ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) has adopted IEC-60793-1-21, 'Optical Fibres -- Part 1-21: Measurement Methods and Test Procedures -- Coating Geometry,' as an American national standard, fiber optic test procedure (FOTP)-195, TIA-455-195-A. The document is a revision of TIA/EIA-455-195.

This document establishes uniform requirements for measuring the coating geometry of optical fiber. Coating geometry measurements are fundamental values that need to be known for subsequent procedures such as cabling, connectorization, splicing, handling and for making other measurements.

In a separate release it was announced:

The Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) has adopted IEC-60793-1-45, 'Optical Fibres -- Part 1-45: Measurement Methods and Test Procedures -- Mode Field Diameter,' as an American national standard, fiber optic test procedure (FOTP)-191, TIA-455-191-B. The document is a revision of TIA/EIA-455-191-A.

This document establishes uniform requirements for measuring the mode field diameter (MFD) of optical fiber, thereby assisting in the inspection of fibers and cables for commercial purposes. The MFD represents a measure of the transverse extent of the electromagnetic field intensity of the mode in a fiber cross section, and it is defined from the far-field intensity distribution as a ratio of integrals known as the Petermann II definition. The definitions of MFD are strictly related to the measurement configurations. The mathematical equivalence of these definitions results from transform relationships between measurement results obtained by different implementations summarized in this document.

In another release:

The Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) has adopted IEC-60793-1-32, 'Optical Fibres -- Part 1-32: Measurement Methods and Test Procedures -- Coating Stripability,' as an American national standard, fiber optic test procedure (FOTP)-178, TIA-455-178-B. The document is a revision of TIA/EIA-455-178-A.

This document is intended for testing fibers either as produced by a fiber manufacturer or subsequently overcoated (tight buffered) using various polymers. The test can be performed on fibers either as produced or after exposure to various environments. The object of this standard is to establish uniform requirements for the mechanical characteristic -- coating stripability. This test quantifies the force required to mechanically remove the protective coating from optical fibers along their longitudinal axis. This standard is not intended as a means to maximize fiber strength after the coating is removed nor is it intended to specify the best conditions for field stripping of optical fibers. This standard is designed for optical fibers having polymeric coatings with nominal outer diameters in the range of 250 µm to 900 µm. Application of this method to fibers with outer coating diameters outside the range of 230 µm to 930 µm is notrecommended.

It was also announced:

The Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) has adopted IEC-60793-1-34, 'Optical Fibers -- Part 1-34: Measurement Methods and Test Procedures -- Fiber Curl,' as an American national standard, fiber optic test procedure (FOTP)-111, TIA-455-111-A. The document is a revision of TIA/EIA-455-111.

This document establishes uniform requirements for the mechanical characteristic fiber curl or latent curvature, in uncoated optical fibers. Fiber curl has been identified as an important parameter for minimizing the splice loss of optical fibers when using passivealignment fusion splicers or active alignment mass fusion splicers.

Two methods, presented in Annexes A and B respectively, are recognized for the measurement of fiber curl in uncoated optical fibers: method A-- side view microscopy; and method B -- laser beam scattering. The side view microscopy measures the radius of curvature of an uncoated fiber by determining the amount of deflection that occurs as an unsupported fiber end is rotated about the fiber's axis. The laser beam scattering procedure measures fiber curl in an optical fiber by laser beam scattering. By knowing the maximum deflection of the fiber and the overhang distance from the fiber fixture to the measurement point, the fiber's radius of curvature can be calculated from a simple circular model, the derivation of which is given in annex C. Both methods are applicable to types A1, A2, A3 and B optical fibers. Method A is the reference test method, used to resolve disputes.

Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)