Abstract: A system and method for determining the lay length of S-Z stranded buffer tubes during the manufacturing process of a fiber optic cable without slowing down the manufacturing process. Images of an S-Z stranded buffer tube are captured with a camera. The images are sent from the camera to a computer workstation. The computer workstation displays the images taken with the camera and executes programming modules that calculate the lay length of the S-Z stranded buffer tube during the manufacturing process of the cable. Input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard may be used in conjunction with the operations of the computer workstation. By measuring the lay length during cable manufacture, productivity may be maintained while ensuring that the stranding of buffer tubes does not fall out of tolerance, which might result in deleterious bending stress of optical fibers within the buffer tubes.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the lay length of S-Z stranded buffer tubes during the manufacturing process of a fiber optic cable without slowing down the manufacturing process. Images of an S-Z stranded buffer tube are captured with a camera. The images are sent from the camera to a computer workstation. The computer workstation displays the images taken with the camera and executes programming modules that calculate the lay length of the S-Z stranded buffer tube during the manufacturing process of the cable. Input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard may be used in conjunction with the operations of the computer workstation. By measuring the lay length during cable manufacture, productivity may be maintained while ensuring that the stranding of buffer tubes does not fall out of tolerance, which might result in deleterious bending stress of optical fibers within the buffer tubes.