Automated Connector Inspection and Cleaning System

To meet MIL-STD-1678, all military-grade fiber-optic termini must meet minimum optical transmissivity criteria before final installation in the aircraft. However, with a large number of fiber-optic connectors and termini in each connector, inspecting and cleaning fiber-optic connectors on aircraft is becoming highly labor-intensive and time-consuming. Furthermore, a planned increase in the number of fiber-optic connectors in aircraft will soon make the manual inspection/cleaning-based approach untenable. Considering the increased maintenance demand, automated, future-proof technology is required to enable rapid, portable, and reliable inspection/diagnosis/cleaning of fiber-optic connectors. To address this need, Hedgefog Research Inc. (HFR) proposes to develop a new Automated Connector Inspection and Cleaning System (ACICS). ACICS will rapidly perform an automated inspection of individual termini in a fiber-optic connector by acquiring images of fiber facets and diagnosing cleanliness issues via real-time rule-based image analysis. Problematic termini with lossy transmission will be cleaned with an automated cleaner module. ACICS leverages our fiber endoscopy-based imaging and automated image analysis expertise and prior experiences in integrated optomechanical packaging and productization. In Phase I, HFR will develop a breadboard ACICS prototype for experimental feasibility demonstration. We will also prepare a preliminary system design that meets all technical and operational requirements of the Navy.