Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR)

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 CONTENTS
CONTENTS......................................................................................................................................... 2
1. Overview......................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Features.......................................................................................................................................... 5
3. Specifications.................................................................................................................................. 5
4. Instructions of buttons and display panel........................................................................................ 8
5. Instructions of test modes and parameters...................................................................................13
5.1 Test modes of OTDR............................................................................................................ 13
5.2 Test parameters of OTDR.................................................................................................... 14
6. Operating instructions................................................................................................................... 15
6.1Fast auto measurement........................................................................................................ 15
6.2Manual measurement............................................................................................................ 15
6.3Waveform operations............................................................................................................ 16
6.3.1Zoom in/out waveform: ...............................................................................................17
6.3.2Move waveform........................................................................................................... 18
6.3.3Move cursor................................................................................................................ 18
6.3.4Select event point........................................................................................................ 18
6.4File operations....................................................................................................................... 18
6.4.1Save............................................................................................................................ 18
6.4.2Open........................................................................................................................... 19
6.4.3Close........................................................................................................................... 19
6.4.4Delete.......................................................................................................................... 19
6.4.5Clear........................................................................................................................... 19
6.5Upload data........................................................................................................................... 20
6.6Switch input method.............................................................................................................. 20
6.7Switch language.................................................................................................................... 20

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 6.8VFL settings.......................................................................................................................... 20
6.9 Setting of timer power-off..................................................................................................... 20
7. Instructions of PC management software of OTDR ......................................................................22
7.1Install drive............................................................................................................................ 23
7.2Select serial port................................................................................................................... 23
7.3Collect data........................................................................................................................... 24
7.4 Operations of data records................................................................................................... 24
7.5 View data records................................................................................................................. 25
7.6Report................................................................................................................................... 28
8.Configuration list............................................................................................................................. 29
9.Maintenance................................................................................................................................... 30
10.Troubleshooting............................................................................................................................ 31
11.Warranty....................................................................................................................................... 33

1. Overview
OTDR handheld Optical Time Domain Reflectometry is a new generation of intelligent optical-fibre
communication instrument. It is able to display the loss distribution curves of optical fibres and optical

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cables, measure the attenuation factors of optical fibres and optical cables, loss between points and at
joints. It is also able to measure the length of optical fibres and optical cables, the distance between two
points, identify the connecting, fault, and disconnecting locations of optical fibres and optical cables. It is
widely used in the construction, maintenance, measurement, emergency repair of optical-fibre
communication system works; also used in the development, manufacturing and measurement of optical
fibres and optical cables:
Main functions of the instrument:
Measure length of optical fibre.
Measure the distance between any two points in
the curves of optical fibre.
Measure and display the loss between any two
points in the curves(dB).
Measure and display the connecting loss at the
joints of the curves (this function is not available in
Optical-fibre Fault Finder).
Measure the value of reflection loss(this function
is not available in Optical-fibre Fault Finder).
Measure the distance between two event points
(this function is not available in Optical-fibre Fault
Finder).
Measure the loss between two event points (this function is not available in Optical-fibre Fault
Finder).
Measure the average loss between two event points (this function is not available in Optical-fibre
Fault Finder).
Measure waveform storage.
Indicate the power volume of intelligent batteries.
Work as a real-time measurement instrument, this increases the convenience on observing real-time

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connecting effects of optical fibres.

2. Features
Handheld device, light, easy to carry, solid and durable
Color LCD display
Able to transfer data to PC via USB cable
Intelligent battery power volume indicator and auto power-off at low voltage
Visual window operating interfaces in both Chinese and English
VFL (visual fault location)

3. Specifications
Modules A B
1310nm/1550nm ± 1310nm/1550nm ±
Central wave length
20nm 20nm

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Type of compatible applicable fibres single-mode single-mode
30/32dB(100-110km)
Dynamic range 15/16dB(40-50km)

Min. event deadzone 1.6m(single-mode)

±(1m+sampling interval+0.003%×distance)
Ranging accuracy
(excluding refractive index imbedding error)

Resolution of ranging 12m-16m

Loss threshold value 0.01dB
Linearity 0.05dB/dB
VFL output power 5mW
Measurement range 4, 8, 16, 32, 48, 64, 128, 256km(single-mode)
Pulse width 10, 30, 80, 160, 320, 640, 1280, 2560, 10240ns
Number of sampling points 65K
Waveform storage capacity 1000 frames
Range of refractive index 1.00000～2.00000
Range of optical-cable correction factor 0.80000~1.0000
LCD display 640×480, 5.1” color LCD
Port USB
Optical output port FC/PC

