Use of 3D Printing for Horn Antenna Manufacturing

Use of 3D Printing for Horn Antenna Manufacturing

WoS Article

This article describes the manufacturing of a horn antenna using a 3D commercial printer. The horn antenna was chosen for its simplicity and practical versatility. The standardised horn antenna is one of the most widely used antennas in microwave technology. A standardised horn antenna can be connected to standardised waveguides. The horn antenna has been selected so that this antenna can be fabricated by 3D printing and thus obtain the equivalent of a standardised horn antenna. This 3D horn antenna can then be excited by a standardised waveguide. The 3Dprinted horn antenna with metallic layers has very good impedance characteristics, standing wave ratio and radiation patterns that are close to those of a standardised horn antenna. The 3D-based horn antenna is suitable for applications where low antenna weight is required, such as aerospace and satellite technologies. The article also describes a manufacturing procedure for a horn antenna (E-sector horn antenna) that is plated with galvanic layers of silver and gold. The design of the plated horn antenna in the Matlab application using the Antenna Toolbox extension is also described, including 3D printing procedures, post-processing procedures (plating) and practical testing of its functionality. The measured results are compared to simulations of the standardised horn antenna and then analysed.

This article describes the manufacturing of a horn antenna using a 3D commercial printer. The horn antenna was chosen for its simplicity and practical versatility. The standardised horn antenna is one of the most widely used antennas in microwave technology. A standardised horn antenna can be connected to standardised waveguides. The horn antenna has been selected so that this antenna can be fabricated by 3D printing and thus obtain the equivalent of a standardised horn antenna. This 3D horn antenna can then be excited by a standardised waveguide. The 3Dprinted horn antenna with metallic layers has very good impedance characteristics, standing wave ratio and radiation patterns that are close to those of a standardised horn antenna. The 3D-based horn antenna is suitable for applications where low antenna weight is required, such as aerospace and satellite technologies. The article also describes a manufacturing procedure for a horn antenna (E-sector horn antenna) that is plated with galvanic layers of silver and gold. The design of the plated horn antenna in the Matlab application using the Antenna Toolbox extension is also described, including 3D printing procedures, post-processing procedures (plating) and practical testing of its functionality. The measured results are compared to simulations of the standardised horn antenna and then analysed.

horn antenna; Matlab; 3D printing; galvanic plating

horn antenna; Matlab; 3D printing; galvanic plating

OLIVOVÁ, J.; POPELA, M.; RICHTEROVÁ, M.; ŠTEFL, E.

2022

11.05.2022

MDPI

Basel, Switzerland

2079-9292

Electronics (MDPI)

11

10

Swiss Confederation

1

16

16

https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/11/10/1539

http://hdl.handle.net/11012/204436

electronics-11-01539