The new Rohde & Schwarz R&S QAR50 is the right solution for measuring radomes and bumpers in the manufacturing process. With a very competitive price/performance ratio, the tester's revolutionary design ensures short measurement times and reliable, repeatable findings. The R&S QAR50 can be customised to meet specific needs thanks to its highly modular software
Automotive radar sensors are required for advanced driver assistance capabilities. These are frequently hidden behind bumpers or emblems for aesthetic reasons. The transmission loss, reflectance, and homogeneity of the components under test are all highly influenced by radome quality, as demonstrated by the R&S QAR.
Microwave imaging is used in the R&S QAR and R&S QAR50, which has a number of advantages over traditional, unfocused single-point measurements. Simple and reliable operation, as well as fast cycle durations, are critical in manufacturing. The R&S QAR50’s user-friendly interface makes measurements in the automotive radar frequency band simple – even for those without extensive RF experience. Several modifications allow measurement periods of less than five seconds, considerably lowering production cycle times.
The imaging method also tells you if the components you’re testing are properly positioned. While single-point tests only show the reflectivity’s frequency response for a single location, the tester also shows the reflectivity’s spatial dispersion. The greatest reflection point can be tracked to get information on component placement.
The R&S QAR50 provides substantially more room for clamping and unclamping the components to be tested because this method permits the transmit and receive antennas to be widely apart without impacting the measurement results.
The mechanical effort required to place the components is reduced by the clearance height of roughly 100 cm between the antenna clusters. Robot positioners and carriages are no longer required, and the enclosures required for occupational safety can be greatly reduced.
The R&S QAR50 may be cost-effectively modified to the individual requirements of the vehicle maker thanks to the modular software approach. Complete limit tests for transmission loss, transmission phase, homogeneity, and reflectivity in the frequency and spatial domains can be conducted depending on the programme settings. All software choices can be added later, assuring the R&S QAR50’s long-term usability in end-of-line (EOL) deployment.
