Cable assembly offering designed for microwave and RF applications

The Low Loss phase stable flexible microwave cable assemblies meet some of the highest specifications available in the industry.

Available in a variety of sizes and performance specifications, these assemblies operate up to 70GHz and beyond and can be armoured internally or externally. Phase matching is also available and assemblies can be specified as matched sets or built to a specified phase length. Phase matching is essential when connecting to multi-channel receivers, as individual channels are required to match and track each other over the frequency of operation.

The Semi-rigid cables are made using a solid metal outer conductor (usually copper or aluminium) that can be bent into shape as required. Performance figures are improved using a solid outer conductor and they are typically available in 0.047", 0.085", 0.141" and 0.250" diameters. Semi-Rigid cable assemblies offer low loss, low VSWR performance, are phase stable and can be phase matched, allowing customers to specify the electrical length in time or degrees at the frequency of operation for a specific cable assembly.

Semi-flexible cables offer a lighter, more flexible alternative to Semi-Rigid types and enables cable to be flexed. Although there is a slightly reduced performance compared with Semi-Rigid, it benefits from being able to use standard semi-rigid cable connectors and is typically available in 0.085" and 0.141" diameters.

Conformable or Hand Formable cable assemblies are ideal for applications that require cable to be formed at the time of installation without the need for bending tools. Comprising of a tin soaked copper braid, the cable stays in place after bending, can use standard semi-rigid cable connectors, and there is no major degradation of electrical performance when cables are formed into shape.

"While a few applications still exist for high volume cable assemblies, the majority are now low volume, custom designs for specialised products or systems and require close cooperation with system design engineers," said Roy Phillips, Managing Director of Intelliconnect USA.

"Such products do not suit offshore manufacturing and working with a US based cable assembly manufacturer such as Intelliconnect has many advantages for end users."