Table Of Contents
Key Points
- Metal machining for custom radio frequency (RF) shields is a game of precision.
- Getting these parts exactly right requires training, experience, and the right tools and equipment.
- Modus Advanced is a leader in metal machining services for RF shields.
You’ve put a lot of hard work into designing your RF shield, but to get that design off the page and into a real prototype or product, you’re going to need someone to machine the metal housing that makes up the bulk of the shield.
That means that, if you aren’t currently looking for metal machining services, you soon will be. But when that time comes, it’s important that you choose the shop that fits your needs. Ensure your potential partner has the appropriate quality and security certifications, a team with plenty of engineers on staff, and the willingness to work through an iterative prototyping process with you.
In this article, the Modus CNC machining team will walk you through everything you need to know before you choose a CNC machining services provider for your RF shield. Read on to learn more.
Modus Advanced is a recognized leader in custom RF shield manufacturing. With our vertically integrated process — which includes metal machining — we save time, promote quality and keep customers happy. Contact us to learn more.
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What’s Involved: Machining the Metal Housing
Most, but not all, RF shields involve a metal structure of some kind. The metal involved is often aluminum for a few key reasons:
- It is lightweight but sturdy.
- It is relatively inexpensive.
- It is highly resistant to corrosion, stress, and cracking.
The design of the metal housing for your RF shield is going to depend heavily on the device the shield is meant to be a part of. That’s where the “custom” part comes in — you’re designing an RF shield that has never been designed before, and you need a CNC machinist who can get it exactly right the first time.
Using a powerful CNC cutting machine, your metal machining services provider should follow your design specifications to the letter.
Why Precision Is Key in Metal Machining Services
You may already be aware of a machine shop near your place of business. You may even know a guy. But, if you’re not highly familiar with CNC machining and how to assess quality in this arena, the choice of CNC machining services partner can be a tough one. After all, you want the best provider for your custom RF shield, not just the first you find. And don’t make the mistake of thinking that any old provider will do. They won’t, and that’s true whether you’re a Department of Defense contractor or a consumer electronics designer.
Why? Because this isn’t mass manufacturing. This is not the usual job that walks through the doors of the typical machine shop. These parts require absolute precision and device failure is not an option.
That’s a problem for any device that is sensitive to RF interference, but it’s especially important for devices in the industries that most commonly require custom RF shields: aerospace, defense, telecommunications and medical devices.
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Look for a Partner, Not a Vendor
Here’s the other thing: Unless you’re an experienced manufacturing engineer with an in-depth understanding of metal machining as it relates to RF shields, you might miss something in your design. Bring that design to a traditional metal machining vendor, and they’ll take it, machine it and send it back to you.
Bring that slightly problematic design to a true partner, however, and they will come back with actionable feedback that could save you both money and headaches. It could even prevent a flawed device from hitting the market with your name on it. That’s why you need to seek out a partner who cares about the ultimate success of your design, and one that will iterate with you throughout the design cycle.
Modus Advanced: High-Quality Metal Machining Services
You’re at a critical juncture in the process of building a custom RF shield. This is the part where you choose metal machining services, and a bad move here could have big impacts on the overall quality of your RF shield and the device it’s designed for.
At Modus Advanced, we recognize how important quality is in RF shield manufacturing. From design guidance and feedback to machining metal housing with absolute precision, our team will do what it takes to provide the highest quality in CNC machining services for your custom RF shield design.
Interested in working with us? Reach out to our team. Give us a call at 925-960-8700 or contact us online today.
