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Radar Applications

SPINNER develops and manufactures for every application area of rotating radar applications custom-designed solutions for our clients. In every new development project the focus of our work is always on maximum reliability, a long service life and virtually maintenance-free operation of the rotary joints.

For new solutions any combination of the various transmission methods is possible: Slip rings for transmitting high power or data can be implemented, and we can integrate optical rotary joints or ensure contact-free transmission of fast Ethernet and RF signals.

SPINNER rotary joints are flexible in use, extremely reliable and a secure investment in the future. These features and the long-standing experience of our developers and technicians have allowed us to become the European market leader.

Weather Radar

For weather radar systems, SPINNER combines fiber optic rotary joints (FORJ) typically with single- and dual-channel radio frequency rotary joints for frequency ranges in S-, C- and X-band.

Where in current weather radar systems a slip ring transmits data to the antenna, the SPINNER FORJ brings data rates of several Gbit/s with highest reliablility to weather radar systems around the globe.

Civil Radar

Rotary joints are used in radar systems for sea rescue services as well as in air traffic control, where they work around the clock, 365 days a year, helping to monitor air traffic and thus to ensure safety.

The SPINNER rotary couplings are characterized by a compact design with a long service life and an excellent electrical and mechanic performance. The multi-channel rotary joints for radar applications are available with coaxial and waveguide interfaces and also in combination with encoders and slip rings.

One of these products is our non-contacting 6-channel rotary joint for antennas using the frequency range of S- and L-band, the primary (“PSR – Primary Surveillance Radar”) and secondary (“SSR – Secondary Surveillance Radar”) surveillance radar frequencies.

Defense

Rotary joints for military use are among the most complex and demanding rotary joints developed by SPINNER. Before they are manufactured in series and used by the military, our rotary joints have to go through long and difficult qualification programs and field tests, as well as having to meet extremely strict standards.

For example, the integration of RF with optical rotary joints, as well as slip rings for power and signal transmission, has long been an industry standard. As amplifiers are increasingly being integrated into antennas, media rotary feedthroughs for air or other cooling fluids have also become a standard feature.

The military uses rotary joints in a large number of diverse radar applications:

Air Traffic Control (ATC)
Anti-Aircraft
Tracking
Border Surveillance
Aircraft On-Board
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Ships, Submarine

Several other fields of use exist also, each of them with specific, extremely demanding requirements on the rotary joint. Virtually all applications need 360 degree space surveillance in continuous rotation, thus making the rotary joint an indispensable key component of such systems. All forces, the army, navy and air force alike, rely equally much on radar systems.