Fiber optic epoxy cutting tool and method of use

A cutting tool comprising:

• a housing;
• an adapter carried by the housing configured to receive and carry at least one of a connector and a ferrule;
• a slide;
• a saw assembly carried by the slide and comprising:
• a motor bracket,
• a first motor attached to the motor bracket and
• a saw blade formed from a cemented tungsten carbide material having a grain size within the range from 0.8 μm to 1.4 μm and including a cobalt composition within the range from 0% to 10%, and
• a hub connected to each of the first motor and the saw blade and configured to transmit rotation from the first motor to the saw blade;
• a second motor operably connected to the slide;
• a controller connected to and configured to control the operation of each of the first motor and the second motor;
• and
• a power source electrically connected to each of the first motor, the second motor, and the controller;
• wherein the first motor is operable to rotate the saw blade;
• and
• wherein the second motor is operable to translate the saw blade along a cutting path so as to interface with and cut at least one of a ferrule, a fiber, and an epoxy bead of the connector or the ferrule carried by the adapter.

A cutting tool comprising:

• a housing;
• an adapter carried by the housing configured to receive and carry at least one of a connector and a ferrule;
• a slide;
• a saw assembly carried by the slide and comprising:
• a motor bracket,
• a first motor attached to the motor bracket and
• a saw blade formed of a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tungsten carbide, tungsten carbide including a nickel binder, tungsten carbide including a cobalt binder, tungsten alloy, single crystal silicon, sintered silicon carbide, silicon carbide, single crystal silicon carbide, and molybdenum and comprising a coating comprising diamond crystals having an edge length within the range from 1 μm to 25 μm, and a hub connected to each of the first motor and the saw blade and configured to transmit rotation from the first motor to the saw blade;
• a second motor operably connected to the slide;
• a controller connected to and configured to control the operation of each of the first motor and the second motor;
• a power source electrically connected to each of the first motor, the second motor, and the controller;
• and
• a return extension spring attached to the saw assembly and the housing and configured to exert a return force on the saw assembly when the second motor translates the saw blade;
• wherein the first motor is operable to rotate the saw blade;
• and
• wherein the second motor is operable to translate the saw blade along a cutting path of the saw blade so as to interface with and cut at least one of a ferrule, a fiber, and an epoxy bead of a connector or ferrule carried by the adapter.