Filtronic plc (AIM: FTC), have announced that it has manufactured and shipped more than 60,000 transmit and receive modules (TRM) to a European defence OEM in just three years, under a specialist engineering and manufacturing services arrangement.
Filtronic produced six different variants of the TRM design, which are for use in an active electronically scanned phased array (AESA) radar system. This client recently awarded a special commendation to Filtronic in recognition of its outstanding contribution to strengthening the supply chain.
“The client made the strategic decision to dual source these TRM modules with Filtronic so that they could avoid the risks of single sourcing and could build a more resilient supply chain,” said Jerry Sanham, Director of Business Development at Filtronic. “Their decision to appoint Filtronic was based on our demonstrated capability to provide a robust, high-quality and cost-effective solution. Since the first order, Filtronic has won multiple contracts with the same client and is now considered an integral supply chain partner.”
There are many challenges in manufacturing high-power TRMs for phased arrays, including mechanical and thermal considerations as well as the normal constraints associated with assembling a microwave subsystem to military standards. Filtronic has decades of experience designing and manufacturing its own products to the same rigorous quality standards. Recent investments in hybrid assembly, advanced microwave test systems, and full product traceability have contributed to it being able to offer a high-quality, high security environment for volume manufacturing of hybrid microelectronics assemblies. Even with high-volume throughput, the production facility typically achieves first pass yields of more than 98% through continuous improvement and lean manufacturing. The comprehensive test facility can provide all the assurances that high quality, robust and reliable products are delivered to perform in critical military applications. Every product supplied are tagged with a unique ID which is logged throughout the proprietary end-to-end process control.
Dan Rhodes – Business Development Director – Filtronic
As increasing numbers of satellites are launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) to expand data connectivity around the world, there is an urgent need to improve the commercial viability of small satellite manufacture and deployment.
New opportunities in space
Recently, companies with big ambitions to connect the unconnected have embarked on large-scale programmes of LEO satellite launches to create massive constellations. To date, no standard specification has been developed for the transmitters, receivers, amplifiers and other components employed within LEO satellite payloads. These components need to withstand solar radiation, temperature extremes and other rigours of space orbit whilst operating effectively and reliably for several years. LEO components deployed to date have been developed by engineers on a case-by-case basis, sometimes using the more stringent specifications for geo-stationary satellites as a starting point. This has likely resulted in over specification (and over-pricing) of components for LEO satellites.
To make a sustainable business case for LEO satellite constellation deployment, the industry needs to find commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components that meet all the necessary quality and performance requirements, but which can be tested and volume manufactured at an affordable cost.
Proven performance and reliability
At Filtronic, we have been designing and manufacturing high-performance amplifiers and transceiver modules for demanding terrestrial applications for many years. These are widely deployed in mission-critical environments for the telecommunications, aerospace and defence, and emergency services sectors, as well as more recently in high-altitude pseudo-satellites (HAPS).
Our exhaustively tested sub-systems offer the proven reliability and performance needed for LEO applications. The compound semiconductor (core MMIC line-up) technology we use is inherently benign to radiation, making it compatible with space deployment. Other components, such as power supplies and micro-controllers, do feature silicon, which is susceptible to radiation. However, these components can be replaced with readily available radiation-tolerant alternatives, tested and up-screened to achieve compatibility with LEO applications and system quality goals.
Viability relies on volume
Crucially, to make the concept of COTS products a realistic option for LEO satellite applications, the components need to be efficiently volume manufactured – bringing the cost per unit down to commercially acceptable levels. That’s where Filtronic stands out in the market. Thanks to continued investments in state-of-the-art precision manufacturing facilities and automated processes, we are able to produce microelectronic sub-systems efficiently and competitively at scale. Even with high-volume throughput, we achieve very high yields through continuous improvement and lean manufacturing. That enables us to offer sustained cost reductions for clients requiring complex, high-mix sub-systems manufactured to extremely high reliability and quality levels. Such as those required for military modules and commercial mm-wave radios destined for many years of service in harsh environments.
