Vertical Sleeving (Over-Jacketing) / Stretching Lathes


Purpose Designed Over-Jacketing Equipment for Large, High Yield Optical Fibre Preforms

  • Multi-function capability
  • (Over-Jacketing, Stretching, Fire Polishing, Glassworking)
  • Optional extended bed for in-situ 'rod-in-tube' insertion
  • Guaranteed product concentricity
  • Custom designed high output, high efficiency burners
  • Alternative (furnace) heat sources available
  • Class 100, laminar flow clean air system
  • Maximum fibre strength potential
  • Versatile and precise PC control of parameters
  • Network Connectivity

Fibre Strength
Fusion, collapse and stretching operations (and also insertion when using the extended bed option) are all carried out within a Class 100 laminar clean air flow, while the vertical lathe orientation prevents gravitational influences from having any detrimental effects on the preform quality.

In conjunction with our custom designed, high output, clean running burners or furnaces, these ensure that the maximum potential for fibre strength is always maintained. An enclosure is also available as an option.


Heat Sources and Temperature Control
The lathes can be fitted with one of our range of custom designed, high ouput, clean running burners, or alternative heat sources, such as furnaces.

A range of temperature control options are available from preset flow control by MFCs, through to full closed loop temperature control using a pyrometer to ensure stable and reproducible process conditions.

Preform Stretching and Glass Working
As standard, the lathe tailstock is fitted with a precision motorised drive which is fully automated, under PC Control.

This arrangement enables in-situ preform stretching operations to be undertaken as well as facilitating process set up and glass working operations.

Advanced PC Process Control
Fully automated control of the lathe is provided by our proprietry, advanced, user friendly PC Control system.

Optionally, this may be provided with a Touch Screen interface, which is supplemented by local controls to facilitate the initial process set up operations.

Network connectivity is also available as an option.


In-Situ Preform Insertion
Optionally, the lathe my be provided in an extended bed configuration.

This enables precision, in-situ 'Rod-in-Tube' insertion of the master preform into its sleeve tube to be undertaken directly on the lathe.