Fusion Splicing is a skill that requires precision tools. If you are not using an accurate machine with the appropriate features, your working day will soon become frustrating.

Essentially, whether you’re a contractor, or running a business employing multiple technicians, purchasing the right fusion splicer for your needs is an ultimate priority.

However, with the wide range of models available, some of which can cost close to $10,000, buying the right machine is no easy task.

There are a number of factors that will help you determine which splicer to buy.

Firstly there’s the important issue of budget. High-performance machines from the likes of Fujikura start at the $5,000 mark. At that price, you can expect a machine suited to the busy professional.

That being said, you can also find fusion slicers that retail for less than $1000. Depending on the types of projects you are working on, these budget machines can still be an appropriate solution for your needs.

Splicing and heating speeds, Bluetooth connectivity, levels of magnification, and the quality of the display screen are all variables you should consider before you buy.

Overall build quality is clearly important, (these machines get knocked about in the course of their lives), as is portability and issues such as manufacturer warranties.

In this review round-up, you will find a selection of top-rated fusion splicers. We have taken all the points above into account and backed up our findings with verified customer reviews in tandem with intensive product research and analysis.

These are the results…

Top Picks

Best Budget Fusion Splicer: Mophorn Fusion Splicer with Automatic Focus

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Vevor Fusion Splicer Automatic Focus JW4108S FTTH Fiber Optic Fusion Splicer 5 Inch Digital LCD Screen Fusion Splicer Machine Fiber Cleaver Kit: Tools & Home Improvement

• 【EFFICIENT AND PORTABLE】- 5200 mA high-capacity lithium battery, charging time ≤ 3 hours, continuous splicing and heating about 200 times. fusion splicer machine completes the whole process of fiber fusion splicing automatically in just 9s; 30s heating. Lightweight and easy to carry.
• 【3 IN 1 FIBER HOLDER】- SM, MM, bare fiber, pigtail, rubber-insulated, multi fiber cable. Applicable Fibers: SM(0.02db); MM(0.01db); DS(0.04db); NZDS(0.04db). Effectively measure connection loss, verify continuity and help assess fiber link transmission quality.
• 【5 INCH TFT DISPLAY】- Fiber splicer machine adopts 5-inch digital high-definition TFT color LCD display, clear and intuitive. The X/Y axis X/Y axis or a separate display shows at the same time, 300/200 times magnification.
• 【HUMANIZATION TOOL KIT】- The fiber fusion splicer offers plentiful accessories, including fiber stripper, AC adapter, lithium battery, spare electrode, charger, cooling tray, operation manual CD, carrying case. Tool box protects the fiber splicing tools.
• 【VARIOUS APPLICATION】- The fusion machine is especially suitable for optical fiber and cable projects, maintenance scientific research, railway, petrochemical, electric power, military and public security and other communications fields.

$690.20

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The Mophorn JW4108S balances affordable price points with great features and performance in a way that makes it hard to fault.

It is fast too, considering the budget. The device can complete the process of fiber fusion automatically in just 9 seconds, with 30 seconds of heating.

Sure, it doesn’t have the premium features you’d find on higher-priced units, however, it still has everything to get the job done.

Best Premium: Fujikura New Model FSM-70S+ Fusion Splicer

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Essentially the Fujikura New Model FSM-70S+ Fusion Splicer has it all. Market-leading heating and splicing times, loads of automation, superior performance, and excellent build quality.

BUT, you are paying for that. This is an expensive unit, however as with so much of what Fujikura has to offer, you are getting the best of what the industry has to offer.

Fusion Splicer Reviews

1. BEST BUDGET: Mophorn Fusion Splicer with Automatic Focus

Our top pick fusion splicer for 2022 is this high quality yet affordable model from Mophorn.

(Priced under $1000, this is a unit that is significantly cheaper than the premium offers from Fujikura that range from 5 – 10k).

The lower price point doesn’t mean you are going to suffer from lackluster performance, however.

Built for a range of sectors dealing with optical-fiber maintenance, the JW4108S has a lot of great features to help make your work-flow easier.

First off, is the speed at which you can operate. The unit features a 9-second ultra-fast core. Heating efficiency has been increased by 50% compared to older models, meaning your average application rate is improved significantly.

The splicer also has a user-friendly 5-inch high-resolution screen. This makes the naked eye observing possible.

The operation graphics provide a clear representation of the work data. Even if you have never used a machine from Mophorn, the simple and intuitive interface (that is able to provide 300 times focus amplification), will help you be up and running with minimum hassle.

The unit is extremely portable too. The robust design is surprisingly lightweight and when using out in the field, there is a battery-powered option.

This provides 200 cycles of splicing and heating and can be recharged in 3 hours.

Furthermore, the ability to splice and charge at the same time means that you can work and replenish the battery anytime you’re connected to the grid.

For data downloading, as well as performing any required software updates, the unit has a conveniently placed USB port.

The JW4108S fusion splicer comes with a wide range of accessories (see tab below) to assist the working professional.