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 AC/DC adapter:
AC input: 100V～240V(1.5A)
Output DC: 9V(2A)
Power supply Power frequency: 50Hz～60Hz
Internal lithium battery: 7.4V, 4400mAh
Working hours of battery: 10 hours (normal
temperature)
Menu language Simplified Chinese/English
Storage temperature: － 40℃ ～ 70℃(exclusive of
Environmental requirements battery)
Relative humidity: 5%－95%, no condensation
Dimensions 215mm×130mm×66mm
Weight About 1kg

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4. Instructions of buttons and display panel

(Frontal view)

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(Side view)

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 (Rear view)
(1) AUTO: auto measurement
(2) HOME: display entire curve
(3) Input English letters and numbers
(4) Switch input methods
(5) Power indicator
(6) ON/OFF: power ON/OFF the machine
(7) Measuring indicator
(8) START/STOP: start/stop measurement
(9) ENTER: confirm
(10) Direction buttons, zoom in/out and move waveform, move cursor, select event point

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(11) Function buttons F0-F5
(12) CANCEL: cancel and exit
(13) FILE: file management
(14) SETUP OTDR: set the machine
(15) RESULT: testing results
(16) VFL: port of visual fault location
(17) OTDR optical-fibre input port
(18) USB data upload port
(19) External power supply input
(20) Battery cover

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(OTDR main menu)

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 (1) Product name
(2) Name of current file
(3) Icon of VFL status
(4) Icon of auto power-off
(5) Input method
(6) Current mode: there are four modes, i.e.: zoom in/out, move, cursor, event list
(7) Charging or power volume indicator
(8) Date and time
(9) Distance value, loss value of cursor A
(10) Distance value, loss value of cursor B
(11) The values of distance and loss between cursors A and B
(12) Y position
(13) X position
(14) Current measurement parameters, including wave lengyh, pulse width and testing mode of light
source
(15) Event display area, the distance, type, connecting loss, reflection loss of event point will appear
in this area
(16) Cursor A, cursor B
(17) Event point
(18) Curve of testing result

5. Instructions of test modes and parameters

5.1 Test modes of OTDR
OTDR has three test modes, i.e.: auto test, real-time test and average test.
Auto test:
If OTDR has been set in auto test mode. When you click 【START/STOP】 button, the system will
immediately start auto test, and the instrument will automatically change testing conditions according to

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 the conditions of the optical fibre to be tested.
Click【AUTO】 button while in main menu, auto test will immediately become current mode, and the
system will start testing.
Real-time test:
If OTDR has been set in real-time test mode, the system will continuously refresh and test till you
click【START/STOP】 button again, then OTDR stops testing.
Average test:
If OTDR has been set in average test mode, OTDR will perform average test over the link circuit of
the optical fibre to be tested based on the preset conditions. The testing curves appearing in main
menu will be continuously equalized till the averaging times appearing in the screen reaches the
preset averaging times, then OTDR stops testing.
5.2 Test parameters of OTDR
Test parameters of OTDR include: wave length, measurement range, pulse width, attenuation,
averaging times, refractive index, optical cable correction factor, event threshold.
Wave length: it is used to set the testing wave length of OTDR.
Measurement range: it is used to set the range for scanning curves, in general it is set as 4km,
8km, 16km, 32km, 64km, 128km, 256km. The range you set must be greater than the length of the
optical fibre to be measured.
Pulse width: It is used to measure the laser pulse width to be used in the test. The wider the pulse
is, the longer optical fibre the instrument can measure, but the lower the resolution will be. The thinner
the pulse width is, the higher the resolution will be, but the shorter distance the instrument can test.
Attenuation: It is used to measure the attenuation values of signals. The attenuation values can be
set as 0dB, 5dB, 10dB. The smaller the attenuation value is, the longer optical fibre the instrument can
measure, but the near end of optical fibre may appear saturated; The greater the attenuation value is,
the shorter optical fibre the instrument can measure, the lower signal-to-noise ratio of testing curves is,
but the smaller the test dead zone is.
Averaging times: it is used to maximum averaging times for average test. This value ranges within

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 1-10000.
The bigger the number of averaging times is, the smoother the testing curve is (it means the higher
the signal-to-noise ratio is, this is especially helpful for measuring the longer optical fibre).
The increasing of signal-to-noise ratio of testing curve helps OTDR test smaller event points.
While in auto test mod, the number of averaging time will influence the speed of auto test.
Refractive index: Refractive index of optical fibre or optical cable is available from manufacturers, it
can be set within 1.00000~2.00000.
Optical cable correction factor: Optical cable correction factor is used to correct the bias between
optical fibre and optical cable after optical fibre turns into optical cable. Such factor is available from
manufacturers of optical cable, it can be set within 0.8000-1.0000.
If the optical cable correction factor is improperly set, the length of optical cable you measured will
be inaccurate.

