A study of super-plasticity hydraulic forming to develop a microwave plate reflector antenna (I)

Abstract

This project aims to study the application of the super-plasticity forming method in the production of a microwave Fresnel-zone plate antenna and to determine the relationship between this forming method and the communication electrical properties of the product. Since the method requires only one hydraulic pressure system and a mold to change the shape of a metal plate into a paraboloid, it is hoped that a flexible manufacturing method in producing Fresnel-zone plate antenna may be found through the research of this project. Using the method in producing a parent mold, a program language is applied to calculate the required data and change them into a CNC program before a CNC miller is used to mill a low-carbon steel mold material into a parent mold of a paraboloid antenna. The required super-plasticity hydraulic pressure equipment can then be designed based on the parent mold to transform an aluminum plate into a Fresnel-zone plate antenna. An electrical properties comparison analysis between the Fresnel-zone plate antenna made by the foregoing method and that by another mechanical process is made on a near field testing system.