What is Fiber Optic Testing and Why It Matters
Fiber optic testing services and solutions ensure that optical components and assemblies meet stringent performance and reliability standards before they are released to the market. These tests are necessary to minimize signal degradation, prevent field failures and ensure compliance with industrial protocols such as Telcordia or GR-326.
For fiber optics and photonics clients, we have considerable expertise in 40G, 100G, FTTx, and PON. We deliver any solution you need to test high-bandwidth long-haul, metro and other applications – covering the full range of functionality and use.
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Optical MEMS
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Optical transponders
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Fiber patch cables/cords (MPO/MTP)
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Fan-out/breakout cable assemblies
Quality at the Speed of Light to Keep Pace with the Industry
Fiber optic and photonic technologies are evolving rapidly, with increasing bandwidth demands, tighter form factors and more complex architectures such as coherent optics or DWDM. Traditional test methods are not enough. You need repeatability and the ability to scale without compromising quality. All with calibrated precision!
Averna helps you move from manual inspection to high-speed automation, without sacrificing accuracy, for needs such as mentioned above: qualifying insertion loss, return loss, or advanced phenomena like dispersion and OSNR. Partnering with us means building smarter, right from the start.
Wide Fiber Optics OEM Experience
- Custom test strategy and system architecture
- Design for Test (DfT) and New Product Introduction (NPI) consulting
- Turnkey ATEs for system-level, functional, and burn-in testing
- Build-to-Print replication, upgrades, and global deployment
- Automated test equipment (ATE) using LabVIEW, TestStand, C#/C++
- Test data acquisition, analytics, and reporting infrastructure
- Hardware, fixturing, training, and long-term support
Full Lifecycle Support
Reach Out to Our Fiber Optic Experts
From design validation to build-to-print replication, we are your partners and your go-to experts. Our team is dedicated to yours and will prevent issues before they even start. Let’s turn your testing bottlenecks into a competitive advantage.
Get to market and margin fast with our optics expertise and test equipment.
Our expertise covers both the physical layer and the measurement protocols that govern it. If you're working with coherent optics, DWDM systems or parallel MPO/MTP assemblies, you've come to the right place.
We build test stations that meet, and often exceed, GR-326-CORE, IEC 61300, Telcordia and ITU-T standards. But we also know that standards don't take into account manufacturing drift, connector variability or the subtleties of thermal expansion on pigtail assemblies. So we adapt. Here's how:
- Insertion Loss (IL) & Return Loss (RL) measurements with sub-dB accuracy using automated power referencing and multi-wavelength support (850/1310/1550 nm).
- OTDR characterization with fault localization resolution down to <1 meter, identifying reflectance spikes, macro-bends, and poor fusion splices.
- Polarity mapping for 8, 12, 24+ fiber ribbon cables using electronic cross-matrix verification.
- Length discrimination and latency mapping accurate to ±0.1 m, using reflectometry or loopback time-of-flight.
- AI-assisted inspection using high-res cameras and ML-trained defect classifiers to identify ferrule scratches, dirt, and epoxy issues at the connector endface.
- Environmental & mechanical stress testing including -40°C to +85°C thermal cycling, vibration (per MIL-STD-202), and pull/torque mechanical endurance per IEC 61300-2-4.
We also support advanced testing like
- OSNR (Optical Signal-to-Noise Ratio) and chromatic dispersion profiling for coherent systems.
- Burn-in test benches that log degradation over time under sustained optical load and elevated temperatures.
- Test automation frameworks using LabVIEW, TestStand, C++, or Python, integrated with MES/ERP systems for data traceability and auditability.