EN IEC 60793-1-46:2024

Optical fibres - Part 1-46: Measurement methods and test procedures - Monitoring of changes in attenuation

IEC 60793-1-46:2024 establishes uniform requirements for the monitoring of changes in attenuation, thereby assisting in the inspection of fibres and cables for commercial purposes. This document gives two methods for monitoring the changes in attenuation of optical fibres and cables that occur during mechanical or environmental testing, or both. It provides a monitor in the change of attenuation characteristics arising from optical discontinuity, physical defects and modifications of the attenuation slope: - method A: change in attenuation by transmitted power; - method B: change in attenuation by backscattering. Methods A and B apply to the monitoring of all categories of the following fibres: - class A: multimode fibres; - class B: single-mode fibres; - class C: single-mode intraconnection fibres. Information common to both measurements is contained in Clause 1 to Clause 10, and information pertaining to each individual method appears in Annex A, and Annex B respectively.

Lichtwellenleiter - Teil 1-46: Messmethoden und Prüfverfahren - Überwachung von Änderungen der optischen Dämpfung

Fibres optiques - Partie 1-46: Méthodes de mesure et procédures d’essai - Contrôle des variations de l’affaiblissement

L’IEC 60793-1-46:2024 établit des exigences uniformes pour le contrôle des variations de l’affaiblissement, contribuant ainsi au contrôle des fibres et câbles dans le cadre des relations commerciales. Le présent document décrit deux méthodes pour contrôler les variations de l’affaiblissement des fibres optiques et des câbles qui se produisent au cours des essais mécaniques et d’environnement, ou des deux. Il fournit un moyen de contrôle de la variation des caractéristiques d’affaiblissement qui proviennent de la discontinuité optique, de défauts physiques et de modifications de la pente d’affaiblissement: - Méthode A: variation de l’affaiblissement en puissance transmise; - Méthode B : variation de l’affaiblissement en rétrodiffusion. Les méthodes A et B s’appliquent au contrôle de toutes les catégories de fibres suivantes: - Classe A: fibres multimodales; - Classe B: fibres unimodales; - Classe C: fibres d’intraconnexion unimodales. Les informations communes aux deux mesures sont contenues dans les Articles 1 à 10 et les informations relatives à chacune des méthodes se trouvent respectivement dans les Annexe A et Annexe B.

Optična vlakna - 1-46. del: Merilne metode in postopki preskušanja - Nadzorovanje sprememb slabljenja (IEC 60793-1-46:2024)

Standard IEC 60793-1-46:2024 določa enotne zahteve za nadzorovanje sprememb slabljenja, s čimer je v pomoč pri pregledovanju vlaken in kablov za komercialne namene. Ta dokument podaja dve metodi za nadzorovanje sprememb slabljenja optičnih vlaken in kablov, do katerih pride med mehanskim ali okoljskim preskušanjem ali obojim. Omogoča nadzorovanje sprememb značilnosti slabljenja zaradi optične nepravilnosti, fizičnih okvar in sprememb nagiba slabljenja:
– metoda A: sprememba slabljenja zaradi prenosa moči;
– metoda B: sprememba slabljenja zaradi povratnega sipanja.
Metodi A in B se uporabljata za nadzorovanje vseh kategorij naslednjih vlaken:
– razred A: večrodovna vlakna;
– razred B: enorodovna vlakna;
– razred C: enorodovna spojena vlakna.
Informacije, skupne obema meritvama, so navedene v točkah 1 do 10, pri čemer so informacije v zvezi s posamezno metodo navedene v dodatku A oziroma B.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 15-Aug-2024
• ICS: 33.180.10 - Fibres and cables
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 86A - Optical fibres and optical fibre cables
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 16-Aug-2024
• Due Date: 27-Dec-2024
• Completion Date: 16-Aug-2024
• Ref Project: SIST EN IEC 60793-1-46:2024 - Optical fibres - Part 1-46: Measurement methods and test procedures - Monitoring of changes in attenuation (IEC 60793-1-46:2024)

Relations

• Replaces: EN 60793-1-46:2002 - Optical fibres - Part 1-46: Measurement methods and test procedures - Monitoring of changes in optical transmittance
• Effective Date: 14-Feb-2023

Overview

EN IEC 60793-1-46:2024 - "Optical fibres - Part 1-46: Measurement methods and test procedures - Monitoring of changes in attenuation" (CLC adoption of IEC 60793-1-46:2024) defines uniform requirements and test procedures for monitoring changes in attenuation of optical fibres and cables. Published in 2024 and superseding the 2002 edition, this standard supports commercial inspection and quality assessment by specifying two complementary monitoring methods for attenuation changes that occur during mechanical or environmental testing.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and applicability
  • Applies to multimode (class A), single-mode (class B), and single-mode intraconnection (class C) fibres.
  • Focuses on detecting attenuation changes due to optical discontinuities, physical defects and slope modifications.
• Two required monitoring methods
  • Method A - Change in attenuation by transmitted power (annex A): uses transmitted power measurements to detect loss changes.
  • Method B - Change in attenuation by backscattering (annex B): uses backscatter techniques (e.g., OTDR-type principles) for monitoring.
• Common measurement framework (Clauses 1–10)
  • Apparatus: optical source, optical divider, detectors, launch apparatus and related test equipment.
  • Sampling: sample length, end-face preparation, reference samples and sample handling.
  • Procedure: stepwise measurement sequencing, stabilization and repeatability controls.
  • Calculations and results: formulas and reporting requirements for change in attenuation, plus required metadata.
  • Specification information: details to include when specifying tests or reporting results.
• Deliverables
  • Measurement results, calculation methods, and required information to be supplied with each measurement (and additional information available on request).

