Quality & Testing

Every Cord. 100% Tested. No Sampling.

Six mandatory tests on every cord before it leaves our facility. Not sample-based — every single unit.

100% IL/RL TestedIL ≤ 0.20 dB Internal StandardRL ≥ 60 dBInterferometer VerifiedOTDR Traced

Standard industry practice

Sample-based QC. Test 5–10% of a production batch. If the sample passes, the entire batch ships. Individual units may have defects that were never tested.

Zelyion process

100% individual testing. Every cord is tested on interferometer, IL, RL, and end-face inspection before shipment. MTP trunks also get OTDR and polarity verification.

What you receive

Per-cord PDF test reports with actual IL/RL values and interferometer measurements available on request. Required for hospital, government, and financial data center procurement.

Interferometer Test Station

3D Interferometer — End-Face Geometry

What we measure

The physical geometry of every polished connector end-face. Three parameters: radius of curvature, apex offset, and fiber height.

Why it matters

Incorrect end-face geometry creates air gaps between mated connectors causing high insertion loss and signal reflection.

Parameters

Radius of Curvature	7–25 mm (UPC) · 5–12 mm (APC)
Apex Offset	≤ 50 µm
Fiber Height	-250 to +250 nm
Standard	TIA-455-218 / GR-326

Zelyion standard: Every connector end-face is measured on our interferometer before moving to IL/RL testing. No sampling — 100% inspection on every unit.

12-Channel IL/RL Test Station

Insertion Loss (IL) Testing

What we measure

The optical power lost as light travels through the fiber end to end. Tested at 1310 nm and 1550 nm for singlemode; 850 nm and 1300 nm for multimode.

Why it matters

Excessive insertion loss reduces signal reach and causes link budget failures in high-speed data center applications.

Parameters

Internal Pass Standard	≤ 0.20 dB
TIA-568.3-D Specification	≤ 0.35 dB
Singlemode Wavelengths	1310 nm and 1550 nm
Multimode Wavelengths	850 nm and 1300 nm

Zelyion standard: We test to a stricter internal standard of ≤ 0.20 dB. Our 12-channel station tests all fibers in an MTP trunk simultaneously.

12-Channel IL/RL Test Station

Return Loss (RL) Testing

What we measure

The amount of light reflected back toward the source at connector interfaces. Higher return loss means less reflection and better signal quality.

Why it matters

Reflected light causes noise and bit errors in high-speed links. Critical for 400G and 800G coherent optics in modern AI data centers.

Parameters

Internal Standard (UPC)	≥ 60 dB
Internal Standard (APC)	≥ 65 dB
TIA-568.3-D Specification	≥ 20 dB (UPC)
MTP/MPO	≥ 60 dB all fibers simultaneously

Zelyion standard: We hold our cords to a stricter standard than the specification requires. RL ≥ 60 dB before shipment on every UPC connector.

400× Fiber Inspection Microscope

End-Face Clarity Inspection

What we measure

Visual inspection of the polished connector end-face at 400× magnification. Checks for scratches, chips, contamination, pits, and debris in the core zone.

Why it matters

A contaminated end-face will contaminate the mating connector on first plug-in. A single particle in the core zone causes signal degradation and permanent connector damage.

Parameters

Magnification	400× inspection microscope
Inspection zones	Core, cladding, contact, outer
Standard	IEC 61300-3-35 / TIA-455-57B
Fail action	Clean and re-inspect. Scrap if core scratch.

Zelyion standard: Every connector is inspected after polishing and before packaging. Core scratches result in scrap — not shipment.

OTDR Test Station — MTP trunks only

OTDR Verification

What we measure

A laser pulse map of the entire fiber length detecting faults, connector events, and attenuation at every point along the cable.

Why it matters

For MTP trunk cables 10M and longer, OTDR identifies micro-bends and internal faults invisible to IL/RL testing alone.

Parameters

Applied to	All MTP/MPO trunks 10M and longer
Detects	Micro-bends, connector events, fiber breaks
Output	OTDR trace file stored per cord
Report	PDF trace available on request

Zelyion standard: MTP trunks 10M and longer include OTDR trace documentation available on request. Increasingly required by construction contractors for project handover sign-off.

MTP Polarity Test Fixture — MTP trunks only

Polarity Verification

What we measure

Verifies each fiber is connected from the correct pin on the A-end to the correct pin on the B-end per the specified polarity method.

Why it matters

A polarity error connects a transmitter to a transmitter instead of a receiver — the link fails completely. Invisible without dedicated testing.

Parameters

Standard method	TypeB straight-through (default)
Fiber mapping	All paths verified end-to-end
Standard	TIA-568.3-D Annex C
Pass criteria	100% correct fiber-to-fiber mapping

Zelyion standard: Every MTP trunk has polarity verified before IL/RL testing. TypeB is default. TypeA and custom polarity available on request.

Request a sample with a full test report

We ship free evaluation samples with complete IL/RL test data and end-face interferometer reports. Verify our quality before placing your first order.

Request Free Sample →

All products manufactured to ANSI/TIA-568.3-D specifications. Documentation available on request.