Totally Gel-Free Fiber Optical Cables Manufactured With PBT

Rafael Bassaco, Denys Scheiner, Paulo Massao, Raquel Andrade, Tatiane Senderski
Process Engineering, Furukawa Electric LatAm
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
+55-041-3341-4365 · rafael.bassaco@furukawaelectric.com

Abstract
Optical cables manufactured with loose tube technology have been 2. Materials (PBT & PP Properties)
Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a semi crystalline polymer that
used for a long time by the data transmission industry. Its robust
presents properties suitable for use in loose tube of optical cables.
construction has made possible to install it in various environments,
especially in outdoor plants, where performance reliability is required PBT is mechanically strong, low shrinkage and has heat-resistant
in cold, heat, underground and aerial installations. up to 150 °C [7].
Figure 1 shows the PBT molecular structure.
The construction of the cable is based on the secondary protection
given by plastic tube over a bundle of fibers, thus making it possible
to develop cables within the most varied range of fibers, ensuring
great robustness against traction and compression.
This paper introduces a PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) dry buffer
tubes cables, a dry tubes made with the well-known material used for
year as standard for jelly filled buffer tube as alternative to
PP (Polypropylene), and establish a comparison between two totally
dry optical cables with the same design, where only the raw material
of the dry buffer tube changes (from PP to PBT), to show their
similarities and differences.
The IEEE 1222-2011 standard - Testing and Performance for All-
Dielectric Self-Supporting (ADSS) Fiber Optic Cable for Use on
Electric Utility Power Lines [1] was used as reference for the
evaluation of these cables.
Keywords: PP; PBT; Totally dry optical cables; Figure 1. PBT molecular structure

1. Introduction Polypropylene (PP) is a linear hydrocarbon polymer, expressed as

Historically, PBT was the pioneer material for the production of the CnH2n that presents properties suitable for using in loose tube of
jelly filled loose tubes. On the other hand, worldwide, PBT was optical cables as well. PP is rigid, opaque and has good dimensional
deferred to the PP in the development and manufacture of dry tubes stability at high temperature and humidity conditions [6].
for totally dry cables due to the complexity of manufacture and
Figure 2 shows the PP molecular structure.
control in the buffering process. However, due to its reliability, lower
costs and better supply conditions, PBT in general has gained space,
mainly in Brazil, where the cost of PP is even higher than in other
countries.
In the production of dry buffer tubes, the biggest challenge has
always been the control of EFL (excess fiber length) Manufacturing
a tube with a suitable and constant EFL along its entire length and its
low post-shrinkage guarantee that the fibers are properly positioned
inside the tube and, consequently, assuring its good performance in
the field.
EFL control on PBT jelly filled buffer tube and PP dry tubes is well
known and can be adjusted by setting some parameters of the process,
such as, cooling water temperature and tensions. Figure 2. PP molecular structure

However, the production of PBT dry tubes were possible only with
the use of clenching capstan and IDC (Inner Diameter Control) Table 1 shows a comparative of some properties between PP and
device. [8] The introduction of the two devices into the buffer tube PBT.
extrusion line allow the development of low EFL and stable PBT dry
buffer tubes, with low post-shrinkage behavior.
 Table 1. PBT and PP properties Table 2. Totally dry cable design used in this paper
Value Details
Properties Method PBT PP
1
Cable FO 24 -
ASTM
Density (g/cm3) 1.30 0.88
D 792 1
FO Type Single-Mode Low water peak
Hardness ASTM
82 69 Cabling Position 06 -
(Shore D, 15 s) D 2240
Glass Transition Buffer Tubes 04 -
ASTM
Temperature Tg 40 -12
D3418
(°C) Filler Rods 02 -
Melting
ASTM 2 3
Buffer ID /OD (mm) 1.40/2.10 PBT & PP
Temperature Tm 225 171
D3418
(°C) 1
FO /Buffer 06 -
Modulus (Mpa) 2480 1300 Central Member (mm) 2.30 FRP4