Higher frequencies boost capacity
As satellite networks expand and more people worldwide are connected to the Internet via LEO satellite, the demand for data will increase exponentially – requiring a corresponding increase in bandwidth to boost capacity. Currently, LEO satellites employ Ku and Ka band payloads (~12-30GHz). Second generation mega-constellations will push up to Q and V bands (33-60GHz) where more bandwidth is available. To support these higher frequency bands, gateway links at E-band (71-76GHz / 81-86GHz) are being considered, because E-band provides the wide bandwidth pipe needed to support the increase in user terminal capacity. Furthermore, E-band has been identified as a candidate technology for inter-satellite links to enable mesh networking within constellations.
Our specialists at Filtronic have extensive experience in designing and manufacturing modules at high mmWave frequencies, including Q to E-band. Using variants of our transceiver modules for LEO applications will equip satellites and ground-based gateways with the capacity to meet rapidly growing demand for data as more people worldwide are brought online.
Jerry Sanham – Business Development Director – Filtronic
You are a well-established electronics manufacturer with considerable production expertise, and you have a new contract for a big defence or telecoms project. The strategy at first glance appears simple—you design and manufacture, expanding your design team and factory to cope with the additional throughput. But is that really the best, or the only, option?
At Filtronic we have the capacity, experience and the expertise to design and manufacture high performance RF products at Microwave and mmWave. We are equally comfortable manufacturing to a customer’s design, as we are designing and manufacturing our own high-performance products. Alternatively, we love working with our clients, fusing their core competencies with ours to optimise their original design.
Designing and manufacturing everything in-house does not come without hidden costs. Increased design capabilities require recruitment or training costs, increasing manufacturing capacity requires significant investment in new capital equipment, as well as recruitment of new personnel and training. This takes time to ramp up to reach its full potential. New processes will need qualification, your IP will need to be protected, and you will need to manage a process of continuous improvement to minimise waste and optimise efficiency. With a substantial Bill of Materials cost combined with high manufacturing throughput, yield will have a direct effect on the bottom line.
Furthermore, there will almost certainly be financial liabilities written into the contract terms and conditions that would mean a penalty if deliveries were disrupted due to circumstances beyond your control. And in the era of COVID-19, does any manager feel entirely in control of their production line?
Then what becomes of the extra capacity when the contract ends? Do you take the difficult decision to lay off staff and dispose of excess capital assets? This could be avoided by outsourcing the manufacturing, which means that you only pay for the capacity when you need it, and at the end of the contract there will be no additional cost related to capacity reduction. Nevertheless, outsourcing the whole job to a contract manufacturer can bring its own problems. There could still be delays, and these can damage reputations however they are caused. So, delegating control for the entire production run may not feel the right option either.
Dual sourcing provides the answer. This strategy gives the advantage of increased flexibility and a reduced risk of disrupted schedules, as well as offering the opportunity to rapidly scale or shrink volumes without either incurring extra personnel and equipment costs or keeping a line running below capacity. The right choice of second sourcing partner can solve a lot of headaches. Working together means that best practice can be shared, and both partners can draw on their experience and the lessons they have learnt from past contracts for similar applications. Collaborating on applied continuous improvement offers real-time benefits in terms of reducing the cost per unit and maximising yields.
Dual sourcing has other well-documented benefits, among them the potential for faster lead times, scalability, and more consistent supply. There can also be advantages if a company with a broad product and technology base can draw on the specialised expertise of a contractor.
Partnering with Filtronic as a second source can help you meet the challenges of ramping up production without compromising on quality. With a recent investment of over £1 million in new assembly and test equipment, Filtronic has recently overseen a significant increase in the capacity of its Sedgefield manufacturing facility to a potential throughput of 10,000 transmit/receive modules (TRM) per month, with an average final yield of 95%.
