Vytran® Fiber Recoaters with UV Curing LEDs

• Available Standard for Ø430 µm Coatings
• 50 mm Maximum Recoat Length
• Compatible with High-Index Recoat Material
• Ideal for Medium- to High-Volume Manufacturing

Thorlabs' Automatic Fiber Recoater completely automates the fiber recoat process; fully programmable, it can be operated either through the handset controller (which gives full programming capabilities) or via buttons on the top of the machine. 

Our PTR305 Automatic Fiber Recoater uses a pneumatic mold assembly to control the mold plates. This design allows the recoat material to be directly injected into the mold cavity, eliminating any excess material, which would require cleaning after every recoat. Additionally, once the fiber is secured in the fiber holding blocks, the entire recoat process is performed automatically. This clean, automated process makes the PTR305 ideal for high-volume manufacturing. This recoater is designed for fiber coatings of Ø430 µm and requires the purchase of fiber block inserts (sold below). Choose the inserts that match the coating diameter of the fiber being used. It is compatible with high-index recoat material only (sold below). The pneumatic design of the mold assembly requires an external 80 - 120 psi compressed air source (not available from Thorlabs).

A handset controller, which comes standard with the PTR305, allows the user to control and program the unit. All recoat parameters can be set through this controller. 

Customized mold sizes for recoat diameters up to 900 µm are available; please contact Tech Support for more information.

• Compatible with Mold Assemblies for Coating Diameters of 280 µm, 430 µm, or 600 µm
• 50 mm Maximum Recoat Length
• Compatible with High-Index Recoat Material
• Ideal for Low-Volume Manufacturing and R&D

The PTR403 fiber recoater uses a hinged mold assembly (sold separately below) to form the mold cavity for recoating. This design allows the recoat material to be injected through a cross-channel in the mold's top plate. Intended for low-volume manufacturing and R&D applications, the mold assembly can be easily swapped out and the process parameters can be easily changed, providing flexibility and adaptability, but the mold assembly requires cleaning between each recoat process.

This recoater features an automated pump to inject the recoat material. The amount of material dispensed by the automatic injector is controlled by hand via the top-mounted "Inject" button or programmed into the machine by the included VYT300C controller. The automatic injector is only compatible with high-index recoat material (sold below); however, an add-on unit that can use both low- and high-index recoat materials is available. Please contact Tech Support for more information.

When purchasing a fiber recoater, both a mold assembly and a set of appropriately sized fiber holding block inserts must be purchased separately. A handset controller is included with the PTR403 recoater.

Mold Assembly
Compatible mold assemblies are available for coating diameters of 280 µm, 430 µm, and 600 µm. Customized recoat diameters up to 900 µm are also available; please contact Tech Support for more information. The UV curing LEDs are housed within the mold assemblies for the PTR403 recoater; there is no UV curing source within the unit itself. See compatible mold assemblies below.

Fiber Holding Block Inserts
A total of four inserts (two top and two bottom) are required for the recoater unit. Inserts are available for fiber diameters from 80 µm to 1000 µm. See compatible fiber holding block inserts below.

Included Controller
The PTR403 recoater is shipped with the VYT300C handset controller, which allows the user to program and control the recoater unit. Adjustable settings include the inject rate, inject amount, cure time, lamp power, and programming custom recipes. An injection calculator provides an estimate of recoat parameters that can be refined by the user. Please see the Controller tab for details.

Click to Enlarge
The PTR404B has a maximum recoat length of 100 mm, while the PTR403B has a maximum recoat length of 50 mm.

• Compatible with Mold Assemblies for Coating Diameters of 280 µm, 430 µm, or 600 µm
• 50 mm or 100 mm Maximum Recoat Length
• Ideal for Low-Volume Manufacturing and R&D
• Compatible with High- and Low-Index Recoat Material

These fiber recoaters use a hinged mold assembly (sold separately below) to form the mold cavity for recoating. This design allows the recoat material to be injected through a cross-channel in the mold's top plate. Intended for low-volume manufacturing and R&D applications, the mold assembly can be easily swapped out and the process parameters can be easily changed, providing flexibility and adaptability, but the mold assembly requires cleaning between each recoat process.

Each recoater features a manual recoat injection system. The user is required to dispense the recoat material into the mold cavity. This manual injection system is compatible with both low- and high-index recoat material (sold separately below). Additionally, replacement injectors are available below.

When selecting ones of these recoaters, both a mold assembly and a set of appropriately sized fiber holding block inserts must be chosen. A handset controller is included with the each recoater.

Mold Assembly
Compatible mold assemblies are available for coating diameters of 280 µm, 430 µm, and 600 µm. Customized recoat diameters up to 900 µm are also available; please contact Tech Support for more information. The UV curing LEDs are housed within the mold assemblies for these recoaters; there is no UV curing source within the unit itself. See compatible mold assemblies below. Separate mold assemblies are available for 50 mm and 100 mm fiber recoaters.

