Capabilities

Approximately three-quarters of Cobham Antenna Systems two 80,000 square foot facilities in Exeter are dedicated to manufacturing. Utilizing in-house capabilities, Cobham is able to fully control all phases of the manufacturing process assuring customer requirements are met.  

In-House Machining

The ability to achieve critical dimensions and maintain tight tolerances are vital to manufacturing and end item performance. With a large variety of manual and automated equipment in-house, Cobham brings products from design to prototype to high volume manufacturing seamlessly. Programmable Bridgeport milling machines accommodate prototype work and small production runs. Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining centers with touch probes, laser tool detection and vacuum-held fixtures ensure stringent specifications are met and maintained. 

Dip Brazing

The dip braze tank at Cobham Antenna Systems Exeter is 80 x 48 x 36 inches and is capable of maintaining temperatures of 1100° F. Components and complex, multiple dip assemblies are tack welded, staked and/or fixtured during the dip brazing process to prevent movement.

Plating

In-house plating reduces queue time and limits dependence on outside vendors for modeling and prototype projects that require shorter cycle times. By introducing this capability in-house, we have increased our understanding of the plating process and enhanced our supplier inspection and audit methods to better meet our customer needs.

In-house Connector Design & Manufacture

The connector/cable junction is key to maintaining excellent electrical and mechanical specifications.  Major emphasis is placed on providing tooling and procedures as well as training to our assemblers in their proper use.  

Testing

In addition to skilled technicians, a model shop and fully equipped passive test lab, Cobham Antenna Systems (Exeter NH) made significant capital investments to be able to offer in-house, state of the art mechanical testing capabilities on its manufactured products.  

Testing capabilities include: temperature altitude chamber, thermal shock chamber, programmable thermal chambers, humidity chamber, RF power, phase and phase matching, electrodynamic vibration, sine, random, sine on random and classical shock.  

Proper assembly and electrical testing are critical to the manufacturing process. Cobham Antenna Systems test lab is equipped with a Lambda 28M high power test stand, Agilent PNAs and numerous synthesized scalar analyzers capable of testing from DC to 60 GHz. 

Passive Intermodulation (PIM) Distortion Testing

Test equipment covering 10 MHz to 20 GHz to measure any non-linearity in cable assemblies.