DIN EN IEC 60793-1-46:2025-05

This part of IEC 60793 establishes uniform requirements for the monitoring of changes in attenuation, thereby assisting in the inspection of fibres and cables for commercial purposes. This document gives two methods for monitoring the changes in attenuation of optical fibres and cables that occur during mechanical or environmental testing, or both. It provides a monitor in the change of attenuation characteristics arising from optical discontinuity, physical defects and modifications of the attenuation slope: - method A: change in attenuation by transmitted power; - method B: change in attenuation by backscattering. Methods A and B apply to the monitoring of all categories of the following fibres: - class A: multimode fibres; - class B: single-mode fibres; - class C: single-mode intraconnection fibres. Information common to both measurements is contained in Clause 1 to Clause 10, and information pertaining to each individual method appears in Annex A, and Annex B respectively. There are no restrictions on the scope of application of this document. The standard differs from DIN EN 60793-1-46 (VDE 0888-246):2002-09 as follows: a) addition of Class C: single-mode fibres for internal connections; b) replacement of "optical transmission ratio" with "attenuation". The application of this document increases investment security for manufacturers and users, provides testing laboratories and manufacturers with defined specifications for testing, and ensures compatibility across manufacturers.