RF Switch Matrix - Design Challenges

Design Challenges

There are six main challenges when designing a custom RF/Microwave Switch Matrix from beginning to end:

1. Mechanical Design: design of an electrically shielded enclosure or box, internal component mounting brackets, with a component and cabling layout.
2. RF/Microwave Design: a signal routing and signal conditioning design and testing plan. A calibration plan for the switch matrix would need to be developed to properly characterize the signal paths.
3. Power and Control Hardware: The power supply and switch driver circuitry will need to be designed and developed.
4. Software Control: A software driver will need to be developed to provide an interface between the control hardware and test system program.
5. Documentation: The whole switch matrix design needs to be documented to support maintenance and possible future design leveraging.
6. Servicing Plan: A servicing plan needs to be developed to ensure the life of the switch matrix lasts as long as the life of the test system.

Test equipment manufacturers offer instruments that provide a power supply, driver circuitry, and software drivers that essentially saves a test system designer time and cost by eliminating two of the six switch matrix design challenges: power and control hardware design as well as software driver development.

Many companies have introduced new product concepts that aid in custom switch matrix design. These new products offer test system designers a power supply, driver circuitry, and software drivers all wrapped together in a mainframe. The mainframe provides flexible mounting for switches and other components as well as blank front and rear panels that can be easily modified to fit a design need. These new products eliminates 3 of the 6 design challenges: mechanical design, power and control hardware design, and software driver development