Fiber Holding Block Inserts
A total of four inserts (two top and two bottom) are required for the recoater unit. Inserts are available for fiber diameters from 80 µm to 1000 µm. See compatible fiber holding block inserts below.

Included Controller
Each recoater is shipped with the VYT300C handset controller, which allows the user to program and control the recoater unit. Adjustable settings include the inject rate, inject amount, cure time, lamp power, and programming custom recipes. An injection calculator provides an estimate of recoat parameters that can be refined by the user. Please see the Controller tab for details.

• Compatible with UV LED Fiber Recoaters
• UV LEDs Integrated Inside Mold Assembly Housing
• Three Available Mold Coating Diameters: 280 µm, 430 µm, and 600 µm
• 50 mm or 100 mm Maximum Recoat Length

The Mold Assemblies are composed of split quartz mold plates which, when closed, form the cylindrical mold cavity around the exposed section of the fiber being recoated. They are available for Ø280 µm, Ø430 µm, or Ø600 µm fiber coatings and in maximum fiber recoat lengths of 50 mm (compatible with Item #s PTR403 and PTR403B) or 100 mm (compatible with Item # PTR404B). Custom mold sizes up to Ø900 µm are available; please contact Tech Support for more information. Mold assemblies with a 50 mm recoat length feature a lever to assist with opening or closing the mold.

Recoat material (sold below) is injected into the mold assembly by either an automatic or manual injection system. Then, UV light from the integrated LEDs cures the recoat material. Cure times range from 15 s to 90 s depending on mold size and recoat material. The recoater mold assembly should be cleaned throughly with isopropyl alcohol or acetone between each recoating process; reliable and repeatable performance is highly dependent on the cleanliness of the mold.

When purchasing a manual fiber recoater for the first time, it is necessary to choose a mold assembly that is appropriate for the chosen recoater and desired fiber coating diameter. Additional mold assemblies may also be purchased and swapped out by the user. The assembly simply screws to the top of the device, making the removal and install simple and easy. Because of this, our manual recoaters are adaptable and flexible in the field and can be modified to accept varying diameters of fiber quickly. A recoater mold can be factory installed prior to shipment upon request by contacting Tech Support. It is also necessary to order the proper inserts (sold below) that best match the fiber diameter being used, whether purchasing a fiber recoater for the first time or updating a current recoater for a different fiber diameter.

Please note that these mold assemblies are only for the manual recoaters (Item #s PTR403, PTR403B, and PTR404B). Each PTR305 automatic recoater is sold with its own assembly already installed.

• Fiber Block Inserts for Thorlabs' Fiber Recoaters
• Two Versions Available:
  • VHH Series Inserts for PTR305 Recoater
  • VHJ and VHV Series Inserts for PTR403, PTR403B, & PTR404B Recoaters
• Choose Two Top Inserts and Two Bottom Inserts
• Replacement Strips for VHJT Insert Available Below

For all the recoaters sold above, the proper set of inserts needs to be selected. A total of four inserts (two top and two bottom) are required for one unit. The inserts are seated in slots in the fiber holding blocks and secured with setscrews (included with the recoater). They can easily be swapped out, allowing the recoaters to adapt quickly to clamp fibers with different coating diameters. Note that the mold assembly (available above) also needs to be changed if a different recoat diameter is desired.

We offer four types of inserts. The VHH series top inserts are fabricated from solid stainless steel, while the VHH series bottom inserts feature V-grooves and vacuum holes for accurate, repeatable positioning for recoating. The VHJT series top inserts incorporate a rubber strip that ensures sufficient friction to hold fiber under tension. The VHV series bottom inserts feature V-groove designs and vacuum holes for accurate, repeatable positioning for recoating.

Custom sizes are available; please contact Tech Support for more information.

• AB950200: High-Index Recoat Material
• PC373: Low-Index Recoat Material

Thorlabs offers UV-curable acrylate recoat materials to be used in our PTR series fiber recoaters. We offer both high-index (Item # AB950200) and low-index (Item # PC373) material in 1 oz bottles. The high-index material can be used in all recoaters (except the PRL201), whereas the low-index material can only be used in recoaters with the manual injection pump option.

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge
The manual injector is mounted to the recoater via two 4-40 mounting screws.

• Replacement Manual Injectors for Dispensing Recoat Material into the Mold
  • Accept PC373 and AB950200 Recoat Materials
• Replacement Injection Tubes for Recoaters with Manual Injectors
• Replacement Syringe Barrel for Manual Injectors

These manual injectors and injection tubes are available as replacement parts for Thorlabs' Vytran Fiber Recoaters with Manual Injectors; compatible systems are listed to the right. We also offer a replacement syringe barrel.

