Polishing method using two stage members

A method of polishing a fiber optic connector with a polishing member that is mounted on an x-stage that in turn is mounted on a y-stage, the stages being interconnected for movement relative to each other, comprising the steps of:

• reciprocating the x-stage along an x-axis having a predetermined length, and
• reciprocating the y-stage along a y-axis that is perpendicular to the x-axis and less than the length thereof and at a speed of movement that is greater than the speed of movement of the y-stage whereby the polishing member polishes the connector in a figure eight pattern.

A method of polishing a workpiece with a polishing member that is mounted on one of a pair of stage members that are interconnected for movement relative to each other, comprising the steps of:

• applying force to a first of the stage members causing it to move along a rectilinear first path, and
• applying force to the other stage member causing it to move along a rectilinear second path that is angularly related to the first path and at a speed of movement that is a multiple of the speed of movement of the first stage member whereby the polishing member is caused to trace a predetermined pattern.

A method of polishing a workpiece with a polishing member that is mounted on one of a pair of stage members that are interconnected for movement relative to each other, comprising the steps of:

• applying force to a first of the stage members causing it to move along a first path, and
• applying force to the other stage member causing it to move along a second path that is angularly related to the first path and at a speed of movement that is a multiple of the speed of movement of the first stage member whereby the polishing member is caused to trace a predetermined pattern
• wherein the first path is an x-axis, and wherein the second path is a y-axis substantially perpendicular to the x-axis.

A method of polishing a workpiece with a polishing member that is mounted on one of a pair of stage members that are interconnected for movement relative to each other, comprising the steps of:

• applying force to a first of the stage members causing it to move along a first path, and
• applying force to the other stage member causing it to move along a second path that is angularly related to the first path and at a speed of movement that is a multiple of the speed of movement of the first stage member thereby causing the polishing member to trace a figure eight pattern.

A method of polishing a workpiece with a polishing member that is mounted on one of a pair of stage members that are interconnected for movement relative to each other, comprising the steps of:

• applying force to a first of the stage members causing it to reciprocally move along a first path, and
• applying force to the other stage member causing it to reciprocally move along a second path that is angularly related to the first path and at a speed of movement that is a multiple of the speed of movement of the first stage member whereby the polishing member is caused to trace a predetermined pattern.

A method of polishing a fiber optic connector with a polishing member that is mounted on an x-stage that in turn is mounted for movement on a y-stage, comprising the steps of:

• reciprocating the x-stage along an x-axis having a predetermined length, and
• reciprocating the y-stage along a y-axis that is perpendicular to the x-axis and less than the length thereof and at a speed of movement that is greater than the speed of movement of the y-stage.

A method of polishing a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• mounting the workpiece and the polishing member in face-to-face contact so that they can move relative to each other while remaining in such contact;
• and
• polishing the workpiece with the polishing member in a figure eight pattern by moving one of the workpiece and the polishing member in a figure eight pattern relatively to the other of the workpiece and the polishing member.

A method of polishing a workpiece with a polishing member that is mounted on first and second stage members that are interconnected for movement relative to each other, comprising the steps of:

• translating both of the stage members along a first path,
• translating the second stage member along a second path that is angularly related to and crosswise of the first path and during translation of both of the stage members along the first path, and
• causing the speed of movement along one of said paths to be a multiple of the speed of movement along the other path, thereby causing the polishing member to trace a predetermined pattern.