Aeroflex's Synthetic Microwave Test Systems

Citation

(2005), "Aeroflex's Synthetic Microwave Test Systems", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 77 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2005.12777aad.012

Aeroflex's Synthetic Microwave Test Systems

Aeroflex's Synthetic Microwave Test Systems

Keywords: Aeroflex, Microwaves, Tests and testing

Aeroflex Incorporated has announced it has integrated National Instruments' NI TestStand Development System into its high-performance synthetic microwave test systems. NI TestStand is a test management environment which provides a standard test sequencing capability for a variety of test applications, enabling Aeroflex customers to develop their own test sequences using an industry standard platform. It is now available as an option for the Aeroflex TRM 1000C and the STI 1000C synthetic broadband microwave test systems. The TRM synthetic test system is used for testing of high-performance broadband microwave components, subsystems and transmit/receive (TR) modules used in applications such as base stations, phased-array radar, communications systems and electronic warfare. The STI system is the most advanced system available for testing of satellite payloads.

“The addition of NI TestStand to the TRM and STI synthetic test systems is a natural fit that takes advantage of the open and flexible measurement architecture of our products. The additional capability provides customers with another method to access the wide variety of modular software products and a powerful measurement suite within the Aeroflex synthetic platform for advanced microwave test applications. They will also realize the benefits of standardizing test sequencing on an industry-standard product like NI TestStand”, said Mark Jurovich, General Manager, Aeroflex systems division, Powell, Ohio.

About the TRM 1000C and the STI 1000C synthetic test systems The NI TestStand option will be available first on the TRM 1000C and the STI1000C test systems. Both the TRM 1000C and the STI 1000C can be used either as standalone instruments or controlled by an external network as part of an enterprise-wide factory automation solution. These systems are reportedly designed to dramatically improve test times and reduce measurement errors introduced by either the operator or the test hardware. Test throughput delivered by these systems exceeds that achieved by a traditional rack and stack system by up to an order of magnitude, with measurement accuracy rivaling that of a vector network analyzer.

The TRM 1000C and the STI 1000C are capable of making vector and scalar measurements under either continuous wave (CW), pulsed or modulated signal conditions with programmatic access to all the key stimulus and measurement parameters. A complete library of microwave tests is offered and customers may easily develop new or unique tests using a high-level test scripting language. Error-corrected s-parameters, spectral measurements, noise measurements, modulation/ demodulation measurements are all available. The standard TRM 1000C is capable of microwave stimulus and measurement to 26.5 GHz, up to +20 dBm device under test (DUT) input and from 290 to +30 dBm DUT output levels. Standard frequency and power extension options are available to 36 GHz and +50 dBm power level stimulus.

The standard STI 1000C is capable of microwave stimulus and measurement to 32 GHz, up to +10 dBm DUT input and from 280 to +30 dBm DUT output levels. Standard frequency and power extension options are available to 36 GHz and +50 dBm power level stimulus. A unique remote calibration unit provision enables very precise and accurate measurements even at the end of very long cabling that is usually required for testing satellite payloads in remote environmental chambers.

Aeroflex will provide custom features including development of NI TestStand- sequences for customers for both the TRM and STI systems on a paid, non- recurring engineering (NRE) basis. Both standard and custom DUT port matrices are available, enabling literally hundreds of input and output test ports.

Details available from: Aeroflex Test Solutions. Tel: +44 (0) 1438 772087; Fax: +44 (0) 1438 727601; E-mail: mark.wallace@aeroflex.com