Applications and users

• Who uses this standard
  • Fibre and cable manufacturers for production quality control.
  • Independent test laboratories and certification bodies for acceptance and type testing.
  • R&D and qualification teams evaluating mechanical/environmental robustness.
  • Procurement, QA, and warranty teams specifying contractual test acceptance criteria.
• Practical applications
  • Monitoring loss changes during tensile, bending, temperature or humidity tests.
  • Detecting localized defects or splices that alter attenuation slope.
  • Establishing pass/fail criteria for commercial shipments and field returns.

Related standards

• EN/IEC 60793 series (measurement and test methods for optical fibres), notably:
  • IEC 60793-1-40 - Attenuation measurement methods
  • Other parts covering bandwidth, chromatic dispersion, macrobending, mode field diameter, etc.

EN IEC 60793-1-46:2024 is essential for anyone specifying or verifying attenuation stability in fibre products and provides standardized, reproducible methods (transmitted-power and backscatter) to ensure consistent commercial and technical assessment.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-oktober-2024
Optična vlakna - 1-46. del: Merilne metode in postopki preskušanja - Nadzorovanje
sprememb slabljenja (IEC 60793-1-46:2024)
Optical fibres - Part 1-46: Measurement methods and test procedures - Monitoring of
changes in attenuation (IEC 60793-1-46:2024)
Lichtwellenleiter – Teil 1-46: Messmethoden und Prüfverfahren - Überwachung von
Änderungen der optischen Dämpfung (IEC 60793-1-46:2024)
Fibres optiques - Partie 1-46: Méthodes de mesure et procédures d'essai - Contrôle des
variations du facteur de transmission optique (IEC 60793-1-46:2024)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 60793-1-46:2024
ICS:
33.180.10 (Optična) vlakna in kabli Fibres and cables
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN IEC 60793-1-46

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM August 2024
ICS 33.180.10 Supersedes EN 60793-1-46:2002
English Version
Optical fibres - Part 1-46: Measurement methods and test
procedures - Monitoring of changes in attenuation
(IEC 60793-1-46:2024)
Fibres optiques - Partie 1-46: Méthodes de mesure et Lichtwellenleiter - Teil 1-46: Messmethoden und
procédures d'essai - Contrôle des variations de Prüfverfahren - Überwachung von Änderungen der
l'affaiblissement optischen Dämpfung
(IEC 60793-1-46:2024) (IEC 60793-1-46:2024)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2024-08-01. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Türkiye and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2024 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 60793-1-46:2024 E

European foreword
The text of document 86A/2442/FDIS, future edition 2 of IEC 60793-1-46, prepared by SC 86A "Fibres
and cables" of IEC/TC 86 "Fibre optics" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and
approved by CENELEC as EN IEC 60793-1-46:2024.
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at national (dop) 2025-05-01
level by publication of an identical national standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with the (dow) 2027-08-01
document have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN 60793-1-46:2002 and all of its amendments and corrigenda (if any).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national committee. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CENELEC website.
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 60793-1-46:2024 was approved by CENELEC as a
European Standard without any modification.
Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments)
applies.
NOTE 1  Where an International Publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod),
the relevant EN/HD applies.
NOTE 2  Up-to-date information on the latest versions of the European Standards listed in this annex is available
here: www.cencenelec.eu.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year
IEC 60793-1-40 - Optical fibres - Part 1-40: Attenuation EN IEC 60793-1-40 -
measurement methods
IEC 60793-1-46 ®
Edition 2.0 2024-06
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Optical fibres –
Part 1-46: Measurement methods and test procedures – Monitoring of changes in

attenuation
Fibres optiques –
Partie 1-46: Méthodes de mesure et procédures d’essai – Contrôle des variations

de l’affaiblissement
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 33.180.10 ISBN 978-2-8322-9194-8

– 2 – IEC 60793-1-46:2024 © IEC 2024
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Reference test method . 6
5 Apparatus . 7
6 Sampling . 7
6.1 Sample length . 7
6.2 Sample end face . 7
6.3 Sample preparation . 7
6.4 Reference sample . 7
7 Procedure . 7
8 Calculations . 7
9 Results . 7
9.1 Information to be provided with each measurement . 7
9.2 Information available upon request . 8
10 Specification information . 8
Annex A (normative) Requirements specific to method A – Change in attenuation by
transmitted power . 9
A.1 Apparatus . 9
A.1.1 General . 9
A.1.2 Optical source . 9
A.1.3 Optical divider . 9
A.1.4 Optical detector . 9
A.1.5 Launch apparatus . 10
A.2 Procedure . 10
A.3 Calculations . 11
Annex B (normative) Requirements specific to method B – Change in attenuation by
backscattering . 12
B.1 Apparatus . 12
B.2 Procedure . 12
B.3 Calculations . 12

Figure A.1 – Measurement of change in attenuation using reference sample . 10
Figure A.2 – Measurement of change in attenuation using stabilized source . 10

IEC 60793-1-46:2024 © IEC 2024 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
OPTICAL FIBRES –
Part 1-46: Measurement methods and test procedures –
Monitoring of changes in attenuation

FOREWORD
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