High speed draw optical fiber coating system and method

An optical fiber draw system comprising:

• a furnace for heating an optical fiber preform;
• a draw assembly for drawing a glass fiber from the optical fiber preform at a draw speed greater than 50 meters per second;
• a first coating applicator for applying a first coating composition onto the glass fiber, the first coating composition comprising a first photoinitiator, the first photoinitiator absorbing at a first wavelength;
• a first curing assembly comprising a first plurality of light sources comprising light-emitting diodes, the first plurality of light sources emitting at the first wavelength, the first curing assembly configured to cure the first coating composition to a first degree of cure with the emission at the first wavelength in a time of 0.030 seconds or less;
• a second coating applicator for applying a second coating composition onto the first coating composition having the first degree of cure, the second coating composition comprising a second photoinitiator, the second photoinitiator absorbing at a second wavelength;
• and
• a second curing assembly comprising a second plurality of light sources, comprising a combination of light emitting diodes and at least one mercury discharge lamp, the second plurality of light sources emitting at the second wavelength, the second curing assembly configured to cure the second coating composition with the emission at the second wavelength, the second curing assembly further configured to cure the first coating composition to a second degree of cure;
• wherein the first degree of cure is in the range from 20%-50% and the second degree of cure is in the range from 80%-99%.