PrintedRadar

Up to now, patch antennas, i.e. flat antennas made of conductive materials, have been used in the radar industry. These have to be fabricated on low-loss, dielectric and extremely expensive substrates (e.g. Rogers substrates). In addition, due to their flat geometry, they must be large to reduce the negative interference between the individual radar channels. New developments aim at using waveguide systems in combination with 3D antennas, e.g. horn antennas. Such designs offer the possibility of miniaturization while improving the performance of the overall radar system.

PrintedRadar is pursuing the approach of exploring additive manufacturing for 3D waveguide radar antenna systems to accelerate the development of automated driving applications with the development of innovative sensor technology. A major limitation compared to conventional 3D printing is the need for metallization and high surface quality of the waveguides and antenna structures. PrintedRadar is investigating the fabrication of lightweight polymer 3D waveguide radar antenna systems using SLA, DLP and inkjet printing with subsequent metallization and the development of a multi-material inkjet printing process for direct additive fabrication of radar antenna systems including metallization and filling of the structures. The simulations carried out in the consortium, the testing of different designs, the subsequent characterization and the comparison with state-of-the-art systems serve to sustainably build up expertise in radar systems and their production. SAL translates the antenna definition provided by Infineon into a hardware implementation based on the requirements of the 3D printing process provided by ProFactor and the material properties derived from Tiger Coatings.

An additive manufacturing process for radar antenna systems will enable rapid implementation and testing of new designs. This will be of particular interest for low-volume applications where antenna quality and performance requirements are paramount. Potential cross-industry applications include ground radar systems or stationary radar systems.