ANTECEDENT

Next Generation of Digital Transformations (Twin and Predictions) for Dielectric Filters utilizing Advanced Manufacturing capabilities.

ESA ARTES AT project (AO/1-11677/23/UK/ND ‘DIGITAL TWIN SUPPORTED DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF DIELECTRIC FILTERS’).

 

CONTEXT

Compact broadband input filters continue to use traditional design and manufacturing approaches despite recent advances in dielectric advanced manufacturing techniques. This limits further reduction in mass and increase in compactness that could be achieved by exploring complex resonator shaping and mono-block type designs. In part, this is due to insufficient frameworks for design rules and in part due to a lack of knowledge of the manufacturing deviations during Advanced Manufacturing processes (AM).

Mainly it is due to a lack of ability to sense and control key parameters during AM of dielectric parts. Digital modelling of the manufacturing process and the RF filter together with the implementation of a digital twin has the potential to overcome these limitations and all benefits of AM in terms of functional integration and mass reduction could be harnessed. Moreover, the use of a digital twin will improve the overall RF development cycle, by reducing greatly lead time and increasing manufacturing yield.

 

OBJECTIVES

 

 

This activity will develop a digital twin of compact dielectric RF filters for C-, Ku or Ka-band applications. It will encompass the design, development, manufacturing and testing of the software and hardware (sensor) parts of a digital twin. At least three dielectric RF filter breadboards will be designed, manufactured, experimentally tested and compared against the digital model predictions.

 

TRL Level

The target is 5-6.

 

STATUS

Started in April 2024.

 

PARTNERS

	Jotne (prime contractor) Norway https://jotneconnect.com/
	RF Microtech S.r.l. Italy https://rfmicrotech.com
	Lithoz, Austria https://lithoz.com/en/
	VTT, Finland https://www.vttresearch.com/en
	Deskartes Finland https://www.deskartes.com/