Different industries take advantage of available RF test equipment to characterize their products. These applications include academic and research, aerospace and defense, automotive, consumer electronics, industrial, institutional, IT and telecoms, and medical.
With the advent of new telecommunication technology, a number of manufacturers are looking into new products for better signal transmission. These include many leading RF and microwave test equipment and component manufacturers.
For example, an advanced multi-path satellite simulator system has been introduced in the market. This system has been designed to transmit voice-data simultaneously to two sets of ground equipment, enabling extensive and prolonged testing without the need to go ‘live’ on a satellite.
Market Highlights
One of the most flexible and basic pieces of test equipment used to display and analyze electronic signal waveform is the oscilloscope. This piece of equipment provides a graphical representation of waveforms giving an operational view of a circuit.
Another piece of test equipment is the RF network analyzer. It is used extensively by RF design laboratories. This piece of equipment determines the various responses of devices operating at RF or microwave frequencies. Although RF network analyzers are related to microwave type frequencies, they are able to determine lower frequencies of down to 1Hz.
Segmentation Analysis
The overall market of RF test equipment is segmented in terms of end-user, form factor, frequency, and type. Each market segment requires either a portable or benchtop or both types of test equipment. Each type of test equipment requires oscillators, synthesizers and frequency converters. One such company that supplies these RF and microwave components is SYNERGY MICROWAVE located in Paterson NJ.
End-Users – The end-users of the RF test equipment market would include aerospace and defense, academic and research institutions, consumer electronics, IT and telecommunications, industrial, and medical, among others.
Form Factor – The market segment for form factor is categorized into bench-top, modular, and portable units.
Frequency – This frequency segment can be divided as follows: (a) less than 1GHz, (b) between 1GHz and 6GHz and (c) above 6GHz. The one likely to drive massive demand for the RF test equipment market is between 1GHz and 6GHz.
Type – This market is segmented into network analyzers, oscilloscopes, signal generators, spectrum analyzers, and many others. The oscilloscope segment is forecasted to maintain a huge share in the RF test equipment market until 2023. This is mainly due to the robust infrastructure and supporting network technologies.
Market Growth
North America is projected to contribute greatly to the global market with its presence in different instrumentation and testing tools. Its high adoption rates are mainly due to the latest smartphones conforming to the most recent wireless standards. Moreover, there is a high demand for consumer electronics and telecommunications. Therefore, North America is expecting high data traffic as well as the penetration of modular instruments in the region.
Leading Manufacturers of RF Components
Two leading manufacturers which provide the components necessary for the manufacturing of laboratory test equipment are SYNERGY MICROWAVE and LARK RF TECHNOLOGIES. Synergy Microwave Corporation (www.synergymwave.com) designs and manufactures high-performance rf and microwave signal sources and signal processing products (e.g., VCO’s, PLL frequency synthesizers, power dividers/combiners, transformers, couplers, mixers, hybrids and more.) serving the military, commercial, industrial and medical industries. Lark RF Technology (www.bench.com/lark ) provides wireless design and test system development is a global provider of RF integration, RF component, and assembly solutions and high-speed circuit design for target customers across multiple sectors.
Peninsula Technical Sales has great technical expertise in RF components and can help you determine what product best matches your needs. We provide engineering consultation services for projects requiring RF products. Please visit our website www.pentech.com, call us at 650-965-3636 or E-mail us at sales@pentech.com. We are here to help you.
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