6. Operating instructions
6.1Fast auto measurement
While in this mode, the instrument can automatically set the optimum measurement conditions and
get measurement results, operators don’t have to learn complex background knowledge and details of
operating steps. In order to improve the accuracy of auto measurement, user can appropriately increase
the averaging times for auto test, but this will prolong the time of auto test.
The steps are very simple. User only needs to first connect in optical fibre, then click 【 AUTO 】
button, then the instrument automatically set the optimum measurement conditions and give accurate
measurement results. For example, user can choose this mode to measure waveform and event list.

6.2Manual measurement
Manual measurement includes real-time measurement and average measurement. In manual
measurement, user should first set measurement conditions before starting the measurement.
1. Set measurement conditions

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 The setting items include measurement mode, averaging times, wave length, measurement range,
pulse width, refractive index, optical cable correction factor, etc.
To set measurement conditions, please first enter the measurement parameters configuration
screen. Click【SETUP】 button while in main menu, then select the option 【Configurations】 to enter the
measurement parameters configuration screen as shown in figure below

2.Start measurement
While in main menu, click【START/STOP】button. Click【START/STOP】button while in main menu,
the system will start measurement, and will display measurement curves and event list in 30s.
6.3Waveform operations
After finishing the measurement of waveform, user can perform a series operations over the wave
form, e.g.:
Zoom in/out waveform, move waveform, move cursor, operate event list
The direction keys will have different functions in different operation modes, for details see the table
below:

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 Operation Up (↑) Down(↓) Left (←) Right (→)
mode
Zoom in/out Zoom in Zoom out Zoom out Zoom in
vertically vertically horizontally horizontally
Move Move upward Move Move leftward Move rightward
downward
Cursor Move a lattice Move a lattice Move a point Move a point
leftward rightward leftward rightward
Event list Previous event Next event Null Null
point point

6.3.1Zoom in/out waveform:

X-axis waveform zoom in/out is a zoom in/out action centralized on cursor A or cursor B that you
selected.
Y-axis waveform zoom in/out is a zoom in/out action referring to mid-point of Y-axis.
First select the zoom in/out mode. To make zoom in/out mode be current mode, click the right
function buttons (F0-F5) in the menu options called zoom in/out in the first-level menu, the moment the
zoom-in option will turn into a concave button, while the icon of current mode appearing in main menu
turns into the icon.

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 Then you can click directional buttons to zoom in/out the waveform horizontally.
6.3.2Move waveform
Select move mode as current operation mode, then click directional buttons to move the waveform.
6.3.3Move cursor
Select cursor mode as current operation mode, then click directional buttons to move the cursor
leftward or right ward. While you move the cursor, the dB value of the waveform that current cursor maps
to will appear in the screen.
6.3.4Select event point
As long as you select an event point, the system will automatically move waveform, allow current
event point to appear in the middle of waveform display area.
To select an event point, first select event list mode as current operation mode, then click upward or
downward directional buttons to select different event points.
6.4File operations
6.4.1Save
1. Popup the menu, this step can be ignored if the menu already popup.
2. Enter the second page of the menu, click “Save” option, a dialog box will popup indicating you to
enter the file name.

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 3. Enter file name, no null name is allowed. The system will always automatically add “1” to the last
three numbers in the file name. for example, if the name of the file you saved last time is xxx001, the file
name displayed when you enter the file name input box will be xxx002. The moment, you can also click
the options 【Plus 1】 or 【Minus 1】 to increase or decrease the last three numbers in the file name.
4. If no error messages appear in the screen, it means you have successfully saved the file, and the
system will automatically return to main menu.
6.4.2 Open
1. While in main menu, click 【FILE】 button to enter the file management screen.
2. Click 【↑】, 【↓】 buttons to select the file to be opened.
3. Click the option 【OPEN】 or 【ENTER】 to open current files.
6.4.3 Close
There are two ways to close current files
First:
While in main menu, directly click 【CANCEL】 button, current file will be closed.
Second:
1.While in main menu, click 【FILE】 button to file management screen.
2.Click 【↑】, 【↓】 button once again to select the files to be closed.
3. Click the option 【CLOSE】, current file will be closed.
After the file is closed, the system will return to main menu. No curves will appear in the curve
display area, the system will return to “stop test” state.
6.4.4Delete
1.While in main menu, click 【FILE】 button to enter file management screen.
2. Click 【↑】, 【↓】 buttons again to select the file to be deleted.
3.Click the option 【DELETE】, the file you selected will be deleted.
6.4.5 CLEAR
1.While in main menu, click 【FILE】 button to enter file management screen.
2.Click the option 【CLEAR】, a dialog box will pop up asking you whether the clear the files. If yes,