Tensile Strength ISO 527-2 Tensile Strength Yarns 32 Aramids 1610 dtex
51 25
(MPa) (50 mm/min)
Sheath Thickness (mm) 1.50 LLDPE5
Elongation (%) 150 700 Nominal OD3 (mm) 10.6 -
(1)
Fiber optics
(2)
Inner diameter
Although both materials are suitable for loose tubes, they have (3)
Outer diameter
differences in properties that must be considered during (4)
Fiber Reinforced Plastic
(5)
manufacturing. Linear low-density polyethylene
The first point to note is the difference in elongation between the Figure 3 brings cable design that was considered on this paper:
PBT and PP. Despite the typical PBT elongation values can be up
to 300%, it is very common to obtain low elongation values, as
shown in Table 1.
The second point to note is the post extrusion shrinkage of PBT
can be controlled and maintained at low values due to glass
transition temperature (Tg). During production, it is possible to
keep the material at a temperature between Tg and Tm (melting
temperature). It increases the crystallinity of the PBT and
consequently minimizing the shrinkage effect.
A third point to note is the difference between the Modulus values.
As the difference between PBT and PP is significant, as shown in
Table 1, it is important to verify the differences in the mechanical
characteristics of the cable.
Figure 3. ADSS totally dry cable – 24FO

3. Cable Design
After listing a brief comment regarding properties of each material, it
is necessary to carry out a comparison between products with the use
of each technology:
• What are the differences in the manufacturing process?
• Are there relevant points that need to be cited?
• Are there compatibility in their performance results (optical
characteristics, mechanical tests, temperature cycling test)?
In order to stablish a consistent evaluation between PP and PBT
samples, it makes necessary to produce them with the same design.
Due to the material properties, the totally dry cables manufactured
with PP were developed a long time ago and most of them keeps the
same design since then.
Considering this, it would be unfeasible to increase design
dimensions in PBT to meet the PP design, as it would affect several
manufacturing process conditions, as line speed. -
In Table 2 it is possible to check the project used as the basis of this
paper.
4. Process Conditions
This session brings a brief comparison between buffering process
condition for PP and PBT loose tube.
4.1 PP Dry Buffer Tube
• Unique tools are needed to obtain the desired ID/OD without the
use of any other device to control it, but not obtaining the best
DDR (Draw Down Ratio) conditions for a better EFL control
condition.
• Controls the EFL by adjusting various machine variables, such
as fiber tensioning, water temperature in cooling troughs,
number of turns in the dual wheel capstan, tube tensioning, etc.
• High EFL in the buffering process as a standard for the
subsequent adjustment of the tube tensioning in the tube pay-off
in SZ Stranding process. This is made possible by the high
elongation of the material, as shown in Chapter 2.
4.2 PBT Dry Buffer Tube 4.4 Elongation
• Correct dimensioning of the tools to obtain the best DDR for the Due to process conditions or high production speeds the PBT buffer
EFL control and the use of the IDC system for buffer tube ID tube presented a significantly reduction, from 150 % to 10 % while
correction. the PP buffer tube presents high elongation values, regardless of the
• Standardized variables and the use of clenching capstan to process conditions (Table 4).
control the EFL, obtaining desirable values at any line
production speeds. Table 4. PBT and PP properties in high speed
• Low post-shrinkage of the buffer tube due to reorganization and production
better accommodation of the molecules with the use of
clenching capstan. Properties Method PBT PP
• Standardization of the buffer tube tension in the SZ Stranding
Tensile Strength
buffer pay-off, reducing the operational responsibility on the IEC 60811-501 31.29 34.62
(MPa)
control of these variables and thus increasing the reliability in Tube 2.0mm
the process. 50 mm/min
Elongation (%) 10 695

4.3 EFL Control

EFL control with clenching capstan (Figure 4) applied to both
designs can offer the same post-shrinkage result that results of not
been necessary to apply high tension in the SZ Stranding pay-offs
for the PP buffer tubes, which places the projects in the same level
in every process conditions.
4.5 Optical performance
It is very likely that high EFL or high post-shrinkage would affect
attenuations at the 1550 nm wavelength when measured after
buffering process, due to fiber bending inside tube.
Table 5 shows the results of fiber attenuation after the buffering
process compared to the values of test report from files.

