Tolerance analysis of 3D printed patch antennas based on interval arithmetic

Abstract

AbstractA tolerance analysis approach based on interval arithmetic (IA) is proposed for heterogeneous three‐dimensional (3D) printed patch antennas. Four key parameters—patch length, width, substrate thickness, and material properties—are considered that can introduce errors in the analysis results. Investigating the comprehensive effect of these parameters on resonant frequency and the E/H pattern of the patch is difficult and time‐consuming when classical numerical simulations are employed. Thus, in this work, the four parameters are modeled as interval variables, and the equations between error and resonant frequency and the E/H pattern are derived using IA. Then, for the given tolerances (error intervals), the corresponding resonant frequency interval and E/H pattern interval are calculated using the proposed approach and compared with HFSS simulation results. Some samples of the patch antenna are fabricated via a self‐developed heterogeneous 3D printer, which employs ink injection and laser sintering to fabricate the patch and the microstrip; furthermore, ultraviolet (UV) resin injection and curing are used to fabricate the substrate. The transmission performance of the samples is evaluated by comparing simulation and measurement results to verify the effectiveness of the proposed IA‐based approach.