ENSC38 Antenna Element Fabrication
Team Members: Colter Mahlum, Stuart Lauer,
Anthony Arkoosh
Faculty Advisor: Steven Zemke
Sponsor: LHC2Inc.
Liaison: Bob Conley
Project Overview: LHC2 designs and manufactures unique antennas for the wireless industry. These antennas are being deployed by governments and industry at large area outdoor networks. The use of these antennas greatly improves the performance of their networks.
The LHC2 antennas that are currently in production are expensive to manufacture. Inside the antenna is a small metal structure called an “Element” that performs the actual electrical to wireless energy conversion. This element is currently a spirally bent brass rectangle that is difficult to manufacture.
Summary Statement of Project Goal: Improve the manufacturing process for the antenna element considering, but not limited to, aspects of material selection, mechanical design, and metal forming techniques.
Project Deliverables:
* Project Plan and Schedule
* A report covering the antenna fabrication tradeoffs and associated costs and cost drivers of manufacturing processes that can be applied to the antenna designs.
* A final design, including detailed CAD models and drawings.
* A prototype of the final design.
* An assembly process, including all fixture designs for the final design.
Management & Communication Expectations:
* Project plan with major milestones and WBS for CEDE team
* Project schedule
* Weekly status meetings and project update presentations (distribution of written minutes)
* Monthly project progress reports
Coordination of checkpoint demonstrations and reviews
Constraints:
* Tight dimensional tolerances
* Requirement to attach a small diameter, two conductor coaxial cable
* Limited budget for procuring tooling