Customers around the world trust Filtronic with the prototyping and manufacture of their own product designs, due to its first-class reputation for product quality and reliability. Working for a major global OEM, Filtronic has manufactured six different TRM variants amounting to a total of more than 60,000 modules in the last three years and has also received a special commendation from a European defence customer for its outstanding effort and commitment in delivering a volume TRM production run for an AESA radar system.
Filtronic fosters a strong quality culture, supported by Six Sigma, high levels of production automation, strict traceability, and with approvals to military standards. The skilled workforce has a wealth of experience, with the average length of service for assembly operators standing at 14 years.
Filtronic’s production capability provides full hybrid assembly including microwave and mmWave device packaging, including low-void die attach and precision component placement, fully automated wire and ribbon bonding with deep-access multi-level capability, hermetic sealing, and automated test up to 90GHz and above.
Salisbury, Md. — 12 August 2021 — Filtronic plc (AIM: FTC), the designer and manufacturer of RF, microwave, and mmWave products for the wireless telecoms and mission-critical communications markets, today announced that it has successfully developed a customised Tower Top Amplifier (TTA) system for a public safety OEM in the USA. The TTA development project exceeded customer expectations in terms of both performance and time to completion, and at the same time has halved order-to-shipment time.
Like Filtronic’s renowned Tower Mounted Amplifiers for the Cellular industry, the custom units will be manufactured in the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Salisbury, Maryland, USA, which has a track record of delivering equipment to meet the challenging specifications of public safety applications.
“A leading OEM operating in the public safety market was searching for a new domestic US supplier for TTAs, due to product obsolescence and technological advancements,” said Walter Magiera, Chief Commercial Officer for Filtronic. “The company’s existing supply chain was unable to meet its challenging specification, so they approached Filtronic as an existing supplier. The client wanted a range of product enhancements, including more consistent performance between sites, reduced time-to-market, ease of ordering as well as a strong desire to simplify installation.”
Filtronic completed the total product development, from inception through to product qualification, in less than six months. The new TTA not only meets the existing specification but also delivers all the performance improvements the customer required, including smart redundancy.
“As an expert in developing products for the public safety market for over 30 years, Filtronic was able to accelerate product development,” said Magiera. “This was made possible by being agile and by the application of lean philosophies, as well as benefitting from our experience in this sector. We were also able to meet all our client’s goals of reducing inventory and decreasing the order-to-shipment time down to two weeks from the industry standard of four weeks.”
The Filtronic TTA system delivers smart redundancy and dependable performance, continuously monitoring the health of the balanced quadrature-coupled amplifiers. In the case of a failure in one of the amplifiers, the system can continue to operate using the redundant amplifier. If both amplifiers cease operation, the system will function in a bypass mode.
The TTA system exceeded performance requirements, providing excellent system flatness across the passband and low system noise figure, while retaining linearity and out-of-band rejection to ensure that mission-critical networks will operate reliably in congested spectrum environments. It also delivers a lighter weight solution in a smaller footprint, allowing better utilisation of the communication tower.
Filtronic will be exhibiting at APCO 2021 in San Antonio, Texas, USA, 15 – 18 August 2021, on Booth 420.
Filtronic are heading into a very busy event period for their business development team. During August and September, you can catch Filtronic at some exciting events round the world including APCO, Satellite 2021, DSEI and IWCE.
Starting off in August (16th – 18th) they will be in San Antonio, TX for APCO International’s Annual Conference & Expo. Filtronic are joined by WTG Marketing their sales representatives for the South-Central region. The show promises to be an excellent opportunity to network with critical communication professionals and discuss our best in class Tower Top Amplifier solutions.
Next onto Satellite 2021 in September (8th-10th) where the exciting keynote from Sir Richard Branson has just been announced. Filtronic are keen to discuss some of the new opportunities in space and how their experience within the High Altitude Platform Solutions market at E-band offers real benefits to Low Earth Orbit constellations. Filtronic will present their market leading Morpheus II transceiver and high performance amplifier Cerus.
