For the safe and reliable construction of joints, the UJ Consortium strongly recommends that cable owners check with their marine service provider the qualification status of jointers who will work on their submarine cable system(s) to verify that they have been appropriately trained and are currently in qualification as certified by a UJC training school or one that is formally linked to a UJC training school. Only by doing this can cable owners be sure that jointers have access to the latest processes and techniques, which have been transferred directly to the training schools by the UJ Consortium’s Design Authorities.

If in doubt, check with the UJC Training School who issued the certificate. Only certificates showing reference to one of the UJC Members are recognised by the UJ Consortium. Please see the UJC Training School Contacts page for details. For further questions, please use the Enquiry Form.

Each Consortium Member runs a Training School that offers training and mentoring on every aspect of the construction of UJ/UC/UQJ joints on UJC qualified cables. The courses range from a basic course for jointers with no previous experience, to more advanced courses for senior personnel.

The provision of consistent, high quality jointer training is essential for the successful transfer of Universal Jointing technology from the designers into the field. Non-UJC member training schools’ facilities and instructors are sponsored by a UJC member and are Sponsored as providing ‘UJC sponsored’ jointer training and certification, ensuring that high quality training is given and that full traceability can be maintained.

UJC Sponsored Training Schools may train only their own jointing personnel in Universal Jointing (UJ/UC and UQJ) technologies and must only use the staff trained by the UJC certified instructors for this purpose. UJC Sponsored Training School instructors cannot in turn train or certify other instructors.

UJ training certification is the process by which jointers are trained to the UJ/UQJ/UC techniques applicable to specific cable types/families. When jointers have successfully completed the appropriate training course, they receive a certificate from the training school attesting that they are qualified on the relevant UJ/UQJ/UC techniques.

FAQ's - Technical

  • 3.01 - What is a construction manual?

    A construction manual is a written procedure issued by a consortium member that details a specific UJ, UC or UQJ activity. An up-to-date list of available construction manuals can be found on our website: http://www.ujconsortium.com

    The UJCMs and other product information are compiled, on a quarterly basis, and published in the form of the ‘UJ EXPLORER’ and provided to subscribers by digital download. This is available by subscription using the application form that is available here.

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  • 3.02 - How can I find the correct kits to joint my cables?

    Check the Kit Lists on our website: http://www.ujconsortium.com. If you cannot find the information you need, send a request to the UJ Co-ordinator or contact a Consortium Member.

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  • 3.03 - How can I get updates on UJ products and services?

    UJ customers will automatically receive by email all UJ Bulletins as soon as they are issued. We are also planning to publish a twice-yearly newsletter on our website that will give updates on latest activities and developments by the UJ Consortium Members.

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  • 3.04 - If I have a problem with my jointing kit, where can get help?

    In the first instance, refer back to the supplier of the kit. If it was purchased from a Consortium Member, you can find up-to date contact details on our website: http://www.ujconsortium.com. For general assistance or feedback on product, send your request to the UJ Co-ordinator.

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  • 3.05 - I have only used part of my jointing kit. Can I replace these items to replenish my kit?

    Yes - under certain conditions the contents of partially used kits may be used in conjunction with replenishment "ferrule kits (FER)" – please refer to UJC Bulletin 029 on the website.

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  • 3.06 - I have several old UJ kits. How can I make sure they can still be used?

    UJ kits are designed and manufactured so that they can be stored for long periods and still be usable (provided they have not been opened and stored properly). However, some kit components, e.g. adhesives, may have a defined shelf life, and, if expired, these should be replaced before use.

    A list of the adhesives products and their shelf life is published on the consortium website and the UJ & UQJ Explorer Disc in section {UJ manual 01, GENERAL}

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  • 3.07 - How do I know if the fiber in my cable has been qualified for UJC splicing technology?

    The UJ Consortium qualifies a fiber for its compatibility with the UJ Consortium jointing and splicing technologies, but the UJ Consortium does not qualify a fiber, cabled or not, as a product. 

    Applicability of the fiber can be found by reviewing the list of qualified fiber combinations in UJCM 065. If the fiber is listed in the various tables, fiber splicing is qualified for the combinations listed. If it does not appear on the lists, it is either not qualified or it is listed under another name.  It is possible for a fiber type to be listed under another name as the fiber may be marketed under different trade names by the fiber manufacturer or cable supplier at the time of qualification.

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  • 3.08 - What is an acceptable splice loss?

    The acceptable splice loss is dependent on the power budget of the transmission system and it is the responsibility of the system owner to define acceptable splicing performance for the marine service provider.

    The UJC, through its fiber splice qualification process, specifies optimized splicing parameters for the UJC recommended fusion splicing equipment which minimize the splice loss and maintain fiber splice reliability.  Both are consistent with industry practice for the fibers being spliced and their relative MFD. e.g. SMF to SMF, or DSF to NDSF

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  • 3.09 - How long does it take to build a joint?

