Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for automatically preparing optical fibers for splicing by automatically positioning an optical fiber at a stripping station, a cleaning station, and a cleaving station. The processing of the optical fiber at the various stations is also preferably automated. The optical fiber may be held by an optical fiber holder and/or a carriage, which may translate and/or rotate the optical fiber amongst the various stations. Where the optical fiber is translated only along a single axis, the unit may be configured to be quite reliable, compact, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for automatically preparing optical fibers for splicing (or for attachment to a connector or an optical component) by automatically positioning a stripping station, a cleaning station, and a cleaving station to process one or more optical fibers substantially simultaneously. The optical fiber may be held at a fixed position during processing. A vacuum system may further be used to automatically collect scrap produced by the cleaving process.