Table 5. Optical Performance in Buffering process

Optical Characteristics (dB/km) PBT PP
Additional Attenuation – Test Report vs.
-0.001 0.003
Buffering Process (1550 nm)
Avg. Attenuation Uniformity in Buffering
0.011 0.017
Process (1550 nm)

As already shown in Table 3 where the PP sample obtained a higher

value of post-shrinkage when compared to PBT, it justifies why the
PBT sample has reduced the attenuation values while the PP sample
presented an increase after the buffering process.

Figure 4. Online EFL trend in buffering process for the 5. Results

PBT sample
The samples showed less contraction and post-shrinkage with the
use of clenching capstan (in normal conditions without clenching
capstan, the post-shrinkage reaches values over than 100 mm), and
all of these conditions aim to ensure stability and same condition
EFL for both samples (Table 3):
5.1 Mechanical Tests
This session brings that main mechanical tests that were chose in
order to evaluate the cable performed based on standard IEEE 1222
[1] and both samples were approved in all requirements as shown in
Table 6.

Table 6. Results of mechanical requirements [1]

Table 3. Process conditions in Buffering and SZ Items Test method Requirement Result
Stranding Line FOTP-33 Strain: 0.05%
50 cycles MIT
PBT PP Cyclic Fiber
Stress up to 2850 N ≤ 0.05dB OK
Strain
Buffering Line Speed (m/min) 350 350 Reduce to 712 N MRCL
● 1-3 cycles/min ≤ 0.10 dB
EFL (mm/10 m) (4 basic units) 02/ 04/ 04/ 08 04/ 07/ 08/ 17 FOTP-33
Strain: 0.05%
Fiber Strain ● 712 N/2 min OK
Buffer Post-Shrinkage* (mm) -18 -45 ≤ 0.10 dB
● 2850 N/4 h
Tube Tension in SZ Stranding (gf) 500 500 FOTP-41 Additional
Compressive
*Post-shrinkage test method: 10 m.tube (85 °C/30 min). 220 N/cm per 10 min attenuation OK
Strength
● No load for 5 min ≤ 0.10 dB
 Items Test method Requirement Result
Additional
FOTP-25
attenuation
Impact 2 cycles each 150 mm (3x)
≤ 0.10 dB OK
Resistance Height: 150 mm
>> No fiber
Mass: 3.0 kg
breaks
FOTP-37
● 4 turns in mandrel Additional
Cable Bend Øm ≤ 20*Øc = 200 mm attenuation OK
Low temp. (-30°C ± 2°C) ≤ 0.10 dB
High temp. (+60°C ± 2°C)
FOTP-85
Øm ≤ 20*Øc = 200 mm Additional
Cable Twist 10 cycles ± 180° attenuation OK
Mass: 5.0 kg ≤ 0.10 dB
L= 4 m ≤ sample length
FOTP-104
Øm ≤ 20*Øc = 200 mm Additional
Cable Cyclic Figure 6. PP Sample - Fiber Strain and Power Loss at
25 cycles attenuation OK
Flexing 2850 N [1] (FOTP-33)
Mass: 5.0 kg ≤ 0.10 dB
30 ± 1 cycles/min
Additional
Temperature FOTP-3 By subjecting both samples to the same process condition to obtain
attenuation OK
Cycling (-40 °C + 70 °C/ +85 °C) almost the same EFL values, the fiber strain test behaved as expected
≤ 0.15 dB
achieving similar results.
Figure 5 and Figure 6 show the fiber strain results for both samples
when stressed up to 2850 N, maximum rated cable load (MRCL) for
this cable. Both presented similar attenuation loss and fiber strain. 5.2 Temperature Cycling Test
For PP buffer tube it is possible to see a slightly higher fiber strain It was performed thermal cycling from +70 °C to -40 °C and an
range when compared with the PBT cable, this occurred due to higher aging at 85 °C, with attenuation measurements at the extreme
variation on EFL between the tubes as shown in Table 3. temperatures [1]. The samples were approved without concerns.

