AFL FAA-03A 4oz Ribbon-Forming Adhesive

Overview

The AFL FAA-03A is a 4 oz dispensing bottle of ribbon-forming adhesive designed for bonding individual optical fibers into a flat, ordered ribbon. This process is essential for mass fusion splicing, allowing multiple fibers to be stripped, cleaved, and spliced simultaneously as a single unit.

This adhesive paste is applied using a fiber arrangement tool, such as the FAT-04, to ensure fibers are perfectly aligned. Unlike tape-based methods that often gum up stripping tools and cause fiber breakage, this paste consolidates coating residue into a clean, easily removed piece of debris. The resulting bond is strong during the splicing process yet fully reversible with alcohol if fibers need to be separated later.

Key Features

• Excellent Stripability
  Ensures clean removal of coating residue, protecting fibers during the stripping process.
• Reduced Fiber Breakage
  Paste-based formula prevents the clumping and fiber snapping common with traditional adhesive tapes.
• Clean Tooling
  Consolidates residue to keep mechanical or thermal strippers free of buildup for consistent results.
• Reversible Bond
  Easily dissolved with standard isopropyl alcohol for re-separation of fibers if necessary.
• Controlled Application
  The 4 oz dispensing bottle provides precise control, suitable for both field splicing kits and benchtop environments.
• Mass Splicing Efficiency
  Enables rapid organization of loose fibers into a flat ribbon for high-density fusion splicing workflows.

Applications

• Mass fusion splicing preparation
• Optical fiber ribbonizing
• Field and benchtop fiber optic termination

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this adhesive compatible with all fiber arrangement tools?
It is optimized for use with AFL fiber arrangement tools, specifically the FAT-04.

Can I remove the adhesive once it is applied?
Yes, the bond is reversible and can be separated back into individual fibers using alcohol.

Does this adhesive affect the fusion splice quality?
No, it is designed to facilitate the stripping and preparation process; it is removed from the fiber prior to the fusion arc.

Why is this better than using tape to hold the fibers?
Tape often leaves adhesive residue on the stripper blades, which can cause fibers to break during subsequent strips. This paste formula leaves no damaging residue.

Is a larger size available?
Yes, it is also available in a 0.5 liter bottle (S008622).