The tab on the www.ujconsortium.com website for ‘UJ and UQJ Qualified Combinations’ provides a detailed list of the cables qualified and the interconnections between qualified cables.
Both the UJ and UQJ databases can be searched as single cable or double cable. The cables are selected from pull down menus and the result of the search identifies for the single cable search the details of the end specific kit (ESK) numbers, UJCM, tool kit and a list of the cables with which its interconnection is UJ/UQJ qualified. The double cable search provides the same information of associated KITs and UJCMS but also a comment on the status of the interconnection between the two and in particular highlights where the cables are NOT currently qualified. There is as a "KIT Search" function where the KIT number (i.e. 09002) can be entered and the title of the kit given (i.e UJ/UC Common component kit). There is also a "Fiber Search" database where combinations of fibers can be found to look for qualification with UJC jointing/ fiber splicing technology. It is to be noted that while every effort is made to keep the information current, it is provided as guidance only. If you have any questions or require confirmation then please contact either the consortium coordinator or your supplying UJC member.
Where there are changes to the cable design or characteristics since original qualification, the UJC Member that undertook the original qualification (Design Authority) should be contacted as to whether the changes affect the qualification status or not and what would be the required steps to validate or re-qualify the cable. Besides obvious cable design changes, significant changes are for example, but not limited to, a change in cable layers diameters such as the polyethylene, steel tube, copper tube; a change in polyethylene insulation material; a change in armour wire hardness, alteration in armour lay length that would affect the torsional characteristic of the cable, increase in design depth (working pressure), increase in NTTS or CBL (UTS). It is also important that the UJC is informed of changes to cable descriptions or naming so that the correct KITs can be easily identified (for example SL101 & SL100 are now also known as SL12). Please contact either the consortium coordinator or your supplying UJC member for details of cables qualified and questions over current status.
The fiber type is to be considered part of the cable that has been qualified with UJ/UC/UQJ. Special consideration must be given to highly Bend-Sensitive Fibers. The continuous evolution of transmission systems has reached a stage where some of the optical fibers used now are more micro-bend and/or macro-bend sensitive than those that were tested or taken as reference so far to benchmark the various existing fiber types in the validation process of UJ, UC and UQJ cable qualifications. As a result, when using these latest generations of fiber, attenuation levels may fall outside the established UJ/UC or UQJ qualification performance limits and reach higher than expected levels when wrapped during the UJ/UC/UQJ assembly process, or when mechanical stress is applied to the cable and the joint or after its release. Further UJ/UC or UQJ design adaptation, such as a fiber restraining device, and re-qualification work may then be necessary to meet the established requirements.
It is strongly recommended that, before considering using highly bend-sensitive fibers with UJ, UQJ and UC products and more generally before considering using fibers types that are different from those that were in the cable samples provided for the UJ/UQJ/UC qualification, users contact the UJ Consortium member that originally qualified the cable under consideration to assess if the use of one of these new generation fibers has an impact on the cable’s qualification with UJ/UC or UQJ.
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