The Manufacturing Process of the Fiber Optic

The fiber optic is a medium for carrying information. It is a thread of glass through which a pulse of light travels at high velocity. This filament is flexible and is protected by plastic. The manufacturing of fiber optic is a delicate process and encompasses high technology.

The raw materials are large tubes of glass. First, they are submerged in a corrosive bath of hydrochloric acid. Then, the tubes are placed in a lathe and they are moved round. At the same time the tubes are heated with a hydrogen and oxygen flame. When the tubes become white, they are melted and stuck together. As a result, there is a larger tube.

The larger tube is placed in other lathe and it is moved round. Moreover, a mixture of gases is put inside the tube. Then, everything is heated. This mixture suffers a chemical reaction when it is heated and it becomes white powder. With additional heat, the white powder becomes what is known as nucleus of the fiber optic. The tube of glass that surrounds the nucleus is the jacket of the fiber optic.

The fiber optic obtained after this process is too thick to be used. The next step is making the tube thinner. The tube is placed in a tower vertically. One side of the tube is heated until the glass reaches the fusion point. The tube is stretched with the help of the extreme weight and gravitational forces. At the same time the tension tube is tested to obtain the desired tension.

Lastly, the fiber is passed through ultraviolet light to protect it from dust and other contaminants.

References:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZSOSKSz7gs

Electronic Engineering

 

General definitions and terms:

Electronics is a branch of physics that deals with the behavior of electrical charges and its utilities. Electronic engineering covers low power-based systems, like systems built with semiconductors. In contrast, electrical engineering covers high power-based systems.

A brief history of Electronic Engineering:

At the end of the XIX century and beginnings of the XX century scientists performed the first electromagnetic phenomena that were the basis for electronics. Initially electronics was a branch of physics and then it evolved into engineering. In 1884 Thomas Alva Edison discovered the first electronic valve, the diode, and this allowed the improvement of electronics.

Things that are manufactured in Electronic Engineering:

Electronic engineers design circuits, devices and systems, which are composed of passive elements like resistors and capacitors, and active elements, like transistors and diodes. As examples, manufactured things in electronics are microprocessors, signals processing systems, control systems, and the hardware needed for storing, processing, and transferring information.

Areas of knowledge that electronics engineers are required to master:

An electronic engineer is required to master areas like physics, math, semiconductors, electricity, signals processing and circuits design.

Activities that electronics engineers typically carry out:

Electronic engineering has a wide field of applications. Some of them are:

• Power electronics: Adapting and transforming electricity for use in electronics.
• Digital electronics:  Developments systems based on microprocessors.
• Process Control: Planning, designing, managing, and supervising instrumentation systems, automation and control of industrial process.
• Telecommunications: Planning, designing and administration of all the systems related to communications.

Conclusion:

All  engineering branches have been and are very important areas of knowledge. At the beginning of humanity, engineering did not exist as science but people practiced it. Because of those people  we could evolve and reach new technological advances.

Today, the majority of people cannot appreciate electronic engineering  because they are in contact with it every day of their life. It is impossible to imagine life without light, computers, or the Internet. Because of that, it is very important to continue growing in engineering.   

References:http://en.wikipedia.org