SIST EN 2591-6305:2004

Overview

SIST EN 2591-6305:2004 is a European aerospace standard developed by CEN that specifies test methods for evaluating the durability of optical connection elements under rapid temperature changes. This standard focuses on optical components such as fibre optic couplers and permanent optical connections used in aerospace systems. It ensures that these components can withstand the thermal stress encountered during transportation and operational conditions without degradation in performance. SIST EN 2591-6305:2004 is intended to be used alongside EN 2591-100, which provides general test principles for electrical and optical connections in aerospace applications.

Key Topics

• Scope of Testing: Verifies the ability of optical connection elements to endure sudden temperature fluctuations, simulating real-world aerospace environments.
• Specimen Preparation: Requires specimens to be fitted with standard accessories and terminated per product specifications. Terminals with empty contacts must have filler plugs for consistent testing conditions.
• Test Apparatus and Procedure: Follows methodologies outlined in related standards such as EN 2591-305 (Rapid Change of Temperature) and EN 2591-602 (Variation of Attenuation and Optical Discontinuity) to continuously monitor optical attenuation during temperature cycling.
• Measurement and Evaluation: Includes measurements of insertion loss, attenuation variation, visual inspection, and mechanical assessments like mating and unmating forces post-test to ensure no detrimental effects occurred.
• Compliance Requirements: Defines criteria for maximum allowable insertion loss and attenuation variations, ensuring reliability and performance stability of optical connections in aerospace environments.

Applications

SIST EN 2591-6305:2004 is critical for aerospace manufacturers, suppliers, and testing laboratories involved in producing or certifying optical connection components. Practical applications include:

• Aerospace Electrical and Optical Systems: Ensuring robustness of fibre optic connections used in avionics, satellite communication, and aircraft data transmission systems.
• Product Qualification: Validating optical connectors and fibre couplers during product development for thermal stability as part of qualification and certification processes.
• Transportation and Operational Testing: Simulating environmental conditions such as rapid temperature changes during air or space transportation, launch, and in-service operations to guarantee long-term component reliability.
• Quality Assurance: Incorporating stable temperature change resistance testing into quality control regimes to detect defects or weaknesses before deployment in aerospace platforms.

Related Standards

SIST EN 2591-6305:2004 is part of the wider EN 2591 series for electrical and optical connection elements in aerospace, closely related to:

• EN 2591-100: General test methods for aerospace electrical and optical connections, providing overarching guidance for specimen preparation and test execution.
• EN 2591-305: Test methods for rapid change of temperature conditions, laying the foundational thermal test cycle procedures applied within part 6305.
• EN 2591-602: Methodology for measuring variation in attenuation and optical discontinuity during environmental testing, critical for monitoring optical performance under temperature stress.
• EN 2591-601: Procedures for measuring insertion loss of optical elements to assess signal degradation after environmental exposure.
• EN 2591-408: Tests for mechanical forces during connection and disconnection (mating and unmating), important for confirming connector integrity post-test.

Keywords: aerospace optical connection tests, EN 2591-6305, rapid temperature change testing, fibre optic couplers, optical element durability, aerospace standards, insertion loss measurement, temperature cycling aerospace connectors, optical attenuation variation, aerospace fibre optic testing