    There are many factors that have a direct effect on the overall jointing time. Examples of factors include the cable type, variant, the number of fibers, fiber type, work organization, testing time…  There are nearly one thousand qualified cable combinations. Therefore, it is very difficult to make a statement regarding the number of hours it takes to build a joint. The focus instilled by jointer training is on quality workmanship in order to achieve the expected 25-year service life.

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  • 3.10 - Does UJC propose a tool and associated method to enable working on the unpowered branch leg of an operational system?

    The equipment and processes are often known as PGU, ISRS, etc. The UJC does not provide such equipment, tooling and training for these technologies and recommends that you contact the marine service suppliers who have the responsibility for providing this capability.

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  • 3.11 - I have 2 cables that are UJ qualified, why do I have to have a UJ qualified interconnection?

    Because the qualification of a given cable variant ensures that the corresponding end specific kit has been developed and qualified, but not that jointing said cable variant to any other UJ qualified cable variant can be safely made. In particular it must be demonstrated, either through mechanical testing or an analytical approach, that the mechanical mismatch between the two cable variants has no detrimental impact on the UJ.

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  • 3.12 - Does the UJC grant concessions?

    The UJC does not grant jointing concessions for deviations from the jointing specifications.

    Any deviations from the jointing specifications are wholly the responsibility of the company providing the jointing service which includes the individual UJC member companies ASN, Global Marine, KCS and SubCom. Care should be taken when granting and issuing concessions to ensure that the safety, strength, service life, integrity & function of the joint or coupling are unaffected for its intended purpose.

    Deviations from the specifications covered by concessions should be unique events granted for the operational and the system requirements and limited to each joint construction, on a case by case basis. The UJC welcomes feedback from such concessions where deviations can be seen to be of a re-occurring nature so that investigation and process improvements can be facilitated.

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  • 3.13 - I have a cable for which I do not know if it is UJ qualified or which design may have changed since its original qualification; how I know whether it has to be qualified or re-qualified?

    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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  • 3.14 - Is a UJ qualified for use on AC powered cable system?

    The UJ and UC products have been extensively tested and are qualified with cables operating on a DC (direct current) supply. The testing specifications do not call for any tests under AC (alternating current) and therefore currently the UJ is not qualified for AC supply applications.

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  • 3.15 - For which fiber optical wavelength range are UJ Consortium products qualified?

    The UJ/UC and UQJ products are tested at 1550nm during their qualification process. This wavelength is the mid-point of the ‘C’ band (1530nm to 1565nm), and field experience demonstrates that they are fit for purpose for use in this wavelength range with the fibers qualified for UJ/UC and UQJ applications (please refer to FAQ 3.07 on this topic). If you are planning to use the products outside of this range, we suggest that a question should be submitted via the website so that the advice of the UJ Consortium experts can be sought.

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  • 3.16 - For what voltage limit is the UJ qualified?

    The Universal Joint is currently qualified to a operating voltage, subject to the limits of the cables connected, and based upon the use of Common Component Kit KIT09002 or KITH9002. Joints using Common Component Kit KIT09001 were qualified to 10kV subject to the limits of the cables connected. It is necessary to refer to the relevant Qualification Test Certificate or Report to verify the test voltage used in the qualification of any given cable-cable joint  combination. 

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  • 3.17 - Does the UJ Consortium supply attenuators?

    The UJC does not supply attenuators. When required, these are to be supplied by the cable manufacturer or system supplier. The UJ Consortium does not take responsibility for the long-term reliability of any third-party supplied attenuators that may be installed in the UJ. Any attenuator to be installed in a UJ requires prior confirmation, by the UJ Consortium design authority who has qualified the cable type, that the attenuator can be physically accommodated within the UJ.

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  • 3.18 - How many attenuators can I install in a Universal Joint?

    The number of attenuators that can be installed in the UJ will depend on the cable type, the number of fibers it contains and the dimensions of the attenuator body. Please contact a member of the UJ Consortium who will assess your requirement to determine if your particular application can be accommodated and, upon completion of any necessary qualification, incorporated into the UJ Construction Manual.

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  • 3.19 - What is the operational life of the UJ Looped Fiber End Seal (LFES)?

    The typical application of the LFES is the end sealing of a cable against water ingress during an ongoing installation operation and to enable optical and electrical testing of the system. It is designed with an operational life of approximately three months, depending on application, when the cable deployed is positively charged, The UJ LFES does not provide protection when negatively charged. The UJ Consortium is developing options for LFES for applications where there is a requirement for an extended, possibly indefinite, period of protection. A UJC Bulletin will be issued to announce its availability when the development is complete.

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  • 3.20 - Is ribbon splicing used with Universal Jointing?

    Ribbon splicing is not an approved UJ process and, if used, would be at the users own risk.

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