Patent ID: 8109679

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a multifiber ferrule assembly comprising the steps of: processing an unfinished multifiber ferrule to provide a finished multifiber ferrule with a front end having a finished front end geometry including at least a first front surface and at least a second front surface, wherein the first front surface extends beyond the second front surface and the second front surface includes a plurality of optical fiber bore openings; fixing a plurality of optical fibers to the finished multifiber ferrule, wherein the plurality of optical fibers extend from a respective one of the optical fiber bore openings to a position beyond the first front surface; and processing the plurality of optical fibers fixed to the finished multifiber ferrule at a location beyond the first front surface to provide each optical fiber with a final polished end surface located beyond the first front surface without altering the finished front end geometry during the fiber processing step, wherein the first front surface of the finished front end geometry is configured to present each of the fibers with an effective fiber height for mating in an optical connection.