The unit also has multiple languages built-in depending on your preference.

2. D YEDEMC SM&MM Automatic FTTH Fiber Optical Welding Splicing Machine

The Ai-8C fusion splicer is another great tool for fiber-optic professionals.

It uses state-of-the-art alignment technology to ensure greater accuracy. This incorporates autofocus features as well as six control motors builtin.

Designed to accommodate trunk construction of medium and short distances, the unit is also just as capable when working on FTTH projects and security monitoring.

Speed and response times were clearly a priority while the guys at YEDEMC were working on the blueprints for this tool.

The Ai-8C is fitted with an industrial quad-core CPU making it one of the fastest models available at this price point.

The unit is capable of 5 seconds speed core alignment splicing. There’s also 16 seconds of heating.

The efficient workflow is further increased via the inclusion of a 5-inch, 800X480 high-resolution screen.

As with our top pick from Mophorn, the operation is simple and intuitive, the screen offering 300 times focus magnifications.

Furthermore, the screen brightness can be adjusted for differing work environments. Whether you’re splicing somewhere dark, or outside in the sunshine, you will be able to see clearly.

Essentially, using the machine you can splice with the naked eye.

Bluetooth connectivity is built-in, making it ultra-easy to connect the unit to your smartphone.

Using the app a range of extra features can be accessed and software updates can be performed.

Build quality is what we have come to expect from YEDEMC; this mid-priced unit really is built to withstand the inevitable knocks and bumps that a splicer will experience during fieldwork.

Demonstrating their confidence in the construction quality, YEDEMC also provides a 5-year warranty backup.

Bottom Line

Overall, the YEDEMC SM&MM is a high-quality splicer that will suit the working professional looking for superior performance at a reasonable price-point.

Fast response times, an excellent screen, and a build quality that will stand the test of time, this is a unit that will put you in good stead for years to come. Highly recommended.

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3. BEST PREMIUM: Fujikura New Model FSM-70S+ Fusion Splicer Review

Now we come to the big-daddy of our top 5. If you work in fiber-optic maintenance and you have the budget, anything from Fujikura will be desired.

They are the undisputed market leaders in the space and have been manufacturing high-grade tools for a number of years.

The New Model FSM-70S+ is a fine example of their expertise and is certainly an impressive machine. But then with a price point several times more expensive than most of the competition reviewed here, you would expect this to be the case.

Let’s take a closer look at our top premium pick from Fujikura.

What immediately jumps out at you when starting to use the FSM-70S+ are the number of features that assist the operator in raising the efficiency and accuracy of their work.

Automation is the name of the game basically. Functions such as the automated wind protector will initiate the splicing process by closing and will open again upon completion.

Then there’s the auto-start tube heater (made possible by the clamshell design). This will apply heat to simultaneously to both sides of the splice protection sleeve.

This increases performance levels exponentially over other competing slicer models. For example, the FSM-70+ can boast a 40 second shrink time on a 12 fiber ribbon.

The result of this is the jaw-dropping total splice process time of up to 55 seconds.

Although the user has access to these automated features, much of the functionality is still fully programmable, giving you the means to customize the operation as you see fit.

As with the majority of Fujikura splices over the last few years, full Bluetooth connectivity is builtin as standard.

The unit also features a clear and precise monitor. This is built using a mirror-less optical design for greater clarity. This is described by Fujikura as “severe-impact resistant”; good to know.

For extra protection, during use, the unit is shipped with a rugged case that also doubles up as a workstation.

For increased efficiency and potential work duration, the high capacity Lithium-Ion battery pack has a capacity for up to 110 splices on one charge.

Finally, it has to be mentioned the sheer amount of accessories that come with the machine. (See tab below). It borderlines on a full, working kit. A real bonus for those looking to upgrade their entire fiber-optic splicing system.

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4. RY-F600 5.6″ LCD Fusion Splicer with Optical Fiber Cleaver and Automatic Focus

The RY-F600 is another machine that has plenty in the way of automated features in order to aid the busy professional.

Right out of the bat you have the fact that this is a splicer with automatic focus function. The machine will also auto-detect any cleaved end-face faults as you work.

Display ability is good too. Single X or Y view and X & Y view can be displayed simultaneously.

Fiber cleaves and offset angles can also be viewed clearly. Add that to the fact the unit is able to display both core and clad offset and you have yourself a system that really does deliver in terms of functionality.

The 5.6-inch LCD monitor is full color and provides a clear digital image to work off. This is built to withstand knocks that might occur while working out in the field.

Compared to other units reviewed in our top 5, the RY-F600 is rather slow, however.

With heating time averaging 36 seconds, and a splice time of only 9 seconds (on standard SM fiber); the workflow is nowhere near as efficient as what you would experience with tools such as the Fujikura.

The unit doesn’t feature Bluetooth functionality either. However, in its place is the less convenient USB port.

Battery performance is adequate, on both splicing and heating you can expect up to 400 cycles.

Using this you upgrade the software as updates become available.