Then back to the UK for DSEI, where the defence industry will be re-united in full force for the first time in 18 months in September (14th – 17th). Filtronic will be showcasing their technologies and capabilities within the wider aerospace and defence industry as well as their core capabilities within radar, electronic warfare and contract manufacturing.
Filtronic will then exhibit at IWCE between the 29th and 30th of September. This brings the critical communications sector back into focus and they will welcome GT Partners their sales representative for North Eastern USA.
If you are at any of these shows, Filtronic would love to meet up, so get in touch today.
Originally published in Microwave Journal June 2020
Having invested over U.S. $1.3 million in new equipment at the end of last year, and at the same time expanded its workforce, Filtronic has recently overseen a significant increase in the capacity of its manufacturing facility in Sedgefield, in the North-East of England. The 20,000-square-foot design and manufacturing center produces Filtronic’s integrated E-Band transceiver modules in high volumes for mobile backhaul, products that are now seeing accelerating demand due to the roll-out of 5G globally. Over 500,000 transceiver modules and 700,000 filter products have been successfully deployed in the field. Of these, more than 40,000 have been E-band modules, including the company’s flagship Orpheus and Morpheus II transceivers.
Filtronic is also seeing a significant increase in demand for its custom design and microelectronics assembly services, particularly at microwave and mmWave frequencies. These services enable clients around the world to commission their own product designs to be prototyped and manufactured in an automated factory in the U.K., with a world-class reputation for product quality and reliability. The company’s expertise has been accumulated during a heritage spanning more than four decades since it was first founded in 1977. Filtronic fosters a culture with a commitment to quality supported by Six Sigma, high levels of production automation, strict traceability and adherence to military standards. The Filtronic team is highly qualified, experienced and enjoys enviable levels of retention with an average length of service of over 14 years. Filtronic’s aim is to provide a unique path to a low-risk, secure service to make products for applications including point-to-point radio links, phased array radars and security applications such as imaging.
The manufacturing and test area at Sedgefield includes 2,500 square feet of Class 100,000 clean rooms, and another 2,500 square feet of engineering development labs. Its production capability includes microwave and mmWave device packaging, sub-assembly manufacturing and test, specializing in mmWave projects up to 90 GHz and beyond. Filtronic also offers design services to fit customer’s needs. The company’s expertise is taking a project from concept to implementation. In all cases, from rapid prototyping to volume production, the appropriate design expertise and production engineering advice is readily available.
Filtronic’s hybrid microelectronics assembly and test portfolio includes low-void die attach and precision component placement; fully automated wire and ribbon bonding with deep-access multi-level capability; skilled manual assembly; hermetic sealing; and automated test to 90 GHz. Proprietary air cavity packages can include mixed GaAs, GaN and Si die within a single package, and can perform at frequencies higher than 90 GHz. Particular attention is given to optimizing die attachment and heatsinking for power devices, and in minimizing wire-bond parasitics for products that operate at higher frequencies. The precision hybrid microelectronics assembly facility has received significant positive feedback from its clients, including a major European defense manufacturer who singled out Filtronic’s manufacturing expertise for a special commendation. The award cites Filtronic’s effort and commitment in successfully delivering a large production run of transmit/receive modules as providing an “outstanding contribution” to its state-of-the-art radar system.
Reproduced courtesy of https://www.microwavejournal.com/ original version can be found here
Technology is evolving at a rapid pace, with Industry 4.0, 5G and 6G networks driving the possibilities in exciting new directions. At Filtronic, we have been at the vanguard of RF and microwave technology for over 40 years, and we see high frequency technology as critical to the future of these next-generation developments. As a trusted provider of innovative RF solutions to a range of markets, including aerospace & defence, telecommunications infrastructure, critical communications, and space, we work with many of the architects of this new world.
