fiber optic tools are the following:

·      cable jacket slitter

·      drop cable stripper

·      Kevlar cutter/scissors

·      Buffer tube cutter

·      midspan access tool

·      fiber stripper

·      fiber cleaver

In addition, the fiber installer’s toolkit should also include some standard tools such as needle nose pliers and an electrician’s cable knife. And a fiber optic cleaning kit will be required for cleaning fibers before cleaving for splicing or termination.

One of the most important tools for working with cables is the longitudinal cable sheath cutting tool or cable jacket slitter. There are many different models available on the market for specific types and diameters of cables. The better variants allow both longitudinal and transverse sheath cutting.

Some tools have fixed blades, while others are adjustable. On most cable jacket strippers, the method and depth of cable cutting can be selected by adjusting the steel blade on the tool. With fixed-blade tools, once the cable diameter is determined, it is simply placed into the appropriate groove, and two cuts are made longitudinally on the cable sheath by pulling the tool along the cable.

Figure 1. Cable jacket slitter with fixed blades

Jacket tools with adjustable blades first require the placement of the cable and adjustment to its diameter, followed by setting the cutting depth.

Figure 2. Cable jacket cutters for transverse and longitudinal cable sheath cutting with adjustable blade

A drop stripper is used for FTTH flat drop cables, allowing for transverse cutting and sheath removal. The pliers have a specific scale for determining the cable length before cutting.

Figure 3. Drop stripper

There are specially designed tools for longitudinal and transverse cutting of indoor optical cable jackets, such as breakout cable and riser cables.

Figure 4. Window shaving tool (Jonard.com)

After removing the cable sheath, there is generally a layer of aramid fiber (Kevlar is the brand name) strength members. Due to the strength of aramid fibers like Kevlar, special scissors or cutters are needed for its removal. These scissors feature micro-serrated steel blades, ensuring high-quality and precise cutting. In addition to Kevlar, the scissors can also be used for cutting similar protective elements, tapes, and threads, but using them for other materials may damage or dull the blades, so a set of standard cable tech or electricians’ scissors should be used.

Figure 5. Kevlar scissors

For quick removal of Kevlar and other protective elements on PVC tubes, the Buffer Tube Binder Ripper Tool below can be used.

Figure 6. Buffer tube binder ripper tool (jonard.com)

For loose-tube cables, a special tool is used for transverse cutting of PVC tubes — known as a tube cutter. Various models are available on the market, but it is a very simple tool with an adjustable blade. In addition to cutting PVC tubes, it can also be used for transverse cutting of small-diameter cable sheaths and other types of cables (e.g., coaxial cables).

Figure 7. Tube cutter

The PVC tube is placed into the V-groove of the tool, which ensures stable and precise transverse cutting. The blade is applied to the tube, and after one or two circular motions, the cutting is completed.

A midspan access tool is needed for longitudinal opening of PVC tubes to access fibers without completely cutting through the tube. This type of tool has multiple grooves for placing PVC tubes of different diameters. Once the tube is placed inside the groove, the blade is applied. By pulling the knife longitudinally, the tube is cut, and the fibers are exposed.

Figure 8. Mid span access tool

To prepare a fiber for cleaving or termination, a fiber stripper is used for removing the primary fiber buffer coating. The quality and precision of the tool are crucial to prevent fiber breakage. There are versions with one, two, or three stripping holes necessary for fibers with different size buffers, usually 250, 500 and 900 microns diameter or cable jackets.

Figure 9. Fiber strippers: Miller stripper

In the version of the fiber stripper with three holes, the first hole can strip a layer with a diameter of 1.6 to 3 mm (e.g., on patch cords) down to 600 to 900 µm. The second hole can strip the protective layer from 600 to 900 µm (e.g., on pigtails) down to 250 µm. The final hole, which is the most commonly used, strips the fiber coating from 250 µm down to 125 µm.

The Miller-type stripper that looks like a wire stripper is the most popular, but requires holding the stripper at an angle to the fiber to prevent stress on the fiber at the blades. Because of the angle needed, these devices are right-handed and may be difficult for left-handed users. There are other types of strippers that work with a simple direct pull on the fiber.

For precise fiber handling, tweezers can be used. They allow for the separation, gripping, and placement of fibers within splice trays. They are also useful for removing fiber shards that accidentally get stuck into the user’s skin. Tweezers with coated tips are easier to use when holding fibers.

Figure 10. Tweezers

During the fiber processing procedure, cleaning is required, and 98% isopropyl alcohol has typically used for this purpose, but most installers now use special cleaning kits. with fluids that are more effective and leave no residue. Dispensers are employed to store and properly dispense the cleaning solution.

Figure 11. Alcohol dispenser

Vladimir Grozdanovic is a graduate electrical engineer for telecommunications with more than 10 years of experience in access networks (HFC and FTTH) in large cable operators in Serbia (SBB and Jotel).