Bottom Line

While the RY-F600 is a good machine with features such as the autofocus being a highlight, it doesn’t quite match some of the other units in our top 5 in terms of performance.

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5. DVP-765 Fiber Optic Fusion Splicer Review

One of the best features of the DVP-765 is the fact it has inbuilt fiber touch recognition. This enables the unit to automatically heat to the corresponding levels suited to the material you are working on.

While some contractors will appreciate this feature, there will always be others that prefer manual selection for functions such as this.

Moving on to the overall splice and heating times; here the DVP-765 scores on an intermediary level. Total splice times average about 7 seconds, while tune heating amounts to 20 seconds.

Display ability is also very much in line with what you can expect for machines of this price point; X, Y, X/Y axis viewing is made easy using the unit. The DVP-765 also offers 300X Magnification, (the industry average).

Data storage and preset programming is another reason to like this splicer. Inbuilt memory allows for the storage of 8000 results and a total of 200 slice images.

The splicing program has 6 factory preset modes with the possibility of storing 74 user-defined ones.

The heating program also has 6 factory modes, with a total capacity of 14 user-defined modes.

Where the machine lacks, however, is the size of the screen. At just 4.3” the color LCD display is one of the smallest of the units in our top 5.

The battery life is also lackluster at best with an average of just 260 splice and heat cycles per charge.

Bottom Line

Overall, the DVP-765 Fiber Optic Fusion Splicer is another great machine worthy of our top 5. There are some superior features here; the fiber touch recognition and preset programming being just a couple of them.

However, the unit is let down by the small screen and battery life. Consider these issues before you buy.

Fusion Splicer Buyer’s Guide

What is fusion splicing?

Fusion splicing is the connection of two optical fibers by fusing them end-to-end.

It is a delicate operation due to the fact that connected cables need to maintain the integrity of light passing through them.

If at the point of fusion the light is scattered or reflected back, the cable will not work as it should. Furthermore, once fused, the cable fibers at the splice need to be just as strong as they were before fusion took place.

An electric arc, laser, gas flame, or tungsten filament are all methods that a fusion splice may use to operate.

The two types of fusion splicer

Factors to consider when buying a fusion splicer

Core Alignment Fusion Splicer vs Cladding Alignment Fusion Splicer

Alignment is the single most important factor in fusion splicing. While today’s automatic fusion splicer machines have built-in integrated systems to detect and control alignment, the way this is carried out differs between models.

This difference can and does impact the accuracy of alignment, creating fiber optic losses if a fusion is not done precisely enough. The end result can be a noticeable deficiency in data transmission. In other words, you will not have done your job properly.

Essentially, your aim should be to purchase and use the best fusion splicer you can afford in order to have the highest level of alignment accuracy.

There are two main types of fusion alignment method:

The Core Alignment Splicer

High-end devices will normally incorporate core alignment fusion technology. These systems allow users to store separate parameters such as splice time and temperature that can be run automatically on a fusion job.

The core alignment splicer works by magnifying the splice and presenting the details on an LCD screen for the user to see. Active core-alignment mechanisms within the unit then line up the fibers with as close to perfect alignment as possible.

Accuracy is further increased with light injection technology and in-built imaging software. The splicing device measures the light passing through the optic cable, fixing alignment at the point minimum splice loss has occurred.

Today, core alignment splicers are the most precise units available. Many machines can boast splice losses of no more than 0.02dB.

Cladding Alignment Splicer

Lower budget splicers will come with cladding-alignment mechanisms. These work using clad alignments that line up the fibers for splicing. The cables are placed inside a V-groove, with the fibers being aligned in relation to the outer cladding.

The problem here is the reliance on the outer diameter being aligned, without evidence that the core is equally aligned. If the fibers’ glass geometry has any imperfections, this will cause issues with the fusion as they cannot be accounted for.

This type of automatic splicer machine unit is more prone to high loss splices as a result. The typical loss for a D-aligned splice is close to 0.05dB.

Single Fiber Fusion Splicer vs Mass Fusion Splicer

Single fiber splicers and mass or ribbon splicers are the two main types of fusion splicers currently available. Let’s take a look at the differences, as this will definitely determine which is the best for your needs.

Single Fiber Fusion Splicer

Single fiber splicers are the most widely sold units today, as single fiber application is the most common application. They normally have the capability to splice 250-micron fiber, with some models ranging up to 900 microns jacketed fiber.

The device works by stripping one piece of fiber before cleaning, cleaving, and inserting it into the fiber holder. The process is repeated on a second fiber and set for alignment in the opposite holder.

Essentially, only one fiber fusion operation can be done at a time.

Mass Fusion Splicer

Mass or ribbon splicers have the capacity to splice 1 to 12 fibers all at once. These devices are used by technicians where multiple fiber fusion is required, as this is the most efficient and cost-effective way to do so.

The initial outlay is more expensive of course, however, over the long term the reduction in splice costs when using a device capable of multiple, simultaneous splicing can be vast.