Filtronic has worked with multiple microwave and mmWave OEMs to design and manufacture customised SiP solutions. Through our design, we were able to lower the overall radio cost by providing our client with a solution that aligned with their manufacturing strategy of going all SMT. Our knowledge enabled our customers to minimise the cost of quality, achieving their key objective. This successful deployment has shipped at rates of up to 20k per month with extremely low product return rates and a final yield that was between 97 & 98%.

The solution

• Filtronic undertook both design and contract manufacture of a large number of different SiP’s.
• In-house test solutions developed with elastomeric interface material, appropriate for testing up to 114GHz.
• Leveraging our in-house chip and wire capabilities, working out how to automate the production in jigs and batches to improve cost effectiveness.
• Developing in-house test solution that could cope with testing of up to 20k per month, needed to be an efficient test process.

The result

The challenge

• Implement a cost effective, precision assembly within standard and customised surface mount technology (SMT)  packages. 
• Reduce cost and improve yield of radio manufacture
• High precision hybrid assembly inside QFN air cavity packages.
• 100% testing without any yield loss and extremely low attrition.

A European OEM entering the E-Band market designed a standard E-Band chipset for their transceiver and then looked for a high-volume manufacturer with automated production, coupled with E-Band test facilities that could rapidly bring their product to market. This was a complex development and our customer leveraged our mmWave expertise and our E-Band capabilities to improve the design and deliver >2k modules to an accelerated delivery schedule.

The solution

• Rapidly introduced product into volume production, utilising our hybrid manufacturing expertise.
• This module was ramped from initial samples to full volume within 3 months.

The result

The challenge

• Taking another companies E-Band chipset into their transceiver and enabling high volume manufacture.

Our MES (Manufacturing Execution System – MARS) gave Filtronic an early warning of a potential problem with a newly qualified component. The issue was isolated and the root cause was determined before deployment by Filtronic, substantially reducing operating costs. 

The solution

• Our team embedded in our client’s facility.
• Qualified a replacement part in record time.
• Repaired all non conforming parts.

The result

• Minimised any disruption, saving time and money through eliminating transport costs.
• Client was able to maintain delivery commitments.

The challenge

• Acting expediently and rapid component qualification.
• Identify and quarantine non-conforming parts via MES.

This technology was a critical component in our customer’s fixed program. They sought an experienced partner capable of developing a design for volume manufacturing from an early-stage TRL (Technology Readiness Level) prototype. A collaborative approach was essential, but the global pandemic posed challenges, preventing face-to-face meetings. Additionally, lead times and material shortages added further complications during the design phase

The approach

• Applied aerospace and defence expertise.
• Site had relevant security level clearance for the UK defence work.

The result

• All completed within 9 months from order to launch.
• Developed cost effectively and within budget.

The challenge

• Developed all RF, microwave elements as well as digital control.
• Work with our client to take  a low technology readiness level product and redesigned for volume.

A leading defence prime approached Filtronic to design a drop-in replacement for an obsolete filter due to component obsolescence. As this use case was generally used for emergency relief, deployment speed was critical. A drop-in replacement is inherently challenging since you are dealing with an existing package footprint, but Filtronic’s solution worked seamlessly within the customer’s existing package.

The solution

• Improve RF performance whilst replacing obsolete product.
• Accelerated development time.
• Rigorous modelling proved technical approach worked.

The result

• Reduced lead time for improved availability.
• Meeting the environmental specification.

The challenge

• Drop in replacements are inherently challenging as you already have a high level of existing architecture.
• Challenging environmental conditions including temperature, altitude, shock and vibration.
• Speed of deployment was very important, as this use case was generally used in emergency relief situations.

In a Switched Filter Bank (SFB), switches and filters are combined into one module. The Filtronic team has extensive experience in designing and manufacturing switched filter banks for microwave and mmWave applications from 0-110GHz.

The solution

• Applied defence design expertise.
• Size and weight were key design considerations throughout the design process, this drove the technology used throughout.
• Developed a compact design with improved overall performance.

The result

• Reduced power consumption & improved reliability.
• Improved overall performance, including better insertion loss, flatness and voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR).
• Now on the next phase of our clients platform development, designing other filters along with multiple switched filter banks.

The challenge

• Defence prime clients spec, specifically size and weight.
• Challenging integration – significant experience of integrating filter and switch components into a single module.
• RF performance was a challenging spec particularly insertion loss and rejection. 

As part of its work for a major global OEM, Filtronic has produced six different TRM variants that total over 60,000 modules in the last three years and has also received special recognition from a European defence customer for its outstanding commitment and effort in delivering AESA radar system volume production runs. 

The solution

• Hybrid manufacturing specialists, with full traceability of materials and processes.
• Experienced volume manufacturing engineering team.
• Multiple production lines established producing up to 3.5K TRM modules per line, per month.
• Live WIP tracking allows real time monitoring of  yields at each production stage.

The result

• Won multiple follow on projects from the same client.
• Won special commendation for outstanding supply chain contribution.
• Six variants of the TRM

The challenge

• Defence prime looking for a dual source.
• Taking a low volume prototype into a high volume process, whilst maintaining a high-yield.
• Track record and hybrid manufacturing capabilities were critical.