Waveguides. Resonant cavities. Silver plated.

RF surface conductivity determines transmission loss, especially at high frequency (skin effect — current flows in thin surface layer). Silver has highest conductivity of any metal. Gold has similar conductivity + corrosion resistance. Bare aluminum has 65% silver conductivity but oxide layer reduces actual performance. For high-performance RF above ~1 GHz, silver plating reduces insertion loss by 0.1-1 dB per meter of waveguide — significant for long runs.

Tolerance tightens with frequency. Rule of thumb: tolerance ±λ/100 for most applications. At 10 GHz (λ=30mm), ±0.3mm adequate. At 40 GHz (λ=7.5mm), ±0.075mm needed. At 94 GHz (λ=3.2mm), ±0.032mm needed. For cavity frequency accuracy, even tighter — ±0.01mm on critical features at mmWave frequencies. We CMM-verify critical dimensions for RF work.

OFE copper: better conductivity (100% IACS vs 62% for 6061), smoother plating substrate, higher cost. Used for: critical high-Q cavities, low-loss filters, cryogenic RF hardware. Aluminum 6061: 65% conductivity, much cheaper, lighter, easier to machine. Used for: general RF hardware, satellite hardware (weight matters), general waveguides. When performance margin matters: copper. When weight or cost dominates: aluminum.

UG-series flanges (UG-39/U for WR-28, UG-383/U for WR-90, etc.) — standard waveguide flanges per MIL-DTL-3922. EIA 148 flange standards for general microwave. We machine standard flanges plus custom flanges for specialty requirements. Flat sealing surfaces ±0.005 mm, dowel pin fits precision for repeatable mating.

For RF hardware where electrical performance is specified, vector network analyzer (VNA) testing verifies impedance matching, return loss, insertion loss. Our standard: mechanical inspection + dimensional verification. VNA testing available through customer or through partner labs. For complete hardware including electrical performance certification, VNA test reports included in documentation package.

Standard waveguide components: 3-5 weeks including silver plating. Complex cavity filters: 6-10 weeks. Custom antenna hardware: 4-8 weeks. For satellite and space applications requiring qualification testing, additional 4-8 weeks for test cycle. For critical defense or research programs, rush service available at 30-50% premium.