Pickering Interfaces has announced a new free online tool for configuring flexible LXI microwave switching products. The Microwave Switch Design Tool made its debut at IMS 2023 (June 13-15, San Diego). The tool enables easy configuration of custom LXI microwave switching systems. The dedicated tool will simplify the configuration of custom LXI RF & microwave switching systems, helping bring powerful, flexible microwave design functionality to customers building systems for signal routing applications across 5G, wireless & telecommunications, semiconductor, medical, and aerospace and defense.
Using the interactive online tool, engineers can specify and configure a mix of high-performance microwave LXI relays, up to 110 GHz bandwidth, with 50 Ω or 75 Ω impedance, and a range of connector types – including the location of individual microwave switching elements through to the associated labeling requirements. Their LXI microwave switch platform design can generate a complete system quotation and unique part number that can be ordered directly from Pickering Interfaces, where it will be built and delivered as a custom system.
Engineers can select from relays including transfer, SPDT, SP4T, SP6T, SP8T, SP10T, and SP12T, in terminated and unterminated versions, with an industry-standard LXI Ethernet control interface, in compact 1U to 4U form factors, providing space-saving microwave switching solutions. Flexibility in front-panel relay positioning helps minimize external interconnecting cable lengths. The systems exhibit excellent RF and repeatability characteristics, with high-performance relays offering low VSWR, very high isolation, low loss, and high power handling – ideal for switching coaxial systems that require high performance from the HF band to microwave frequencies.
Microwave Division Manager at Pickering Interfaces, Simon Aylott, commented: “This powerful new online tool will enable customers to easily configure custom RF & microwave switching and relay systems with just a few clicks. Engineers can use the tool to design custom front panel graphics and labels to support their application. The initial release will support and aid the customer experience when configuring flexible LXI microwave switch products, but future versions will also support PXI modules.”
For more than 30 years, test engineers have relied on Pickering Interfaces to help accelerate their project development cycle and streamline production readiness when building sensibly priced, high-performance modular microwave switching systems, providing the foundation for highly reconfigurable signal routing solutions. The new Microwave Design Tool simplifies and accelerates this process. All systems are covered by Pickering's standard three-year warranty.
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