MI Technologies Ships Large Positioner for Full-Scale Model Testing

March 10, 2006

MI Technologies Ships Large Positioner for Full-Scale Model Testing

Azimuth-Over-Elevation-Over-Azimuth positioner used to support a full-scale model of a fighter aircraft for test and measurement

ATLANTA: MI Technologies has delivered and installed its very large Model MI-55850 Azimuth-Over Elevation-Over Azimuth positioner to an aerospace customer in California. The 14-foot tall, 38,000-pound positioner, capable of handling loads up to 50,000 pounds, was installed on top of one of the customer’s buildings currently under construction.

After commissioning, the positioner will be used to hold a full-scale model of an advanced fighter jet in support of the customer’s engineering development and testing of software-defined radio systems for the US Air Force. The customer will use the positioner to perform communications and navigation testing at the systems level on the aircraft.

In addition to designing, building and installing the positioner, MI Technologies will deliver, and integrate the position control system, computer workstation and custom software required to move the aircraft under test through a full range of elevation and azimuth positions in very precise increments corresponding to aircraft roll, pitch, and yaw commands.

MI Technologies’ automated test and measurement systems are used by customers in communications and commercial markets around the world to evaluate wireless and satellite communication systems, telematics antennas, radomes, radar cross section (RCS) and microwave component characteristics. The MI-55850 positioner is one product within the Company’s family of test and measurement positioner products which support test items weighing from only a few hundred pounds to models designed to support objects as heavy as 400,000 pounds.

The MI Technologies’ positioner will be commissioned in the spring when the host building is scheduled for completion. The test aircraft is scheduled for mounting in late summer.