POF Tool Kit

• Kit Components
• Operating Instructions
• Warranty Information

Model Number:
IF-TK4

Industrial Fiber Optics

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Copyright © 2020
Previous Printings 2013, 2012, 2010, 2006, 1999
by Industrial Fiber Optics, Inc.
Revision - I

Printed in the United States of America

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means
(electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise)
without prior written permission from Industrial Fiber Optics.

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INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of Industrial Fiber Optics’ latest POF Tool Kit. This kit
and enclosed instruction sheet contain all the information you need to complete the most
common procedures required for plastic optical fibers, even if you are new to fiber optics
and fiber termination procedures. Please read carefully.

As soon as you receive this tool kit, inspect it and its shipping container. Besides this
instruction sheet, the kit consists of:

• Professional Fiber Cutter • 2-oz. water dispenser

• 4 Extra-KEEN razor blades • Glass polishing table

• 10 sheets of 2000-grit polishing paper • Fiber Optic/Wire stripper

• 10 sheets of 3 µm polishing film • ST polishing puck

• 30-watt hot knife • Storage container

• AMP Instruction Sheet 2974

• Soldering iron cutting tip attachment

If parts are missing please contact us immediately for replacement. If any component has
been damaged during shipping, immediately notify the shipping carrier.

Industrial Fiber Optics makes every effort to incorporate state-of-the-art technology, highest
quality and dependability in its products. We constantly explore new ideas and products to
best serve the rapidly expanding needs of industry and education. We encourage comments
that you may have about our products, and we welcome the opportunity to discuss new
ideas that may better serve your needs.

Thank you for selecting this Industrial Fiber Optics product. We hope it meets your
expectations and provides many hours of productive activity.

GENERAL INFORMATION
The POF Tool Kit contains tools designed exclusively for use with plastic optical fiber/cable.
Do not attempt to cut or process glass fiber. With the contents of this kit you will be
able to complete the following procedures with plastic optical fiber.

• Cut jacketed and unjacketed plastic optical fibers

• Use a hot knife to cut or terminate AMP DNP connectors
• Remove the jacket from the most common jacketed plastic optical fibers
• Polish a fiber end installed in a fiber connector

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CUTTING JACKETED AND UNJACKETED
OPTICAL FIBERS
For cutting any plastic optical fiber we recommend the use of our POF Cutter Block. This
cutter uses “Extra KEEN” razor blades that cut through the fiber easily and produce as
superior a cut as can be obtained with any other cutting device. This cutter also precisely
holds the fiber at right angles to the cutting blade for creating fiber ends that allow for
maximum coupling efficiency with any LED or photodetector. For operational information
see the instruction sheet contained in the fiber cutter package.

USING THE HOT KNIFE

To ready the hot knife for use, complete the following steps:
1. Screw the cutting tip attachment into the heating end of the soldering iron about
two complete turns.
2. Insert the Exacto® knife blade into the slot located in the cutting tip attachment.
Turn the cutting tip attachment until finger tight. Do not tighten further with
the pliers, or when the knife is hot as this could damage the cutting tip
attachment.
3. Insert the plug at the end of the soldering iron electrical cord into a standard 110
VAC outlet.
4. Let the hot knife heat up for about five minutes.

The knife blade can be dangerous if not handled cautiously. It is hot like a
soldering iron tip and very sharp. Be careful.
The hot knife is commonly used for cutting plastic optical fibers or those with AMP’s DNP
fiber optic terminations/connections. For information about using the hot knife with AMP
DNP fiber terminations see the AMP Instruction sheet, IS 2974, enclosed.

To cut optical fiber with the hot knife, complete the following steps:
1. Check the Exacto® knife blade to make sure it is clean, sharp and free of nicks.
2. Place the optical fiber you wish to cut flat on the enclosed glass polishing table.
3. Align the hot knife blade at right angles (90°) to the length of the optical fiber and
about one-half inch (1 cm) above the fiber. Hold the hot-knife blade’s cutting edge
so it is parallel to the surface of the glass plate.

4. Lower the hot knife blade slowly while maintaining the knife position at 90° to the
fiber’s central axis.
5. Once the hot knife has cut through the optical fiber remove it quickly from the
fiber cut, trying to avoid touching the hot tip to any other part of the fiber.

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FIBER STRIPPING PROCEDURE
Many applications of fiber optics require that the optical fiber be jacketed to protect the
fiber core and cladding from physical abrasion, UV light exposure, and/or chemicals. These
same applications often require the jacket to be removed from the end to make a splice
between two fibers or install a fiber optic connector. The wire stripper included with this
kit will allow you to strip the jacket from the most common plastic optical fibers with ease
and speed. This stripper will remove the jacket up to 7/8 of an inch (22 mm) from the
fiber end.

