Optic Untwisting Machine by

Fiber optic gyroscopes (FOG's) offer much higher reliability for inertial guidance as compared to conventional mechanical gyroscopes. Unfortunately, the manufacturability of high performance FOGs has been limited by a laborious fiber coil winding process. In recent years, the development of automated coil winding equipment has allowed larger throughputs of these difficult to manufacture coils. Even with automated equipment, flaws during the winding process are inevitable. In the past, coil manufacturers have relied on increasing fiber tension to enforce proper winding position; however, higher tension tends to degrade a coil's performance. Twisted fiber is one cause of flaws during the winding process. The elastic twist prevents the fiber from lying in a desired location. Instead, the fiber has a tendency to roll into a non-ideal gap or climb position that generates winding errors. As a solution, this author's thesis documents the conception of a fiber untwisting process that was embodied in a fully automated demonstratio