Figure 7. Attenuation increase during Temperature

Cycling Test [1]

Figure 5. PBT Sample - Fiber Strain and Power Loss at

2850 N [1] (FOTP-33) 6. Conclusions
The main objective of this study was successfully accomplished once
it was to contribute for improving the understanding about process
conditions and cable design applied for totally dry multi tube optical
cable. The paper covered the main raw material and manufacturing
process conditions differences and demonstrated that today the
knowhow available can overcome all the differences and offer totally
dry cables with the same properties what proves independently of
been produced within PP or PBT they are compatible and suitable for
the same applications.
7. Acknowledgments
Special thanks to all coworkers from Furukawa Electric LatAm for
their invaluable assistance.

8. References
[1] IEEE 1222TM – 2011: IEEE Standard for Testing and
Performance for All Dielectric Self-Supporting (ADSS) Fiber
Optic Cable for Use on Electric Utility Power Lines.
[2] ASTM D792-13, Standard Test Methods for Density and
Specific Gravity (Relative Density) of Plastics by
Displacement, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA,
2013, www.astm.org.
Denys de Souza Scheiner, graduated in Electrical Engineering at
[3] ASTM D2240-15, Standard Test Method for Rubber Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), in 2007. Master degree
Property—Durometer Hardness, ASTM International, West in Automation Engineering at Universidade Federal Tecnológica
Conshohocken, PA, 2015, www.astm.org. do Paraná (UTFPR) in 2013. Joined at Furukawa Electric LatAm,
[4] ASTM D638-14, Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties in 2008 and currently works in the Structured Cabling Product
of Plastics, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, Engineering department as head of department.
2014, www.astm.org.
· denys.scheiner@furukawaelectric.com
[5] ASTM D3418-15, Standard Test Method for Transition
Temperatures and Enthalpies of Fusion and Crystallization of
Polymers by Differential Scanning Calorimetry, ASTM
International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2015, www.astm.org.
[6] C. Hindle, “Polypropylene (PP)”, available in :
<http://www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/polymers/PP.aspx>, last
access: 10 July, 2018.
[7] E. R. Simielli, “Plásticos de Engenharia”, São Paulo, Artiliber
Editora, 2010.
[8] T. Seppelin, “Further Development of Clenching Concept
Machinery and Dry Loose Tube Diameter Control”. 59th
IWCS Conference Paper. (2010)

9. Authors
Paulo Massao Ito, graduated in Electrical Engineering at
Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina – Centro de Ciências
Tecnológicas em Joinville – FEJ in 1994. Joined at Furukawa
Electric LatAm in 1996. Currently works in the Cable Process
Engineering as head of department.
· paulo.massao@furukawaelectric.com

Rafael Lopes Trida Bassaco received his B.S. degree as an

Electrical Engineer from Universidade Tecnológica Federal do
Paraná (UTFPR) in 2014. Joined at Furukawa Electric LatAm in
2012 and since then he has been involved in production, R&D and
process engineering of optical cables. Currently working in Process
Engineering.
· rafael.bassaco@furukawaelectric.com
Raquel Maia de Andrade, graduated in Chemical Engineering at
Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), in 1995. Graduated in
Workplace Safety Engineering in 1998 and Telecommunications in
2003, at Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR). Joined at
Furukawa Electric LatAm in 1997 and currently is head of
Materials Engineering department.
· raquel.andrade@furukawaelectric.com
Tatiane Grassi Senderski, graduated in Chemical Engineering at
Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), in 2012. Master degree in
Materials Engineering at Universidade Tecnológica Federal do
Paraná (UTFPR) in 2016. Joined at Furukawa Electric LatAm in
2008 and currently works in the Materials Engineering department.
· tatiane.senderski@furukawaelectric.com