What is fiber splicing?

Fiber splicing is the process of joining two optical fibers end-to-end using heat or mechanical means. The goal is to fuse the two fibers together in such a way that light passing through the fibers is not scattered or reflected back at the splice, and so that the splice and the region surrounding it are almost as strong as the intact fiber itself. It's commonly used to join fiber optic cables in long-distance communication networks, local area networks (LANs), and in situations where cable runs need to be extended or repaired.