Capabilities
Continental Microwave is a world class manufacturer of waveguide and waveguide-related products incorporating the latest technologies in the areas of computer design, engineering, manufacturing, and electrical testing in order to provide the finest quality product available. Our diverse engineering and manufacturing expertise allows us to offer our products as individual components or packaged as part of a subsystem for higher level integration
Manufacturing
Approximately two-thirds of Continental Microwave’s 80,000 square foot facility is dedicated to manufacturing. Utilizing in-house capabilities, Continental is able to fully control all phases of the manufacturing process assuring customer requirements are met.
In-house Machining
The ability to achieve critical dimensions and maintain tight tolerances are vital to waveguide manufacturing and end item performance. With a large variety of manual and automated equipment in-house, Continental brings products from design to prototype to high volume manufacturing seamlessly. Programmable Bridgeport milling machines accommodate prototype work and small production runs. Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining centers with touch probes, laser tool detection and vacuum-held fixtures ensure stringent specifications are met and maintained.
Dip Brazing
The dip braze tank at Continental Microwave is 80 x 48 x 36 inches and is capable of maintaining temperatures of 1100° F. Components and complex, multiple dip assemblies are tack welded, staked and/ or fixtured during the dip brazing process to prevent movement.
SCR-fired submerged graphite electrodes ensure the temperature range to +/- 5° F from set point. The quality of brazed joints conforms to MIL-B-007883, Grade A and/or Grade B and/or ANSI/A WS C3.7, Class B for non-critical fittings and structural applications. A new, custom-designed lift arm moves material quickly from preheat to dip to quench stations.
Plating
This new competency was recently developed at Continental Microwave with the intent of reducing queue time and limiting dependence on outside vendors for modeling and prototype projects that require shorter cycle times. By introducing this capability in-house, we have increased our understanding of the plating process and enhanced our supplier inspection and audit methods to better meet our customer needs.
All waste treatment facilities and EPA, state and local permits are in place for the future where we plan to add gold and electroless nickel plating to our capabilities.
Testing
In addition to skilled technicians, a model shop and fully equipped passive test lab, Continental Microwave made significant capital investments to be able to offer in-house, state of the art mechanical testing capabilities on its manufactured products. Capabilities include:
- Temperature altitude chamber
- Thermal shock chamber
- Programmable Thermal chambers
- Humidity chamber
- RF Power
- Electrodynamic Vibration , Sine, Random, Sine on Random and Classical shock capabilities
Proper assembly and electrical testing are critical to the manufacturing process. Continental Microwave’s test lab is equipped with a Lambda 28M high power test stand, Agilent PNAs and numerous synthesized scalar analyzers capable of testing from DC to 60 GHz.
