Why have one robotic arm to test 5G antennas, when you can have two?
The National Institute of Standards and Technology has outfitted a test chamber with two robotic
arms to research new methods for antenna testing, particularly for 5G antennas, according to NIST. The agency says that its Large Antenna Positioning System’s arms are designed to position “smart” antennas and “test transmissions to and from antennas located on fast-moving mobile devices, which requires coordination between the timing of communication signals and robot motion.”
NIST had previously developed a single-robotic-arm system for testing, its Configurable Robotic Millimeter-Wave Antenna (CROMMA) Facility. But that system can only measure physically small antennas, according to the agency. LAPS, NIST said, uses one arm in a fixed position and the other mounted on a rail slide (see photo) so that larger antennas and base stations can be tested. NIST said that LAPS is still being validated, but its 5G measurement capabilities include “flexible scan geometries, beam tracking of mobile devices and improved accuracy and repeatability in mobile measurements.”
In other test news this week:
-Industrial automation, tech and engineering company Emerson has agreed to buy the Tools and Test division of Textron — including its Greenlee and Sidekick test instrument brands — for $810 million. The Tools and Test business will join Emerson’s Ridge Tool Company and create a $1 billion professional tools company for mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors — including some test tools related to wireless and wired communications testing. Textron’s Tools & Test business recorded 2017 sales of $470 million, with 2,300 employees and 11 global manufacturing locations. The transaction is expected to close within the next 90 days, Emerson said.
–Tektronix is ramping up new Keithley KickStart software for testing set-up and visualizing data. KickStart 2.0’s major upgrades include the ability to control multiple instruments, with support for up to eight apps simultaneously and visualization of data from multiple instruments in a single view. The new software is available now as a pre-release with an extended free trial period, with regular availability starting July 15.
“It’s not just setting up instruments. It’s visualizing trends, analyzing measurement dependencies, validating performance and sharing results with colleagues around the globe,” said Mike Flaherty, general manager for Tektronix’s Keithley product line, in a statement. “We are making the entire process simpler and faster without forcing our customers to become measurement experts or instrument programmers.”
–Keysight Technologies’ Ixia made a number of announcements this week around bolstering network secuirty. It has added new features for validating Microsoft Azure’s security services related to distributed denial of service attacks to its BreakingPoint Cloud solution. Ixia also announced a broadening of its BreakingPoint’s test platform intelligence, with daily threat information updates from ReservingLabs; and new threat visibility to activity such as malware, botnets, phishing and intrusion attempts in its SecureStack feature set for its Vision One and Vision 7300 packet brokers, and its CloudLens Private cloud visibility solution.
–GL Communications introduced a new rack space enclosure that holds up to three of its USB-based test hardware units, with up to three additional units that can be connected to the primary units, using the same software and licenses, for scalability. GL said that the Multiple TDM, Optical and Packet (mTop) rack can hold any combination of its USB-based TDM, optical and packet test equipment and is designed to maximize space efficiency.
–Fluke Networks has three new adapters for its Versiv DSX CableAnalyzer series, aimed at simplifying installation of networked devices through the use of a Modular Plug Terminated Link cabling and certifying that cabling, in lieu of the typical four-connector channel.
“With the proliferation of IoT, more devices than ever are communicating and receiving power via the network cabling infrastructure,” said Bob Allan, Siemon’s Global Business Development Manager for Intelligent Buildings. Siemon recently launched a new terminated plug for custom-length MPTL connected to IP- and power-over-Ethernet devices for intelligent buildings. “Rather than connecting to the network via outlets and equipment cords, many of these devices can be rapidly and more efficiently connected using an MPTL configuration. Directly connecting devices to the network can improve security by eliminating equipment cords that can be easily disconnected.”
