Engineering and Manufacturing

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Engineering:

Lucix maintains exceptional in house engineering capability spanning the range from systems engineering to components, assemblies and subsystems design.

Our engineering and management teams have over 160 years combined experience with Space and Airborne RF Hardware Design, Development, Manufacturing, Systems Engineering and Quality Management.

Lucix engineers are experienced with hardware from 0.1 to 60 GHz in Hi-Reliability Military and Space environments. Microwave design capabilities include thin and thick-film MIC implementations incorporating MMIC and GaAs devices utilizing chip-and-wire technology.

Component and System design and modeling capabilities include expertise with

• Frequency Converters
• ultra low noise phase locked Dielectric Oscillators
• Reference Generators
• Channel Control Units
• Amplifiers – Low Noise Amplifiers, Ultra Broadband Amplifiers
• Power Amplifiers
• Multi-Function Subsystems, involving converters and amplifiers interconnected with switches and filters - formed into microwave repeaters and signal processing assemblies.

Lucix also has substantial expertise in Filters, which are used internal to our frequency converters, amplifiers and oscillators - including dielectric, combline, lumped element and edge coupled.

State of the Art RF, Circuit, and System design modeling and analysis tools are utilized allowing rapid design convergence for quick turn solutions. Some of these tools include:

• Advanced Design System – ADS
• Filter Synthesis
• Solid works
• Autocad
• 3-D electromagnetic simulator (HFSS)
• Converter / Amplifier Analysis Tool
• Gain /Loss budget
• Noise Figure, C/3IM, P1dB, IP3
• Conversion Spurious Products
• Transponder Analysis – Internally Generated
• Gain / Loss / Noise Figure / C/3IM
• Spurious Generation & Rejection
• AM/PM Transfer and Conversion
• Phase Noise / Integrated Jitter
• Communications Link
• Mass & Power

Lucix Engineering expertise includes designing to typical Military and Space operating and storage environments, including:

• Wide temperature ranges – operating and storage
• Radiation
• ESD
• Thermal Shock
• Altitude
• High Relative Humidity – up to 100% condensing
• Salt Atmosphere, Sand and Dust
• Vibration and Shock
• Explosive Atmosphere
• Rapid Decompression

Detailed analyses are frequently required to provide assured long-life system success. Lucix engineers are highly experienced at performing such analyses, and iterating designs to achieve specification compliance. Analyses include:

• Worst Case Circuit (WCCA)
• Thermal Analysis – junction temperature
• Derating
• Reliability - MTBF
• Mechanical Stress

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Manufacturing

Lucix’s State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Facilities are AS9100B compliant and compatible with producing hardware consistent with todays stringent Space and Military Quality Requirements.

Our manufacturing facilities span over 30,000 square feet and are capable of producing 1,000 units per month. The facilities provide the capability for MIC, MMIC and PWB production and processing using technologies such as chip-and-wire.

Class 10,000 clean rooms, with class 1,000 capability are utilized in support of our High-Reliability programs. Extensive attention is paid to ESD controls and parts handling throughout the facility - from proper bench, equipment and personnel grounding to parts storage under dry nitrogen purge. Detailed incoming, in-process, and final inspections are performed by highly trained Quality Inspectors, Assemblers and Technicians throughout the facility.

Our extensive investments in capital equipment ensure Lucix’ Engineers and Technicians are utilizing the latest fully calibrated test and measurement equipment – including Phase-Noise Test Sets, VNAs, Synthesizers, Spectrum Analyzers and Power Meters, as well as custom developed fully automated test stations.

Lucix environmental laboratories provide multiple thermal test chambers for component burn-in, thermal cycling, bake-out, and accelerated life testing. Vibration and Shock facilities are utilized for both qualification and acceptance screening as required. Thermal vacuum facilities are utilized as required for acceptance testing of Space hardware and rapid decompression qualification.

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