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Date Announced: 15 Jan 2013
(FRANKLIN, Tenn.) Jan. 15, 2013 -- 3SAE Technologies’ has developed one of the first-ever automated ball lensing stations that quickly and accurately creates fiber optic “ball lenses” – rounded-edge fiber cleaves ideal for use in precision laser technologies. The company will debut this new fiber optic lensing product at Photonics West 2013, the world’s largest conference for biophotonics, biomedical optics, high-power laser manufacturing, optoelectronics, micro-fabrication and green photonics.
Traditionally, fiber ball lenses are produced using a manual fusion splicing process. 3SAE’s new automated “lensing station” enables large scale production of ball lenses which are increasingly used in today’s medical lasers as well as other commercial photonics applications. One medical application in particular is laser lithotripsy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure using fiber optic lasers for the removal of impacted kidney stones.
3SAE’s ball lensing station features the company’s patented Ring of Fire® three-electrode system for superior thermal uniformity during fiber processing and a unique vertical fiber mounting system to achieve precise dimensional tolerances every time. The image processing software package allows the operator to view the progress of the fiber in process. Automatic measurement software allows “one-button” style operation for high-yield production for multiple parameters, resulting in fast, accurate lens formation for a wide range of fiber diameters – ranging from 125 µm to 600 µm.
About the size of a desktop PC tower, the Lens Forming Station software functions in two modes: “ball” and “flash.” The “ball” mode produces the desired ball or lens diameter. The “flash” mode executes a number of arc cycles to cause a subtle rounding of the edges of the cleaved fiber. An automated pass/fail alert, based upon the pre-set target diameter and threshold limits, is provided once the fiber processing is complete.
About 3SAE Technologies
3SAE Technologies Inc. (www.3SAE.com) is globally recognized as a dominant technology leader in providing a complete line of advanced fiber optic preparation tools and glass processing equipment. Headquartered in Franklin, Tenn., 3SAE Technologies’ patented technologies meet the demanding requirements of many specialized markets including high power fiber lasers, medical, aerospace, defense, oil and gas, OEM and fiber optic components. To see a live product demonstration, visit 3SAE at Photonics West 2013, booth 5040, in San Francisco, CA., Feb. 2 - 7.
E-mail: sbarker@3sae.com
Web Site: www.3sae.com
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