Where should the hot melt tube for optical cable splicing be placed

The hot melt tube (heat-shrink sleeve) should be placed on one side of the fiber before splicing, ensuring it is threaded onto the fiber before fusion and positioned to cover the splice after the fibers are joined.

Proper Placement Procedure

1. Thread Before Splicing The heat-shrink sleeve must be slid onto one of the fiber ends before fusion. It cannot be added after the fibers are spliced, as the splice area is too fragile to handle additional manipulation .
2. Positioning After threading, the sleeve should be positioned a few millimeters away from the fiber ends to avoid interference with the fusion process. Once the fibers are fused, the sleeve is slid over the splice to cover the joint completely .
3. Protection and Stability The sleeve provides mechanical protection and environmental sealing for the splice. It should fully cover the fused area and be centered over the splice to ensure uniform heat application during shrinking .
4. Handling Multi-Core or Ribbon Fibers For multi-core cables, each fiber or bundle should be threaded through its respective heat-shrink sleeve. Fibers should be coiled and arranged in sequence to prevent twisting or crossing inside the splice tray .
5. Heat Application Once the sleeve is correctly positioned, a fusion splicer or heat gun is used to shrink the tube, ensuring it tightly encapsulates the splice without applying excessive force that could damage the fiber .

Key Tips

• Always thread the sleeve before stripping and cleaving the fiber.
• Ensure the splice area is clean and free of dust before sliding the sleeve over it.
• Use manufacturer-recommended sleeves to match fiber type and diameter.
• Maintain a stable working environment to prevent accidental fiber movement during splicing . By following these steps, the hot melt tube will provide optimal protection, maintain splice integrity, and extend the operational life of the optical fiber connection.