On November 13, 2024, the senior students of Gymnázium Nová Paka visited SQS Fiber Optics. The excursion was part of a mathematics seminar led by Professor RNDr. Jana Vašková, aimed not only at building on topics discussed in class but also to inspire students in their decision-making regarding their future paths after successfully completing high school.
At the beginning of the excursion, the Head of the Development Department, Ing. Zdeněk Zach, briefly introduced the company and the product groups of SQS, including the specific practical applications of each product. The presentation also included a list of university faculties whose graduates find excellent opportunities in a technologically advanced company like SQS. This was followed by a tour of the company. The students, in smaller groups led by experienced development engineers, toured the production areas, development workshops, and laboratories at SQS, equipped with the latest technologies for the development and production of cutting-edge fiber optics, optoelectronics, and laser technology products.
During the excursion, we prepared a workshop with optical fibers for the students. Each student received a glass optical fiber and tools for further work with the fiber. The first and, for some students, the most difficult task was to break the fiber. The students were surprised by how much they had to bend the fiber before it broke. They also tried inserting optical fibers into optical connectors and fiber optic matrix arrays. Ing. Tomáš Pižl guided the students in using optical fiber splicers and demonstrated the practical use of an optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR).