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 please click 【ENTER】, the system will clear all files; if no, please click 【CANCEL】, the system will
cancel the clearing operation.
6.5 Upload data
You can store the measurement results in this machine, or upload them to PC using upper computer
software. To do so, you can connect one end of USB cable to USB port of this instrument, connect the
other end to USB port of PC, then run upper-computer software, and click Upload in the software, these
data will be uploaded to PC.
6.6Switch input method
Where you need switch input method, please click 【UP】 (not a directional button, it lies in the left
bottom of panel), then you can switch the input methods between abc, ABC, 123, which represent
lowercase English letters, capital letters and numbers respectively.
6.7Switch language
1. While in main menu, click 【SETUP】 to enter setting screen.
2.Click the option 【INSTRUMENT SETTINGS】 to enter instrument setting screen.
3. Click leftward or rightward directional buttons to select the option Language Setting.
4. The moment click upward or downward directional buttons to set the language as English or
Chinese.
6.8VFL settings
1.While in main menu, click functional buttons, a menu will popup..
2. Pagedown the menu, click the option 【VFL】, VFL setting screen will popup.
3. Click upward or downward directional buttons to select VFL modes, i.e.: ON, OFF, 1HZ flash.
4. Click 【 ENTER 】 , the settings will take effect and the system will return to main menu, click
【CANCEL 】 to cancel the settings.
6.9 Setting of timer power-off
1. While in main menu, click 【SETUP】 to enter setting screen.
2.Click the option 【INSTRUMENT SETTINGS】 to enter instrument setting screen.
3. Click leftward or rightward directional buttons to select the option Timer Power-off.

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 4. The moment click upward or downward directional buttons to set the time after which the
instrument will be powered off. The time can be set as 10m, 30m, 60m

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7. Instructions of PC management software of OTDR
This software is a PC management software based on OTDR instrument. It is mainly used to
manage and print the testing records of the instrument. Please use it together with the OTDR instrument,
otherwise the software will be unable to properly receive data.

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7.1Install drive
Please first install drive programs of USB before using the management software. The drive
programs are provided in the supplied CD.
After finishing the installation of USB drive programs, turn on OTDR instrument, connect the
instrument with PC using USB cable. Then you can view the serial port No. of USB in device manager in
Windows system. If this item appears in device list, it means the drive program has been successfully
installed.

7.2Select serial port

After USB drive is properly installed, run PC management software. Then click the sub-menu “Serial
port settings” in the menu “SETUP”, a serial setting window will popup. This sub-menu is used to set the
serial ports for uploading the data from the instrument. User can choose default values for baud rate and
parity. After the serial port setting window popup, select the serial port No. of USB drive. For example,
select “COM3” as shown in the figure below. Press ENTER to finish the setting. In general, when the

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serial port has mapped out for the first time after the installation is finished, the serial port mapped in PC
will no longer change in the future. After selecting serial port, the system then can collect data from the
instrument via USB.

7.3Collect data
Click the sub-menu “Collect Data” in the menu “Operation” or click the button “Collect Data”, the
acquired records and uploading records will appear in box beside the button. And the data collecting
progress bar will scroll according to the number of records already uploaded. When the data collection is
finished, the collected records will be added to data and file list.

7.4Operations of data records

All the information appearing in data and file list are the data records collected from the instrument.
These records include file and record name as well as date. User can operate these data records by

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clicking Record then clicking the corresponding buttons on the right. Click “View” button to view the data
you selected in the software interfaces; click “Delete” buttons to delete the data you selected; if you click
“Clear” button, all record data in the list will be deleted. Double click the record you selected in the list,
the records you selected will directly appear in the software interface where you can view it without need
to click “View” button.

7.5View data records

When you have executed “View” operation in the data and file list over the records you selected, the
information of the selected records will be displayed in the software interface, mainly including three
types of information, i.e.: measurement conditions, curves, event list.
Information of measurement conditions contains such parameters as test mode, test items, wave
length, attenuation, correction factor\, refractive index, threshold value, measurement range, pulse width,
number of events, total times.

