Products & Platforms: Single Fiber Draw Tower
AEi’s Single Fiber Draw Tower is designed to draw single fibers of plastic optical fiber, soft glass fiber, or fused silica (quartz) fiber. The draw tower uses a tractor mechanism controlled by adjustable pressure control to increase flexibility in the type of fibers that it can draw.
Application Examples:
- Drawing hollow optical fiber bundles for sensor applications
- Drawing hollow fiber shapes for X-Ray transmission
- Laser micrometer closed loop feedback for precise diameter control
- Tractor style drawing mechanism with adjustable pressure controls to minimize fiber deformation during drawing.
- Multiple automated coating and curing options
- Automated fiber cutoff to length and automated spooling options available
- Remote diagnostics and service options for best equipment up-time
- FlexAuto PC-based control with configurable product recipes
AEi’s draw tractor mechanism is superior to a pinch-wheel that has more commonly been used for drawing single fibers. The combination of the tractor and pressure control minimizes fiber shape distortion, especially for hollow fibers, and accommodates a wide range of fiber sizes and types. Dynamic control of draw speed using laser micrometer measurement of fiber diameter further also adds flexibility to produce different types of fiber accurately and uniformly.