No.1 share in the world

We made our world debut with the multimode Fusion Splicer. Then, we quickly took the lead with the single-mode core-viewing Fusion Splicer. After a miraculous breakthrough and top-secret development, the masterpiece "FSM-20" was born.

The early Fusion Splicer were for multimode Optical Fiber, which had a thick core diameter (50μ) and were relatively easy to splice. The transition to single-mode L Optical Fiber (core diameter 10μ or less) began in 1980, and this is when the real difficulties began.

The biggest challenge was connecting the core. Initially, they considered using a phase-contrast microscope or a polarizing microscope to identify the visible core based on differences in refractive index, but both required large-scale equipment and were difficult to incorporate into Fusion Splicer used at laying sites. This was where they hit a major wall. Then, they received a call from the research laboratory of what was then the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation. They said, "We're using an ordinary microscope, and we can see what appears to be the core of Optical Fiber. We'd like you to take a look." At first, they exchanged responses like, "I can't see it," "I can definitely see it," and "No, I can't see it." It's like astronomy: something faint is hard to see at first, but once you capture it, it becomes clearer. Slightly shifting the focus of the microscope revealed a hazy shadow that appeared to be the core. Analysis revealed that it was indeed a core. The laboratory was abuzz with excitement at the realization that an ordinary, compact microscope could be incorporated into Fusion Splicer.

They quickly created a prototype using this method and had it tested at the Marine Communications Laboratory, which concluded, "This is workable!" This major discovery was the catalyst that led to Fujikura becoming the world's number one market share today, and was their biggest breakthrough. Fujikura then continued development in strict secrecy, with dedicated researchers holed up in the laboratory for about a year, working tirelessly on improvements and algorithm development. Finally, in February 1985, they successfully put the technology into practical use as the "FSM-20" direct-core viewing Fusion Splicer. This first year was a clear advantage for Fujikura, solidifying their position as an unrivaled leader.

Core-direct viewing Fusion Splicer "FSM-20"