Repairing defect, esp. holes or thin sections, in thermoplastic insulation esp. cable insulation - by localised melting with laser radiation to fill hole or thicken thin section, suitable for repairing PVC, polyamide, PTFE, ethylene:tetra@fluoroethylene insulation

摘要

Repairing defects comprises exposing the defect and its immediate surroundings to laser radiation. The laser energy is converted to heat in the insulation or underlying or exposed wire, causing localised melting, so that the insulation from the surrounding area flows and fills the hole or increases the thickness of the defect. Additional insulation material may be provided at the defect and melted. The laser radiation wavelength is suited to optimum energy transfer to the insulation or, if this is transparent or there is a hole, to the underlying material. A Nd:YAG laser is pref. used. USE/ADVANTAGE - The technique is suitable for repairing PVC, polyamide, PTFE and ethylene-TFE insulation. It can also be used with partly crosslinked thermoplastics, thermoplastic elastomers and, to some extent, elastomer. Repair is reliable and fast, taking only a few seconds or, if the insulation is black in colour, a few milliseconds