The first step in stripping the jacket from an optical fiber is to select the proper clearance
diameter from the following table. When stripping the jacket from the fiber, always
insert the fiber into the recommended setting. Using a numbered setting smaller than
recommended may cause the fiber to be nicked, which can cause fiber breakage or
scratching of the fiber’s cladding. Using a setting larger than suggested may result in the
jacket not being pulled and properly removed from the fiber core/cladding.

Fiber type Clearance Diameter (mm)

750 µm jacketed 1.0

1000 µm jacketed 1.6

1500 µm jacketed 2.0

2000 µm jacketed 2.0

16 265 µm fiber light guide 1.6

32 265 µm fiber light guide 2.0

48 265 µm fiber guide 2.0

64 265 µm fiber guide 2.0

Because fiber is much more prone to scratching than wire, when stripping
the jacket from an optical fiber be sure to fully compress the handles of the
wire stripper before beginning the release sequence. Doing so will reduce the
possibility of scratching or nicking the fiber cladding surface.

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POLISHING
Polishing is the most common fiber optic procedure. Although this procedure is well
known, it is not always required for plastic optical fiber. The need for polishing depends
upon your termination choice. Examples of fiber connectors that recommend polishing are
the proprietary Hewlett Packard (HP) and “industry-standard” SMA and ST connectors.
The AMP DNP termination devices and the fiber optic LEDs and photodetectors produced
by Industrial Fiber Optics do not require fiber end polishing.

With plastic optical fiber the most common termination for which polishing is
recommended is the ST connection. This connection is an industry standard and has
been adapted as the preferred choice in the medium-price, quick-disconnect terminations
for plastic fiber. Items that are provided in this kit for polishing optical fiber include the
polishing table, polishing films, water dispenser and a low-cost ST polishing puck. The
following steps start with a fiber installed in an ST connector and ready for polishing.

1. Fill the 2-oz. water dispenser

provided.
2. Using water from the dispenser
bottle, moisten the top of the
glass polishing table. (This will
keep the polishing paper from
moving on top of the table.)
3. Place the 2000-grit polishing
paper on top of the glass
polishing table.
4. Wet the top of the 2000-grit
paper with water from the
dispenser.
5. Place the ST connector inside the polishing puck.
6. Polish the fiber in a gentle “figure 8” motion as shown in the illustration here, for
about 20 strokes.
7. After 20 strokes, examine the end of the fiber. (A microscope or magnifying glass is
helpful, although not required.) If the fiber end is cloudy, not flat, or has scratches,
go back and repeat steps 4 through 6.
8. Place the 3 µm polishing film on the glass polishing table and wet the top of the
film with water. Polish the end of the fiber in the same “figure 8” pattern as
Step 6 for 20 more strokes.
9. After 20 strokes, wipe the end of the fiber off with tissue paper, then examine the
end of the fiber. The fiber should have a nice gloss with a flat fiber end.
(A microscope or magnifying glass is helpful, but not required.)

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REPLACEMENT COMPONENTS
This kit has several replenishable items. Use the part numbers listed below to find the items
that we sell on i-fiberoptics.com.

Description Part Number

Extra KEEN edge razor blades
(package of 100)
IF-FC1-RP1
For cutting fiber cores 2.0 mm or
less in diameter
Standard edge razor blades
(package of 100)
IF-FC1-RP2
For cutting fiber cores 2.0 mm or
greater in diameter
local hobby or
#11 Exacto® knife blades
art store

2000-grit and 3 µm polishing film

IF-TK4-RP1
(10 sheets each)

WARRANTY
Industrial Fiber Optics products are warranted against defects in materials and
workmanship for 90 days. The warranty will be voided if internal or external
components have been damaged, mishandled, or altered by the buyer.

Warranty liability is limited to repair or replacement of any defective unit at the

company’s facilities, and does not include attendant or consequential damages. Repair
or replacement can be made only after failure analysis at the factory. Authorized
warranty repairs are made at no charge, and are guaranteed for the balance of the
original warranty.

Industrial Fiber Optics will pay the return freight and insurance charges for warranty
repair within the continental United States, by United Parcel Service or Parcel Post.
Any other delivery means must be paid for by the customer.

The costs of return shipments for a product no longer under warranty must be paid by
the customer. If an item is not under warranty, repairs will not be undertaken until the
cost of such repairs has been prepaid by the customer.

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When returning items for analysis and possible repair, please do the following:

• In a letter, describe the problem, name of the person whom we should
contact, phone number and return address.

• Pack the product, instruction sheet and your letter carefully in a strong
box with adequate packing material to prevent damage in shipment.

• Ship the package to:

Industrial Fiber Optics

1725 West 1st Street
Tempe, AZ 85281-7622
USA