Accel Automation, Inc.

The Prototype Fiber Optic Connector Polishing Machine

With the staff of Accel Automation, comes past employment experience in developing a prototype automated machine which polishes fiber optic connectors attached to fiber optic cables. Our staff member provided Mechanical Design, Engineering Analysis, Control System Design, and Software Development services to create this machine. Additionally, our staff member is the sole contributor to a US patent pertaining to this machine, US Patent 6918816.

Project Overview

The Prototype Fiber Optic Connector Polishing Machine consists of an array of pads, where each row of pads supports a different grit polishing film. Supported above each row of film is a fixture which holds a row of fiber optic connectors to be polished. The Prototype Fiber Optic Connector Polishing Machine moves the fixtures in a pattern while the pads lift the polishing film up to apply force to the end-face of each connector through the film, thus causing polishing to occur. Upon completion of the pattern, the pads are lowered, and the fixtures indexed to the next position so that each fixture of connectors experiences polishing using different grit film at each row of pads.

Mechanical Design

Our staff member provided the Mechanical Design services required to create:

The Overall System Concept & Specifications.
The Fixture, a device which holds the fiber optic connectors attached to the end of the fiber optic cables to facilitate the transportation of the connectors through the polishing machine.
The Fixture Transport Support, a device which supports the fixture while they are transported across the pad array.
The Pad Array, a collection of four independent banks of six polishing pads each, where each bank uses different grit polishing film.
The Fixture Gripper, a device which is connected to the Fixture Drive and which clamps onto the fixtures.
The Fixture Drive, a mechanism which drives the fixtures through the polishing pattern as force is applied to the connector end-faces by the pad array.
The Machine Base, the structure which rigidly supports the all of the components which constitute the machine.

Engineering Analysis

Our staff member provided the Engineering Analysis services required to:

Ensure that the fixture is sufficiently ridged.
Ensure that when grasped by the polisher mechanism, the fixture stays rigidly attached throughout the polishing cycle.
Determine the torque and power requirements of the polisher module drives.
Ensure that the polisher module components and sub-assemblies are sufficiently rigid.
Ensure that the polishing motion provides a uniform polish to ensure connector end-face geometry.

Control System Design

Our staff member provided the Control System Design services required to control:

The Fixture Drive, which utilizes a Compumotor 6K motion controller to provide two axis servo interpolated circular motion.
The Pad Array, which utilizes an analog output from the Compumotor 6K motion controller to control a servo pressure regulator to maintain the desired pad force.
The Polishing Film Dispense System, which utilizes the Compumotor 6K motion controller to provide single axis stepper control.

Software Development

Our staff member provided the Software Development services required to create:

The Machine Interface Application, a Windows application running on a PC which is linked to the Compumotor 6K Controller to provide top level control of the system.