Whether it’s a passenger plane, fighter jet, satellite, or drone, aerospace is an unforgiving place. The rare combination of expertise in both mechanical engineering and RF engineering is critical for keeping aircraft safely aloft and on track.
A major reason why it’s so rare is because the requirements are so demanding: ultralight weight, durability and reliability even in the extreme cold and vacuum of space, installation limitations that undermine RF performance, and unusual form factors, to name just a few common examples.
One example is GNSS, which both civilian and defense drones rely on for navigation, including maintaining a safe altitude. Plastic is a common way to reduce weight, but that shell material won’t provide a ground plane to maximize the GNSS antenna’s gain. Hence the value of antennas designed to overcome that installation challenge and provide reliable high performance, such the Taoglas Accura Series’ TS.125.0111W.
How to Identify Mechanical Engineering Expertise
There are two major areas where antenna specialists can demonstrate their mechanical engineering expertise for civilian and defense aerospace applications:
- Design and simulation, such as CAD modeling using SolidWorks for complex geometries, and RF and mechanical simulations using CST and HFSS.
- Prototyping and manufacturing, such as 3D printing for rapid concept validation.
For example, Taoglas labs have equipment for CO₂ and fiber laser cutting for non-metallic and metallic prototypes respectively, and ultrasonic welding. In addition, the Taoglas lab is ITAR registered, ISO-certified, and CMMC Level 2 ready. It’s equipped to design, fabricate, test and validate RF performance to test and validate RF performance, too, providing aerospace contractors with a one-stop shop for both RF and mechanical services.
A Material Difference
Mechanical engineering expertise also should include material science expertise to ensure that aerospace antennas meet strict requirements for:
- Structural integrity under high loads and vibration, such as during takeoff and landing.
- Thermal management for the extreme temperature cycles, especially at higher altitudes and supersonic speeds.
- Lightweight yet durable components, which highlights the importance of innovative materials that increase structural strength. A prime example is Taoglas’ Terrablast polymer dielectric material, which is 30% lighter than ceramics while providing ultra-high impact resistance.
- Compliance with ITAR, IPC-A-610/620S, MIL-DTL, and MIL-STD specs*, which dictate shock resistance, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and other mission-critical attributes.
Some aerospace applications have an additional set of requirements because they’re used at sea, such as jets, helicopters, and drones on aircraft carriers and U.S. Coast Guard cutters. Those antennas must be marine grade to withstand salt spray and other harsh maritime elements. One example is the Taoglas Neptune XAHP.30, a multi-band, multi-constellation GNSS antenna whose IP67-rated enclosure protects the electronics inside even when submerged up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.
To learn more about Taoglas’ comprehensive suite of mechanical and RF engineering services and additional examples of aerospace-grade solutions for defense and civilian applications:
- Visit https://www.taoglas.com/markets/aerospace-and-defense.
- Watch the on-demand webinar “Multi-band GNSS Antenna Integration within EMEA Aerospace and Defense.”
- Browse https://www.taoglas.com/category-search/?q=aerospace for over 100 models of embedded and external antennas, RF connectors, cables, and other products designed specifically for aerospace.
*Applies to select Taoglas products.
