From Lab to Production: Scalable LXI Solutions for RF Testing

As a long-time member of the test and measurement community, I have seen firsthand the persistent challenges that test engineers face. Your role is critical, yet often fraught with pressures to increase throughput, ensure absolute accuracy, and manage increasingly complex test scenarios—all while navigating equipment limitations and budget constraints. These are not minor inconveniences; they are significant hurdles that can impact project timelines, product quality, and overall operational efficiency.

The evolution of wireless technologies means RF and microwave testing is more demanding than ever. You are tasked with validating devices that operate at higher frequencies, with tighter tolerances, and across a multitude of standards. This complexity places immense strain on traditional automated test equipment (ATE) systems. I understand the frustration of wrestling with cumbersome setups, dealing with signal integrity issues, and spending valuable time manually reconfiguring systems for different tests.

At Pickering Interfaces, we design solutions with these specific pain points in mind. Our latest range of LXI RF & Microwave products is engineered not just to meet technical specifications, but also to fundamentally improve the way you work. Let’s explore how these solutions directly address the challenges you encounter daily.

Simplifying Complex Test System Integration

One of the most significant challenges in building an ATE system is integration. You often need to combine instruments from various vendors, each with its own driver, interface, and control language. The result can be a system that is difficult to configure, program, and maintain. When you add the complexities of RF and microwave signal routing, the potential for error and signal degradation increases substantially.

Our latest LXI microwave product range provides a standardized, Ethernet-based interface that simplifies this process. This allows seamless integration of our switching modules with other LXI-compliant instruments, such as signal generators and spectrum analyzers. The benefits are immediate:

• Simplified Connectivity: A standard Ethernet connection eliminates the need for proprietary cards or complex cabling. This makes system setup faster and more reliable, especially in distributed systems where test equipment may not be co-located.
• Platform Independence: LXI instruments can be controlled from any host computer using standard TCP/IP protocols, offering you the flexibility to use your preferred programming environment, whether it's LabVIEW, VEE, C++, or Python.
• Reduced Development Time: With common drivers and a consistent command structure, you spend less time on basic instrument communication and more time developing your actual test sequences.

Consider the setup for testing a multi-band wireless communication device. Such a device requires switching various RF signals between antennas, filters, and measurement equipment. Using our LXI microwave multiplexers, you can create a robust routing matrix that is easily controlled over a single Ethernet connection, streamlining a process that would otherwise require a complex web of coaxial relays and manual patching.

Enhancing Throughput with High-Performance Switching

In a production environment, test time is money. Every second saved in a test sequence translates directly to higher throughput and lower cost per unit. Many automated test processes are bottlenecked by the speed and efficiency of the signal switching hardware. Slow relay actuation times and inefficient command processing can add significant overhead to each test cycle.

Our LXI switching solutions are designed for high-speed operation to maximize your test efficiency.

High Channel Densities

To test modern devices with numerous RF ports, you need to be able to route many signals simultaneously. Our LXI chassis support high-density switching modules, allowing you to build systems with hundreds of RF switch channels in a compact footprint. For example, our 60-801 LXI Microwave Multiplexer offers up to 8 multiplexers in a single 1U rack-mount enclosure. This density minimizes rack space and simplifies system design, a key consideration in crowded test labs.

Built-in Scan List Sequencing

A standout feature of many of our LXI products is the ability to store pre-programmed scan lists directly on the hardware. Instead of sending individual commands to open and close relays for each step in a sequence, you can send a single command to execute a long list of switch operations. The hardware then steps through the sequence at a deterministic rate, free from the latencies of the host controller and communication bus.

This feature can dramatically reduce test execution time in an application, such as testing satellite payloads, where hundreds of signal paths must be verified. By offloading the switching sequence to the LXI module, the host controller is free to perform other tasks, such as data acquisition and analysis, in parallel. This results in a significant improvement in overall test throughput.

LXI Product Lines

The existing and new product lines are detailed below, with new releases in red (U=Unterminated, T=Terminated):

We are also releasing two new families of specific internally constructed, fully integrated multiplexer and matrix solutions.

Ensuring Accuracy and Repeatability

In RF and microwave testing, maintaining signal integrity is paramount. Every component in the signal path—from the cable to the switch—can introduce loss, reflections, and noise that degrade measurement accuracy. Poorly designed switching can be a primary source of unreliable and non-repeatable test results.

We address this fundamental challenge with meticulous RF design and characterization.

Superior RF Performance

Our RF & Microwave switches are engineered for excellent performance up to 110 GHz. We focus on key specifications that directly impact measurement accuracy:

• Low Insertion Loss: Minimizes signal attenuation to ensure sufficient power reaches the measurement instrument.
• High Isolation: Prevents crosstalk between channels, critical when testing multi-port devices.
• Excellent VSWR: Reduces signal reflections that can cause measurement errors.

Each of our microwave switch designs undergoes extensive verification. We provide detailed specifications so you can confidently model the performance of your test system and account for any switching losses in your measurements.

Flexible Configurations for Optimal Signal Paths

We understand that no two test applications are identical. That's why our LXI range boasts various switch configurations, including multiplexers, matrices, and individual relays. This flexibility allows you to design a signal routing system optimized for your specific needs, minimizing path lengths and the number of interconnects to preserve signal integrity.

One of our customers, a manufacturer of medical devices, faced obsolescence issues from their existing supplier, which, without an alternative, could disrupt their production line. With an ATE system already designed & deployed, the customer required a solution that provided hardware compatibility in a short timeframe, while maintaining high signal integrity. Using our turnkey LXI switching platform, we supplied a preconfigured high channel count multiplexer with performance exceeding the original to future-proof the ATE. The result was no disruption to production lines and the confidence of multiple decades of product availability.

A Partner in Your Success

Ultimately, we aim to provide the tools you need to overcome your toughest test challenges. We see ourselves not just as a hardware vendor, but as a partner invested in your success. From providing detailed documentation and responsive technical support to offering custom switching solutions, we are committed to helping you build better test systems.

The pain points of automated testing are real, but they are not insurmountable. By leveraging the advanced capabilities of our LXI RF & Microwave products—from simplified integration and high-density designs to superior RF performance and onboard intelligence—you can build automated test systems that are more efficient, more accurate, and more adaptable to the challenges of tomorrow.