Satellite & Communications Industry Solutions

Reliability, precision and speed for satellite payloads, RF front-ends and 5G infrastructure — parts that must hold electrical specs across years of thermal cycling, continuous field exposure and launch vibration.

Applications

What we make for communications

Satellite Payload Components

Antenna feed chains, waveguide runs, thermal strap brackets and structural fittings for GEO and LEO satellite platforms — machined in aluminum, titanium and Invar. Surfaces are finished to maintain RF performance in spec, and every lot ships with full material traceability, dimensional CMM report and outgassing data where the program requires it. We machine to ±0.0127 mm on critical waveguide bore runs and flange faces, with surface finishes from Ra 0.8 µm (interior waveguide) to Ra 1.6 µm (structural). Our typical delivery lead time for space-qualified hardware is 3–5 weeks for first articles with a parallel DFM review, and 2–3 weeks for repeat production orders.

RF shielding enclosure and waveguide flange

RF Shielding & Filter Cavities

Filter bodies, combiner cavities, Faraday housings and waveguide flanges for base-station and terminal equipment. We hold ±0.025 mm on cavity features and finish sealing faces to Ra 0.8 µm so current skin-effect losses stay within your simulation window. Lots ship with first-article dimensional report, surface-finish readings and material certs. Common configurations: combline filters, cavity filters, stripline and microstrip test jigs. We work in aluminum with silver-plating or alodine finish, and in brass or copper for high-conductivity applications. Our in-process inspection includes RF tuning verification on filter samples before lot release.

5G base station heat-sink and cold plate

5G Base Station Hardware

mmWave and sub-6 GHz base-station heat-sink bases, cold plates, power-amplifier housings and antenna feed networks. We run these on the same calibrated equipment used for filter work so thermal and electrical specs stay paired from prototype through volume production. Type III hardcoat anodizing is standard for outdoor units, providing 2000-hour salt-spray resistance without changing critical dimensions. We can also machine fluid-channel cold plates with ±0.05 mm channel wall thickness and manifold interfaces matched to your thermal simulation. Full CFD-correlated flatness reports are available on request for thermal-interface material (TIM) mounting faces.

Satellite Ground Station

Large-format feed horn adapters, azimuth/elevation pivot bearings, reflector mounting frames and RF window assemblies for satellite ground terminals. We work in 6061-T6 and 7075-T6 aluminum and 316L stainless — holding flatness on reflector attachment faces to ±0.05 mm and concentricity on waveguide bore runs for optimal signal coupling. Large-format parts up to 600 mm can be machined in a single setup on our horizontal machining centers. We can also machine precision indexing fixtures for antenna alignment, with angular accuracy to ±0.01° verified on our CMM before shipment.

RF test fixture and measurement equipment

RF Test & Measurement Fixtures

Custom RF test fixtures, S-parameter calibration kits, waveguide-to-coax transitions and antenna measurement rigs. These components demand both mechanical precision and RF-grade surface finishes — we machine in aluminum and brass with silver-plating or gold-plating on all RF surfaces, holding interior finish to Ra 0.4 µm or better to minimize insertion loss. Waveguide flanges are machined to IEC 60154 and MIL-DTL-3922 standards. Every fixture ships with a dimensional report, surface-finish log and RF test data (S11/S21) on a reference unit before the full lot releases.

Microwave waveguide components and bends

Microwave Waveguide Assemblies

Precision-machined waveguide components — straight sections, bends, twists and transitions — for microwave and millimeter-wave systems from L-band through W-band. We hold ±0.0127 mm on waveguide bore dimensions and ±0.025 mm on flange faces, with interior surfaces finished to Ra 0.4 µm to minimize insertion loss and passive intermodulation. Common materials: aluminum with silver-plating or alodine treatment, brass for high-conductivity applications, and copper for thermal-management-critical runs. All waveguide components are helium-leak tested before shipment, with test data included in the lot traveler.

How we work

Materials, tolerances, collaboration

Telecommunications hardware demands parts that perform predictably across years of thermal cycling and continuous RF exposure. We work with antenna integrators, base-station OEMs and satellite payload teams on the components that have to hold electrical specs while surviving the field — and the vibration during launch. Every dimension, every surface finish, every material cert is part of a chain your customer will audit.

Materials and tolerances

Aluminum dominates here — 6061, 6063, and 7075 for structural pieces; 1100 and 6061 for platable shields. Where weight is the enemy we move into magnesium alloys. We hold ±0.025 mm on filter cavities, and finish sealing faces to Ra 0.8 µm or better to keep current skin-effect losses where your simulation expects them. Titanium and Invar come in for thermal-stable structural hardware in LEO and GEO orbit. For space-rated hardware we specify outgassing-tested materials (ASTM E595) and finishes, with lot traceability back to material heat numbers.

Compliance and inspection

Shielding housings are dimensionally inspected against your 3D model with a focus on flatness and surface continuity across mating faces. We provide full first-article reports and can hold your batch for in-line RF spot-checks if your QA team needs electrical confirmation before release. FAIR packages per AS9102 are available for aerospace comms programs, and we maintain a per-project document archive that covers your standard 7-year retention requirement.

Environmental grades

For outdoor ground-station hardware we apply Type III hardcoat anodizing or chromate conversion (MIL-DTL-5541). For space-rated hardware we specify vacuum-deposited aluminum or gold plating on waveguide interior surfaces to minimize RF losses. Every critical feature is documented in the first-article inspection report before the lot ships, and we can provide surface-finish readings (profilometer), flatness reports (CMM), and RF-return-loss data where your test plan requires it.

Custom Machined

Custom Machined Your Communications Components

With an extensive history in prototyping communications components, we bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to every project. Send the CAD and the target outcome — engineering will reply with a focused quote within one business day, routed to the cell most familiar with this vertical.

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