Abstract: Laser welding of an outer sleeve 14 to an inner fiber ferrule 12 is expedited by, first, machining a thinned region 18 in the outer diameter of the sleeve. After the ferrule has been inserted in the sleeve, the thinned region permits the laser to fuse through the sleeve and melt part of the ferrule, as is required for laser welding of ferrule for the sleeve. The thinned region is preferably made by using a rotary cutter to cut an axially extending slot in the outer sleeve, which permits a succession of laser welds 21 in the axial direction in the slot. In a preferred embodiment, thinned regions 18,19 are made on opposite sides of the outer sleeve, and laser welding is performed simultaneously on both sides of the sleeve so as to avoid distortions caused by thermal stress asymmetries.

Abstract: A glass fiber is drawn through a rotating body of flowable coating material to apply the material thereon and then is further drawn through a throat section of an open ended cage formed by a plurality of wire strands forming a hyperboloid of rotation. As the glass fiber is drawn through the throat section the previously applied flowable material contacts the wire strands causing a vortex of material which centers the fiber in the throat and distributes the material uniformly and concentrically thereon.

Abstract: A metallized substrate is flexed to conform to the surface of a segment of a right circular cylinder. The metallized substrate is arcuately rotated and a planar apertured mask is simultaneously moved linearly in spaced tangential relationship to the flexed substrate. A laser beam is directed through the apertured mask to traverse a line formed by the intersection of a plane parallel to the planar apertured mask and tangent to the flexed metallized substrate. As the metallized substrate and the apertured mask are moved, the laser beam is continuously reciprocated along the line to raster scan the metallized substrate through the apertured mask to remove metal therefrom in a desired pattern.

Abstract: A glass fiber is drawn through a rotating body of flowable coating material to apply the material thereon and then is further drawn through a throat section of an open ended cage formed by a plurality of wire strands forming a hyperboloid of rotation. As the glass fiber is drawn through the throat section the previously applied flowable material contacts the wire strands causing a vortex of material which centers the fiber in the throat and distributes the material uniformly and concentrically thereon.