Use of Model Based Systems Engineering and Development in the Design of a Commercial Nose-Radome Test System Employing a Multi-Axis Cobot

Abstract

In most instances antenna test facilities are designed with a specific measurement application in mind. As a result, these facilities tend to be optimised for that task and have fixed measurement geometries. The move towards antenna measurement ranges employing multi-axis industrial robotic positioners that provide a near limitless degree of flexibility in terms of measurement types and scan geometries complicates design and development tasks. The available flexibility and ability to continuously adapt and refine the acquisitions results in an ongoing need to evaluate each unique setup and application. Model based Systems Engineering and Development (MBSE/MBD) techniques can be employed to dramatically reduce the time, cost, and effort of developing and validating new measurement scenarios. This paper illustrates the use of MBSE in the implementation of a new nose-mounted radome test system employing industrial multi-axis robots. In this novel application, a collaborative robot (Cobot) is used to emulate a classical antenna gimbal, requiring extensive use of MBSE to develop and verify the measurement and control sub-systems.