Precision non-contact core imaging of fiber optic assemblies

A system for focusing a core image of a test ferrule that has an optical fiber coupled thereto, wherein the optical fiber includes a core for the core image, the system comprising:

• a core imager including an optical sensor and a lens having a lens focus setting corresponding to a position of the lens in the core imager relative to the optical sensor of the core imager;
• a positioner configured to position the test ferrule relative to the core imager;
• one or more processors in communication with the core imager and the positioner;
• and
• a memory coupled to the one or more processors and including program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to:
• position the test ferrule relative to the core imager to achieve a rough focus of an image element in the core image;
• position the lens of the core imager at each of a plurality of lens focus settings each corresponding to a different position of the lens in the core imager relative to the optical sensor of the core imager;
• at each of the plurality of lens focus settings:
• capture another core image including the image element, and
• determine a width of the image element of the core image;
• identify the lens focus setting having a smallest width of the image element;
• and
• set the position of the lens in the core imager to the lens focus setting having the smallest width.

A computer program product for focusing a core image of a test ferrule that has an optical fiber coupled thereto, wherein the optical fiber includes a core for the core image, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;
• and
• program code stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
• position the test ferrule relative to a core imager including an optical sensor and a lens to achieve a rough focus of an image element in the core image;
• positioning the lens of the core imager at each of a plurality of lens focus settings each corresponding to a different position of the lens in the core imager relative to the optical sensor of the core imager;
• at each of the plurality of lens focus settings:
• capture another core image including the image element, and
• determine a width of the image element of the core image;
• identify the lens focus setting having a smallest width of the image element;
• and
• set the position of the lens to the lens focus setting in the core imager having the smallest width.