Enabling the future through RF technology is our passion, and to do that we are constantly evolving our company too. We are researching the possibilities in new mmWave wireless spectrum, developing new products for exciting markets like HAPS and trackside-to-train communications, and creating world-class manufacturing processes that can deliver reliable and repeatable high-quality solutions. Today, we are excited to announce a refresh of our brand identity, and we are launching our new company logo.
Filtronic’s history is full of leading-edge technology developments, but our logo has not changed in the past four decades. It’s stood the test of time, but our vision and mission have changed.
Updating our logo gives Filtronic a modern platform – a new identity that tells our story, refreshes our look, is aligned with our company strategy, and opens an exciting new chapter in our history of providing high-performance, customised solutions for critical communication sectors.
“The Filtronic brand is renowned around the world, and we wanted to build on our history and provide a platform for our future,” said Walter Magiera, Chief Commercial Officer. “This new image reflects the breadth of our products and expertise, and this has evolved to encompass so much more than just our roots in RF filter design.”
Editorial contact details:
Fin Farrelly, Marketing Manager, Filtronic plc
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.filtronic.com
PR contact:
Helen Duncan, MWE Media Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)7765 250610 Email: [email protected]
About Filtronic:
Filtronic plc is a designer and manufacturer of advanced RF communications products, supplying leading Original Equipment Manufacturers and Mobile Network Operators in the mobile telecommunications infrastructure and mission-critical communications markets.
Filtronic announces an exclusive US West Coast distribution agreement with The Sales Group. Founded in California in 1987, The Sales Group is a leader in the sales and distribution of critical communication products. Its existing portfolio includes two-way radio communications, communications centres and safety products that are primarily designed for use by government and enterprise emergency responders, public safety, 9-1-1, utilities, municipal, transportation, schools and similar applications.
The Sales Group’s core capabilities in critical communications, combined with its in-depth product knowledge and market coverage in thirteen Western States, promise to make this a mutually beneficial relationship for Filtronic and The Sales Group.
The Sales Group has a strong track record of representing leading manufacturers in the wireless communications and public safety markets. The new partnership with Filtronic gives it access not only to Filtronic’s market-leading products such as its tower top amplifier, but also to its core portfolio that includes filters, multiplexers and combiners.
“The expertise across The Sales Group’s full team, coupled with its exceptional route to market in the public safety sector, presents a great opportunity for Filtronic to expand into geographical territories where we currently have limited visibility,” said Walter Magiera, Chief Commercial Officer of Filtronic. “The Sales Group’s experience within the public safety RF market is excellent, we are looking forward to working closely with Larry, Dana and the team.”
“Filtronic has demonstrated innovation throughout its history, and they deal in high-performance technology that is exciting for us at The Sales Group,” said Dana Hanford, Partner at The Sales Group. “Its experience and reputation in critical communications is second to none – Filtronic has been developing customised filters and combiners for public safety and telecommunications infrastructure for over 30 years, and it’s a benefit for us that these are manufactured and assembled in the USA.”
Editorial contact details:
Fin Farrelly, Marketing Manager, Filtronic plc
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.filtronic.com
PR contact:
Helen Duncan, MWE Media Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)7765 250610 Email: [email protected]
About Filtronic:
Filtronic plc is a designer and manufacturer of advanced RF communications products, supplying leading Original Equipment Manufacturers and Mobile Network Operators in the mobile telecommunications infrastructure and mission-critical communications markets.
On Thursday 1st July Filtronic welcomed Paul Howell, the local MP for Sedgefield, to its microwave and mmWave development, manufacturing and test facility in Sedgefield.
As a member of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committee, Mr Howell takes a keen interest in manufacturing and in organisations that lead the world in their field. Paul is especially enthusiastic to meet some of the amazing science and innovation led organisations that call Sedgefield home.