Each injector can be mounted to compatible fiber recoaters via two 4-40, 3/32" hex screws on the recoater housing (see photo to the right). To connect the injector to the recoater mold, tighten the connector at the end of the green plastic tubing, then loosen by a 1/4 turn to allow for rotation.

The injector is equipped with a distribution valve and two-position selection lever for directing the flow of recoat material. A knurled dispensing screw with an internal plunger acts as a syringe for the recoat material. To fill the syringe, point the lever downward (i.e., toward the recoat bottle), then rotate the knurled dispensing screw counterclockwise until it spins freely to fill the syringe (shown in the photo to the right). Then, to inject the recoat material into the mold, point the lever horizontally (i.e., facing the knurled screw) and rotate the screw clockwise until near the end of the travel range is reached. Avoid bottoming out the dispenser as this may damage the internal plunger; also take care when re-engaging the threads to avoid cross threading the dispensing screw. Several fill/inject steps may be needed until air is displaced within the system. Use lens tissue and an acetone or alcohol cleaning solution to collect any excess recoat material that flows from the mold.

Each injection tube and the RRMS syringe barrel are available as replacement parts for the manual injectors. The injection tube should be changed out if the knurl fitting breaks off the end, it leaks recoat material, or a clog forms that cannot be cleared with acetone. If the syringe no longer injects or an excessive number of air bubbles are visible in the recoat material (even after flushing the system), the syringe barrel should be replaced. A 5/16" thin spanner wrench is required for securing the syringe onto the recoat injector. Detailed installation instructions are provided in the support documentation, which can be found by clicking on the red documents icon () next to each item number.

• Replacement Injection Tube for Dispensing Recoat Material into the Mold
• Compatible with Vytran Fiber Recoaters with Manual Mold Assemblies that Use Automatic Injectors (See List to the Right)
• For Use with AB950200 and PC373 Recoat Materials

This replacement injection tube is compatible with Thorlabs' Vytran Fiber Recoaters that use Manual Mold Assemblies and Automatic Injection Systems (Item #s listed to the right). Though each system comes with an injection tube installed, it may need to be replaced if the knurled fitting breaks off the end, it leaks recoat material, or a clog forms that cannot be cleared with acetone.

Detailed installation instructions for the RRATA injection tube are provided in the support documentation, which can be found by clicking on the red documents icon () next to the item number.

Click for Details
VHJR Rubber Strip shown partially inserted into the metal channel of a VHJT Fiber Holding Block Insert.

• Replacement Rubber Strip for VHJT, VHJ250, and VHJ500 Fiber Holding Block Inserts
• 2" Length (Trim to Size)
• Available in a Pack of 12

This 12 Pack of Replacement Rubber Strips is directly compatible with our VHJT, VHJ250, and VHJ500 fiber holding block inserts. Although one rubber strip comes preinstalled in each insert, these can wear out over time and should be replaced when the holding block insert no longer withstands the applied proof test tension.

The rubber strip features a raised profile, and care must be taken during installation to ensure this profile sits above the metal channel of the insert. Detailed installation instructions are provided in the VHJR support documentation, which can be found by clicking on the red documents icon () next to the item number.

Click to Enlarge
Screenshot of VYT300C Controller When Used with PTR403 Recoater

• Provides Full Functionality for Compatible Systems (See Compatible Systems List to the Right)
• Intuitive GUI
• Capacitive Touchscreen
• Small Footprint

This handset controller is available as an alternative to the tablet controller previously included with our Vytran Large Diameter Fiber Cleavers, PTR Series Fiber Recoaters, and PTR Series Fiber Proof Testers. One handset controller is included with each new PTR series recoater system. A single handset controller can be used with multiple systems; after configuring parameters for one fiber processing unit, the controller can be disconnected and then connected to a different unit, of the same or a different type, to configure its parameters.

The handset controller must be connected via the included cable in order to use it. The controller automatically turns on when the connected system is turned on. Upon startup, the handset controller will always read parameters from the connected system; i.e., the parameters that appear on the screen will always be the parameters that have been uploaded to the connected unit. If the parameters read from the unit match the parameters of the most recently opened file on the handset controller, the screen will display the file name.

The suite of tools available through the handset controller includes a record of the total cure time of the machine (under Process Counters) that is not shown on the tablet controller. This value may be reset each time the bulbs are replaced.

The handset controller can open, save, delete, export, and import files containing parameters for compatible systems. Exporting or importing a file will require a memory device to be connected to the Program Port of the handset controller.

Instructions for using this controller can be found in the manuals for the compatible Vytran systems.