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The Faculty of Engineering at Stellenbosch University is one of South Africa's major producers of top quality engineers. Established in 1944, it currently has five Engineering Departments.
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Browsing Faculty of Engineering by Subject "3-D printing"
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- ItemDMLS 3D-printed active antenna array(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Oosthuizen, Helgard; Gilmore, Jacki; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis presents the development of an active antenna array for X-band and lower Ku-band frequencies (7.25-12.75 GHz) using modern additive manufacturing technologies. The single-polarized 2D planar antenna array consists of 64 Vivaldi antenna elements. The antenna elements are manufactured using a hybrid aluminium and low-loss dielectric approach. Each antenna element is integrated with an LNA, consisting of commercially available discrete transistors, directly at the feed of the antenna. When terminated with the active antenna impedance, the LNA achieves a simulated noise figure of less than 1.3 dB for scan angles up to θ = 45°. The active embedded element achieves a measured broadside gain of more than 14.7 dBi over the over frequency band.
- ItemImprovements in the capability profile of 3-D printing : an update(Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering, 2014-08) Dimitrov, Dimitar Marinov; De Beer, NealKnowledge about the capabilities of a production system is an important issue. The three-dimensional (3-D) printing (drop-on-bed) process has become a well-established Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology. Initially intended for use mainly as a concept modeller, its scope of application has expanded to include, among others, fit and functional models, pattern-making for casting and moulding processes, rapid tooling, and medical and architectural models. This growth in applications has stimulated a reciprocal improvement in available materials and the technological capabilities of 3-D printing, such as accuracy, strength and elongation, surface finish, build time, and cost. These factors are of significance to users who want to control their processes better and to designers who want to define their expectations and determine their requirements. Thus this paper aims to provide a technical update, highlighting the influence level of different factors on a system’s capabilities. This paper uses the example of the ZPrinter 310 system from the Z Corporation, applies appropriate statistical techniques, and takes into consideration the latest material and machine developments, in order to report on the current improvements of the capability profile of this important process.