mmWave Test Solutions, a manufacturer of modular anechoic chambers and positioning solutions for over-the-air antenna measurements, launched two new high-precision positioners in the DUO series – the DUO3.5 and DUO5.5.
The new DUO3.5 and DUO5.5 positioners, suit all wide-beam and narrow-beam antenna test applications. The upper arms are 100% metal-free to minimize all stray reflections effectively. They use high-precision, quality components and high torque to handle heavy payloads. A short arm set (add-on option) on the DUO5 and DUO5.5 makes them exceptionally powerful and will handle much higher loads than their rated values.
DUO5.5 Positioner
The new DUO 5.5 offers a total 83 cm (32”) DUT width and a DUT weight of 18 kg (40 lb), making it the largest 3D antenna positioner from mmWave Test Solutions to date. It is ideal for testing antennas in large mechanical enclosures such as automotive side-view mirrors with radar sensors, vRAN/OpenRAN base station antennas, or gNodeB units with non-centered antenna placements.
DUO5.5 sports the same qualities as the DUO5, such as material transparency, the low placement of all metal parts, and all mechanical structures in PET and POM/Acetal. The chosen azimuth turntable offers impressive precision and paired with the dual-motor setup for the arms, the DUO5.5 will provide users highest quality and accuracy for OTA antenna test environment.
The DUO5.5 is available with either a 3-axis or a 6-axis controller as the other DUO positioners. Both controllers offer an intelligent, high-level command set that makes any application control code uncomplicated to implement. MmWaveTest provides a reference application implemented in Python and Matlab for the DUO controllers.
DUO3.5 Positioner
The DUO3.5 is an evolution of the DUO3. Like its origin, it is a highly accurate 3D positioner, but in contrast to the DUO3, it offers a sliding, adjustable DUT arm configuration and can host DUT/AUTs up to 30 cm width.
The adjustable arm has a wide span: It can bring the DUT mount plate up to the elevation axis center, ideal for thinner devices like bare patch antennas or evaluation PCBs for radar applications. From there, the DUT arm can slide out to support DUT depths of up to 15 cm without using offset adapters.
If various DUTs with varying depths are tested regularly, this may be a good reason to choose the DUO 3.5 over the DUO3. It also provides an extra 5 cm DUT width at the user’s disposal at the same time.
Like all other DUO positioners, the DUO 3.5 delivers reliable precision and rigidity for all communication and radar systems in the GHz and THz domains. This product quality requires sturdy mechanical structures CNC-milled from PET or Acetal/Delrin stock material. No 3D printed parts are allowed in the structural design.
Control Software
Control software reference implementation for MATLAB and Python are included in the system. Applications are delivered in source code and provided with clear, inline documentation to allow an easy adaptation to any other software environment.
The hardware controller system is chosen for its simplicity and native instruction designed for controlling multi-axis positioners. It makes it uncomplicated to develop a new application in any other software language that users may prefer.
Click here to learn more about the DUO Series from mmWave Test Solutions.
