SWISSto12 3D-Printed Antenna Matrices
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This Swissto12 3D Printed Antenna (above) Array reminds me of the Hooker Headers I installed on 1969 Chevy Camaro SS back in the 1970's.
3D printing of antenna and waveguide components has been advancing rapidly in the past few years. Early research used plastic that was then coated with a conductive substance. Once 3D printing using a metallic filament was developed to the point that the structure could withstand heat cycling, vibration, and shock associated with aerospace environments, the creation of complex, compound shapes never deemed possible with traditional machining became reality. Using proprietary additive manufacturing techniques developed in-house, virtually any form of waveguide and/or antenna can now be fabricated by companies like Swissto12, based in Renens, Switzerland. As can be seen in the included images from the Swissto12 website, the surfaces are not perfectly smooth due to the manner in which the 3D printer lays down successive layers of material. At lower frequencies with longer wavelengths surface roughness would not be as much of an issue, but in the 10 GHz and above realm it can be a deal killer. Swissto12 has a process which smoothes the assembly enough to achieve low insertion loss and good VSWR. No, I do not know the derivation of the company's name.
Swissto12's Small Satellites for GEO Swissto12- 3D Printing at Radio Frequencies
Posted September 28, 2022 |