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 Curves information provides the curves which are identical to that in the instrument. By moving the
mouse in the graph, user can view the X-axis and Y-axis coordinates of the curves corresponding to the
blue vertical line, say the signal values mapped to distances. By double clicking any record in event list,
user can move the blue vertical line to the position of the curve where the event takes placed, to view the
distance of the event and corresponding signal value.

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 Information of event list contains the number of events, type of events, distance, connecting loss,
refractive loss, segment, etc.

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7.6 Report
Click the sub-menu “Report Wizard” in the menu “Report”, or the button “Report” in the right bottom,
the “Report” window will popup.
Click the option “SETUP”, select the number of records to be printed in a piece of A4 paper. There
are three choices for you: 1 waveform per page; 2 waveforms per page; 4 waveforms per page, which
represent 1, 2, 4 records respectively. After selecting the parameters, the corresponding effect drawing
will appear on the right. After page setting is finished, select the data records to be printed in the record
list above. The number of records you selected must be identical to the page settings you made. By
checking the box before every record you can select the record. Then you can click “Preview” or “Print”
to preview or print the report respectively.

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8. List of configurations
Description Qty. Remarks
Host of OTDR
instrument 1 set
Charger 1 pcs
USB cable 1 pcs
Cleaning cotton stick 1 pack
Software CD 1 pcs
Warranty card 1 pcs
Pass certificate 1 pcs
Instrument bag 1 pcs
Configuration list 1 pcs

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9. Maintenance
Precautions
Optical output product is to be kept clean, especially the optical output terminal is to be cleaned
regularly with absolute ethyl alcohol.
Cover the dust-proof cap after you have finished using the instrument, and keep clean the dust-proof
cap.
Please regularly check the flange connector at the output end. If any crack or rupture is found in the
ceramic core of the flange, please replace the flange immediately.
Both optical output connector and internal optical output jumper are consumables, when connecting
in the optical fibre to be tested, please don’t push it with too strong force, but push it in gently at
horizontal direction, so as to prevent the optical output connector and internal optical output jumper being
damaged.
The instrument (including its battery) is to be stored at room temperature, and to be kept in dry
places so as to keep the instrument in best performance.
If you are not going to use the instrument for a long time, please charge the battery then discharge it
at fixed interval of 3 months. Otherwise, excessive self discharge may damage the battery.

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10. Troubleshooting

SN Description Diagnosis Solution

The instrument can’t Power of battery has Please charge the
be started. run out instrument, or connect
1
the instrument with
external power supply.
Some button has Make sure no has
Buttons don’t respond
2 been pressed down been pressed down
to your operations.
and held and held.
a. Set the refractive
index of the optical
a. The refractive index fibre to be the value as
The length of optical of the optical fibre is defined by the
fibre measured by the improperly set manufacturer.
3
instrument is b. The optical fibre b. Set the optical fibre
inaccurate correction factor is correction factor to be
improperly set 1.0000 or the value as
defined by the
manufacturer.

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 a. There is dirt in
optical-fibre end.
b. There is dirt in
optical-fibre end inside a. Clean optical-fibre
the connector at the end with absolute
There are no
optical output end of ethyl alcohol
waveforms in the
the instrument. b. Detach the
screen, only reflection
4 c. The ceramic core of connector at the
peak appears or the
the connector at the optical output end,
tail of reflection peak
optical output end of clean it with absolute
is too long.
the instrument (say ethyl alcohol
the flange) is c. Replace the flange.
damaged, cracked or
broken.

For any other fault not described in the above table, please don’t open the cabinet to deal with it by
yourself, so as to avoid more serious problem. We will refuse to repair any instrument which has ever
been disassembled by yourself.

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11. Warranty
We don’t recommend user to repair the instrument by yourself.
If you find any quality defect and the product is still in warranty period, we will repair or replace the
product for you, but in any case our liability on the product is limited to the price you have paid.
If any problem is found when you are using the product, and it can ’t solved by following the
instructions as provided in the above troubleshooting, please don’t open the cabinet by yourself, but
immediately contact our sales department of local dealers.
For any fault arising of manufacturing defect, we will repair or replace the product free of charge.
This warranty only covers the problem / fault taking place in normal operations, and the product
must be free of any damage and the problem / fault is not caused by any improper use by the user.
The warranty doesn’t cover any problem / fault produced for the following reasons:
Any unauthorized repair or modification by user;
Any improper use, negligence committed by user or any factor beyond human control.

Please fill in the Warranty Registration Card supplied with the product and send back it to us
together with the photocopy of invoice. So that we have vouchers to make repair or maintenance,
technical renovations, calibrations for the product.

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