Circuits Assembly - September 2008 - (Page 42)

RF Production SERIES Effectively Managing RF Design in Utility Metering Applications By Roger Allcorn EMS companies can be the missing link between meter expertise and distribution. F-based products are being introduced in virtually every industry. This can present a challenge to industries now integrating RF on a wide scale. What are the typical challenges? Is there a role for electronics manufacturing services providers? A good industry example is utility metering applications. A number of factors are driving increased integration of RF technology in such applications. These include: • Lowered R&D costs and greater availability of basic reference designs. • Increased interest from utilities lower cost structure through use of more intelligent metering technology. • An active pool of automated meter reading (AMR) specialized companies and increased focus on this area by large meter manufacturers. This drives a growing market for companies with existing distribution channels. The challenge is meter expertise and good distribution channels do not automatically translate to an ability to easily develop products incorporating RF technology. In some cases, EMS companies provide this missing link. Technology drivers. AMR and meter OEM design departments face a critical challenge that is actually driven by dynamics in other 42 Circuits Assembly SEPTEMBER 2008 R markets. RF acceptance in many industries is increasing. The reason is the cellphone market is saturated and semiconductor companies are looking to broaden applications for RF-on-a-chip to increase return-oninvestment for that large development cost. This has resulted in overall decrease in both component and design costs. It is possible to design product by integrating off-the-shelf solutions. Semiconductor manufacturers are supplying tested and calibrated evaluation modules. As a result, meter OEMs can integrate the technology to their device with minimal RF R&D. The fact that semiconductor houses supply the printed circuit board trace design that can be dropped into the existing design opens markets to companies with less RF expertise. However, it is increasingly difficult to prototype finished products because the accuracy and precision when placing parts for UHF-microwave RF products often dictates if they will work at all, let alone what performance they can achieve. Business drivers. Another market driver is increased interest from utilities in offsetting costs through more intelligent data collection and billing activities. Meter reading carries a cost that increases as fuel prices rise. Technology that enables data collection to move seamlessly from place of measurement to place of billing reduces cost. This seamless linkage facilitates a range of options such as time-of-day billing, remote cutoff/turn on of meters, load circuitsassembly.com http://circuitsassembly.com

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Circuits Assembly - September 2008 Contents Caveat Lector Industry News Market Watch Talking Heads Focus on Business Global Sourcing On the Forefront Screen Printing Better Manufacturing Reflow Soldering with a SnCu Eutectic Pb-Free Alloy Improving OEE in High Mix Facilities Effectively Managing RF Design in Utility Metering Applications Solder Joint Reliability of Different BGAs Reworked Using Low Melting Point Pb-Free Alloys Tech Tips Wave Soldering Pb-Free Lessons Learned Materials World Process Doctor Equipment Advances Product Spotlight Ad Index Assembly Insider Technical Abstracts

Circuits Assembly - September 2008

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