Paul said: “It’s great to visit the team here and to find out more about Filtronic’s development and manufacturing of high-performance RF, microwave and mmWave technologies. Particularly as the applications fall within growth-targeted markets for UK government, including telecommunications infrastructure, aerospace & defence and space.”
Given a tour of the cutting-edge facility by Richard Gibbs, Filtronic’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Howell enjoyed meeting many of the operation staff and was enthused to see first-hand the level of investment Filtronic have made within Sedgefield, and the support that they have received from the North East Technology Park (NETPark) and Business Durham.
Paul said: “It is vital that STEM subjects and career development are part of high-tech research and manufacturing strategy. I am very impressed that Filtronic actively encourages an emphasis on recruiting a high ratio of females amongst their talented new recruits.
“Filtronic’s track record is second to none within UK RF technology. It makes me immensely proud that the North East can boast world-class manufacturers on its doorstep. To win the Queen’s Award for Enterprise this year is a fantastic achievement, and testament to the quality of organisation and the technologies they develop. The pace at which they innovate and the markets they operate in, makes organisations like Filtronic a key part of the government’s future industrial strategy.”
Richard Gibbs said: “It was great to show Paul around the Filtronic site. We are proud of our Northern roots, and of our research and manufacturing facility here on NETPark. We had some really positive discussions about the government’s industrial strategy, and how companies such as Filtronic can play a major role in supporting the UK aerospace, defence and telecom industry.”
Editorial contact details:
Fin Farrelly, Marketing Manager, Filtronic plc
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.filtronic.com
PR contact:
Helen Duncan, MWE Media Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)7765 250610 Email: [email protected]
About Filtronic:
Filtronic plc is a designer and manufacturer of advanced RF communications products, supplying leading Original Equipment Manufacturers and Mobile Network Operators in the mobile telecommunications infrastructure and mission-critical communications markets.
NETPark North East Technology Park, Sedgefield. A premier location for science, engineering, technology and R&D, run by Business Durham, the economic development arm of Durham County Council
‘Connecting the Unconnected’, working with the HAPS Alliance to accelerate global connectivity
Filtronic today announced that it has successfully re-shored from China the manufacturing of a critical communications product for the North American public safety market.
By proactively working with its leading OEM client, Filtronic was able to meet its business objective of re-shoring critical product assembly and supply chain back to the USA to improve equipment lead-times. Filtronic successfully re-located manufacturing of the finished product from its offshore facility to its established operations in Salisbury, Maryland. Utilising its experience, local knowledge and a cloud-based Manufacturing Execution System (MES) platform, this complex transition was managed smoothly, effectively and efficiently.
“Reshoring of a product supply chain is a complex process and required a rapid response to deal with a changing dynamic within the geo-political landscape,” said Walter Magiera, Chief Commercial Officer of Filtronic. “The move created challenges in terms of both recruitment and re-alignment of operational facilities and processes, but with the benefit of a wealth of local RF expertise we were able to recruit personnel with previous experience of public safety product assembly. Additional equipment was procured and re-allocated, enabling us to rapidly replicate the production line at the former facility.”
Throughout the transition, Filtronic fulfilled all the key customer’s requirements, successfully commissioning a full US-based assembly facility for its critical communication product for the North American Public Safety market. The transition took place smoothly and rapidly, meeting the client’s quality standards and passing an extensive and rigorous customer audit, enabling timely re-certification.
“Filtronic’s swift and professional response to this geo-political change enabled our client to meet its country-of-origin targets without a drop in production,” said Richard Gibbs, CEO of Filtronic. “The entire re-shoring operation was delivered successfully within the customer’s required time frame of less than six months. At the same time, we have been able to implement product and process improvements, and also improve workflow and logistics, leading to a significant reduction in lead time on these critical communications products.”
Editorial contact details:
Fin Farrelly, Marketing Manager, Filtronic plc
Email: [email protected]
PR contact:
Helen Duncan, MWE Media Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)7765 250610
Email: [email protected]
