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Condition Desc. used-good
Manufacturer Heathway
Model OF 2
Serial # 6614-1
Length 60
Width 60
Height 15'

This is a truck freight item which will require us to get a shipping quote. You can complete the checkout and provide payment information but you will not be charged until you agree to the freight charges. We will contact you with the freight quote. If you are providing your own shipping contact us.

Heathway Fiber optic drawing tower optical fiber draw tower

Mfg: Heathway

Mdl: OF 2

$22,500.00

Quantity: 0

Inventory #: 8734

Call 610-286-1655 with questions or shipping quotes.

  This is a used Heathway 15' fiber optic drawing tower.  Machine is used to  make optical fibers by precisely melting a glass preform that is chucked at the top of the tower and letting the molten glass stretch into a thin fiber as it falls downward.  There can be a variety of accessories bolted to the tower depending on the application.  This is an older machine but it was being used right up until the time we removed it from a laboratory. The control system is obviously older but it was all working.  The machine could be upgraded to newer controls, or it could be used with the current older controls.  There are some photos of when the unit was still assembled and there are some pictures of it disassembled.  

  What is included in this sale is mostly the "main" tower structure, preform positioner and takeup system and the user would add their own coater, furnace and other accessories.      

  A custom made enclosure was added to the original design as can be seen in some of the photos.  The unit was used to provide an inert atmosphere for part of the drawing process.  The box has an ante-chamber on the upper right side and glove box ports in the front plexi-glass.  The chamber could be used if desired or removed if it is not needed.  The preform carrier assembly located at the top of the tower is a multifuntional system with its vertical movement, Y and Y positioning, rotation and chucking capability.  The chuck that holds the preform rotates and is isolated from the torch area with a liquid cooling system.  Chuck is also precisely aligned in the X and Y directions with a servo driven positioning system.  The entire chuck system including the X-Y positioner can be positioned vertically with a stroke of 1 meter for the purpose of inserting the preform into a furnace.  All of the motor systems are have a respective rack mounted controller housed in the main control cabinet.  The other major system of the draw tower is the capstan and drum winder systems.  The capstan is mounted on the base of the tower and is controlled with a rack mounted controller.  The drum winder is a free standing unit that is mounted next to the tower and is also controlled with a rack mounted controller.  Located between the capstan and drum winder is the optical zero tension dancer unit.  The frame itself is constructed of welded box tubing and is made in three sections plus the preform carrier assembly.  The base section is 39" high and includes a 50"x60" base plate with isolation pads.  The second section is 49" high and the top section is 39" high.  


Also included is the Beta Instruments diameter gauge and laser micrometer.  This unit was used to control the exact position of the chuck x-y positioning system.  

 

The system is in good used condition and is already disassembled ready to be shipped.  System does not include  furnace, coating system or any other accessories not shown.  The original tensioner structure is included, but there are no pulleys or LVDTs included as the last owner was not using that system.   We have some other fiber optic equipment for sale as well including a second tower, preform lathe and vertical cladding lathe.  The original manuals, drawings, diagrams and catalog pages are included.     

 

  • Heathway 15' Fiber drawing tower
    • base section: 39" high, 50x40" foot print
    • second section: 49" high
    • third section: 39.3"
    • top section is the preform carrier section: 56" high
  • Preform carrier assembly
    • Preform feed unit: HSM 084-4
      • lenght of preform: 1 m
      • spindle bore: 50 mm
      • carriage traverse feed rate: 0.1mm to 20 mm/min
      • ramp rate: 0 to 2 min
      • fast traverse: 250mm/min
    • X-Y unit: HSM 046-1
      • max traverse (both axis): +-12mm
      • max traverse speed: 50 mm/min
      • 24 VDC servo motors with potentiometric position feedback
      • cooling water flow: less than 3 l/min
    • preform rotation unit: HSM 148
      • 1 - 10 RPM
  • Capstan pulling unit: HSM 048
    • capstan diamter: 250 mm
    • Pulling speed range 1 to 150 m/min and 2 to 260 m /min
    • fiber size control signal 10mV/uM
  • Drum winder unit: HSM 060-5
    • drum diameter: 540mm max, 100mm min
    • drum length: 500 mm max 100 mm min
    • drum winding speed: 2.5 to 150 m/min
    • traverse speed: 0.25 to 3.5mm per drum rev. 
    • fast traverse: 3 m/min
  • Beta Instrument Co Laser Mic
    • LI800F diameter gauge
    • LG1001F laser mic
  • Control panel
    • VAC atmospheres DRI kool refrigeration unit
    • Preform feed unit HTD 221: controls the HSM 084 preform down feed unit
    • Preform rotation HTD236: controls the HSM 148 rotating chuck
    • Preform X-Y unit HTD 208: controls the HSM 046 x-y positioning system
    • Tractor unit HTD 209: controls the capstan
    • Drum winder control: HTD 508-1: controls the HSM 060-5 drum winder 
    • 2 X motor amplifier HTD 325
    • Furnace controller (no furnace included)
    • Sancliff pressure coating controller ( no coating dies included)