The obvious prime requirement when it comes to antenna selection is whether the antenna will provide the performance a device needs, but that really is only the foundation on which to specify and select the right antenna. There are mechanical and environmental considerations that need to be taken into account, and ideally these should not be approached as an afterthought because it can be time consuming, costly and complicated to retrospectively adapt a design to ensure the antenna will work optimally.
Key considerations include which cables, connectors, glues, plastics, housing, and radomes to use, and there are basic factors such as the size, shape, temperature rating and durability of antennas to consider. In addition, UV rating, chemical resistance, impact rating, and utilisation of environmentally damaging or hazardous materials should be considered.
Thereafter, the IP ratings you need your product to have, and protection level that you need the antenna to comply with, need to be identified. IP ratings are typically expressed with the first digit after the IP designation used to describe the dustproof grade the item achieves. The second digit is the waterproof grade. The numbers range from 0, which offers no protection, to 6 in the case of dustproofing, where 6 describes the complete prevention of foreign objects and dust entering the device. In the waterproof grade, the highest level is 9K which describes a product that is protected against high temperature, high-pressure injection, and steam cleaning. To achieve this, the product is sprayed at various angles for at least 30 seconds in each position with water pressure of 100 bar and temperature of 80°C. IP69K describes a device with strong protection against both dust and water.
The next consideration is whether there are restricted substances in the antenna. Organisations such as CE-RoHS and REACH cover restricted substances such as lead, cadmium and mercury, setting out stringent limits for each substance per product. RoHS for example, specified that the lead content in the end product should be less than or equal to 0,1% of the total product mass. RoHS and REACH regulations are applicable to both internal and external antennas, so ensuring compliance should be a priority.
The above factors are only some of the requirements antennas face, and attention should also be given to ensuring compliant fixings, connectors, cables and housings are utilised. For an IoT organisation, keeping up with all the details can be challenging, so Quectel offers a range of verification and reliability testing services such as temperature testing, tumbling and vibration testing, thermal shock, dropping and storage testing. This process exposes a product to potential risks, enabling the opportunity to find and resolve problems at the R&D; stage.
Quectel recognises that not every IoT organisation can be an expert in all the factors that influence antenna design and compliance, so its mission is to help customers ensure the products are designed efficiently and can be brought to market smoothly.
The issues relating to antenna design and compliance were explored in greater depth in a recent Quectel Masterclass titled ‘Mechanical and environmental considerations for antennas.’ To view the Masterclass visit: https://www.quectel.com/masterclass-library/antennas-mechanical-environmental
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