An apparatus and method for forming a fiber optic faceplate by winding an
optical fiber strand about a mandrel that is outfitted with pairs of
input and output spacing guides for providing proper fiber-to-fiber
spacing. Spacing is maintained using input and output edge spacers to
form a ribbon structure having optical fiber segments that run from an
input edge to an output edge. The fiber optic faceplate can then be
fabricated by stacking the ribbon structures.