NEW TECHNOLOGIES
Web Page sponsor Oxley Developments
www.oxleygroup.com
10 Jul 08. Oxley Fly High with Customised EMI Solution. Filtered connectors manufactured by Oxley Developments Company Ltd will soon be flying high on a new commercial aircraft, thanks to an effective partnership with Turbo Power Systems (TPS). TPS supply the rack-mounted liquid-cooled controller for the aircraft’s jettison fuel pump and required a high performance filtered connector that would not only remove electromagnetic interference from signal and power lines but would also meet the requirements of an extremely high dielectric withstand voltage requirement of 2000 volts AC. Having experienced difficulty with previous filters selected that were unable to pass the EMC testing, TPS approached Oxley with a view to finding a solution to the problems encountered with meeting their specifications. This precise requirement for the fuel management system led Oxley to develop a high voltage filter specifically for the new aircraft. The filtered connector produced was a custom design that included a high performance ceramic planar capacitor array and custom designed compliant interconnects. In order to ensure that the filters were fully tested, Oxley invested in new equipment for their in-house testing laboratory, which would duplicate the process of TPS and enable Oxley to extend prototype verification testing to in-line production testing. The combination of Oxley’s expertise in EMC filtering and the ability to design, manufacture and test in-house resulted in an effective, custom built, high voltage filtered connector that went on to successfully pass TPS aircraft acceptance testing. With hundreds of the new aircraft on pre-order and demand growing, it is expected that the requirement for this specialised, high performance filtered connector will increase considerably, generating substantial business for Oxley and reinforce their position as a world leader with a reputation for quality and reliability.
15 Jul 08. Link Microtek, the specialist supplier of RF and microwave components and subsystems, has announced the availability of a new solid-state high-power amplifier module that has been designed for use in military mobile jamming systems to counter the threat of IEDs. Manufactured by Empower RF Systems, the 1119 module covers the frequency range 500MHz to 2.5GHz and features a rugged construction that ensures excellent long-term reliability. The module utilises high-power advanced GaN transistors to achieve an output of 50W with high efficiency, low distortion and wide dynamic range. It has a maximum noise figure of 10dB and a minimum IP3 of +48dBm. Operating from a 28VDC supply, the 1119 includes built-in control and monitoring circuits to protect it against input overdrive, any load VSWR and thermal overload. This compact module measures only 188 x 91 x 27mm, weighs just 454g and has an operating temperature range of -40 to +80degC. A datasheet for the 1119 module can be found at www.linkmicrotek.com under the product category ‘Amplifiers – Power Modules’.
15 Jul 08. Zeroshift demonstrated the second generation of its revolutionary Intelligent Tool Control (ITC) product this year’s Farnborough Airshow. Driven by customer feedback, the control architecture – now available in a separate slot-in module – will allow users to schedule maintenance without removing the entire tool cabinet from the production environment. ITC is already helping many leading companies strengthen and enhance their existing tool control and anti-FOD procedures, including Rolls Royce in Derby, where the system is installed at its Customer Delivery Centre. In operation, the ITC controller is paired to a cabinet which incorporates tool-silhouette foam cut outs. Each tool cavity is further equipped with an optical sensor, which automatically detects the removal or replacement of a tool, without the need to modify the tool in any way. To access a tool, users must firs