Expertise Across All Processes
The Parker Meggitt (Baltimore) facility is staffed with electrical, mechanical, material, and process engineers skilled in all aspects of antenna and radome design and development. Our engineers are equipped with the latest and most powerful equipment and computer-aided engineering and design software packages, and a number of proprietary computer programs. In addition, our engineers follow products through the entire design and production process, working with our manufacturing team to ensure excellent product quality and realization of maximum performance.
Specializing in the design, optimization, and qualification of new antennas from customer provided specifications. Our engineers are equipped with the latest and most powerful measurement equipment and computer-aided engineering and design software packages, and a number of proprietary computer programs.
We design and develop electrically small, high performance military antennas. Our design range includes antennas from quad ridge horns, blades, spirals, conformal, patches, broad-band monopoles and dipoles, helical antennas, and more. We’ve designed hundreds of different antennas for applications including military airborne, land, sea based, and space antennas. Each antenna is specially designed for the application and can include radar cross section reduction. Our engineers simultaneously consider both electrical and mechanical/environmental performance when designing products. Test Facilities enable complete antenna electrical testing and characterization with performance verification and specialized environmental testing.
Designing radomes for unique and challenging applications for over 50 years. Today, our engineers are equipped with the latest and most powerful equipment, computer-aided engineering tools, and software packages to create new radome designs.
For electrical design and analysis, we begin all radome optimization efforts with a 2D electromagnetic software tool to assess electrical performance of thousands of candidate radome configurations. Depending on radome requirements, additional 2D validation can be performed. These two different tools use different underlying mathematical routines, which allows an independent verification of the results. When applicable, once 2D modeling is complete, we will perform a full 3D electromagnetic simulation. The design engineering team is capable of performing all phases of the design process from modeling to computational fluid dynamics. Our product development process ensures that customer requirements as carefully tracked throughout the design phase of a program.
Specializing in the design, optimization, and qualification of new antennas from customer provided specifications. Our engineers are equipped with the latest and most powerful measurement equipment and computer-aided engineering and design software packages, and a number of proprietary computer programs.
Our machine shop boasts a wide variety of capabilities which currently produces a range of metallic and composite components for antenna manufacturing. The antenna assembly department has state-of-the-art equipment and consists of certified technicians capable of high precision delicate soldering, assembly, and bonding of various antenna types. Our finishing department has highly specialized staff able to apply unique, customer-specific finishes and coatings. Test Facilities enable complete antenna electrical testing with performance verification and specialized environmental testing. Test facilities include capabilities to measure reflected power, boresight error, VSWR, radiation patterns and gain, radar cross section (RCS), high power RF and RF leakage, mechanical stress, temperature and altitude, temperature shock, humidity, and many other parameters.
Ability to design and manufacture composite structures from customer specifications, or build-to-print existing designs. Parker Meggitt uses highly detailed lay-up and assembly procedures supported by manufacturing engineers to ensure conformance of our product. Engineers also work on process improvement initiatives to leverage new technologies for the benefit of our customers.
Our composite manufacturing specialty is prepreg hand lay-up autoclave cured parts. We also have the capability to perform wet lay-up, VARTM, and out-of-autoclave processing. Most parts are cured in one of our three autoclaves. The largest available autoclave at the facility has a 10 foot diameter by 20 foot long working volume. After parts are cured, we perform most post-processing work in house. Our machine shop boasts a wide variety of capabilities with a highly motivated and knowledgeable staff. The finishing department has experience applying unique, product specific finishes and coatings. Our expertise includes professional application of hydrophobic Polysiloxane paints, rain erosion coatings, anti-static coatings, lightning strike protection systems (including integration of lightning diverter strips), MAGRAM coatings, hydrophobic coatings, and aircraft primer.
AS9100D Quality Management System (QMS). The QMS covers the full product lifecycle including design, manufacturing, and on-going support of our products. Per the AS9100 standard, we monitor and regularly review the effectiveness of our QMS. Baltimore regularly implements customer specific quality requirements as necessary.
A unique quality control plan is created for every product developed and manufactured at our site. We maintain an ISO 10012-1 calibration system for all tooling, inspection equipment, and test equipment used for acceptance of products. A recall system is used to ensure equipment is checked at prescribed intervals. The calibration is done both in-house and at outside laboratories and is traceable to ISO 10012-1 standards. Calibration intervals are based on assessment of the equipment and, if significant discrepancies are found, remedial action of product is employed.
Proven industry-leading experience with antenna and radome testing. For mechanical and environmental testing of materials, we make use of both in-house capabilities and nationally recognized and certified third party test facilities. Electrical test facilities enable complete antenna and radome electrical testing with performance verification and specialized environmental testing.
Our extensive antenna radiation pattern and gain test facilities operate from 200 MHz to 60 GHz and include outdoor, indoor far-field, and compact range measurement. Far-field antenna test facilities include five fully equipped anechoic chambers and one load test chamber. Four of the anechoic chambers are 14' x 14' x 20' and have 2 foot diameter spherical quiet zones. A fifth 8' x 8' x 20' fully shielded anechoic chamber is used for both radiation pattern measurement and high power RF testing. The facility boasts a state-of-the-art compact antenna range specifically designed for Radar Cross Section (RCS) measurements and extremely precise radiation pattern and gain measurements. Lastly, we have a 250' outdoor antenna range that has been approved for full-scale testing by the U.S. Navy.