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PCB-mounting motor controls RF filters remotely
Published:  20 September, 2012

The Danish piezoelectric motor manufacturer, PCBMotor has developed a precision motor that controls RF (radio frequency) filters and duplexers remotely, and maintains their position when power is off. It says that the development will allow operators of RF networks to cut their operating costs and to offer more flexible services.

“We adapted our standard ultrasonic piezomotor platform and mechanically engineered a new way of moving the leadscrews to adjust frequencies in filters and duplexers,” explains PCBMotor’s CEO, Henrik Staehr-Olsen.

“Manageable filters, deployed with a PCBMotor, add flexibility to network providers and mean huge cost savings,” he adds. “Now carriers don’t have to install new hardware and transport technicians to far-away locations. Our technology handles all that remotely via an IP address.”

The leadscrew motors (above) can also be used to automate the production of frequency filters to preset frequencies. Once deployed, the filters can be reconfigured easily either centrally or on-site.

The low-profile motors, which operate to an accuracy of up to 1 micron, provide a direct drive without slack. Several motors can be multiplexed.

PCBMotor has produced a White Paper explaining how RF filters can be managed centrally. The company’s patented technology allows accurate piezoelectric motors to be mounted directly onto printed circuit boards. This is claimed to cut manufacturing costs and to offer new design possibilities using standardised components and well-established assembly techniques.