Stolar Research - Facility Manufacturing

Facility

Stolar’s ability to remain competitive while keeping its laboratories in Raton, New Mexico is attributed to the fact that all steps of the process from designing to prototyping, take place within the facility. Stolar’s engineers, technicians, and inventors are tasked with finding new applications for the two core technologies, radio imaging method and electromagnetic detection imaging transceivers. Stolar prides itself on its in-house mechanical and electronics prototyping and testing capabilities.

Prototyping

The prototyping of mechanical and electronic casings, components, and products takes place within the Stolar Research facility. The prototyping area is a high mix-low volume production department that provides electro-mechanical assembly capabilities and also supports research and development in radio frequency communication products.

The company is capable of seeing products from the technical drawing and model stages to the actual fabrication of prototype components. In-house programmers also write the software that runs the company’s electronics. The completed prototypes and instrumentation are assembled and tested on site, ensuring a consistently high level of quality and reliability. The ability to complete each stage on site makes Stolar’s laboratory efficient in that any necessary corrections or changes can be made immediately.

Mechanical Prototyping Capabilities

Utilizing the latest in solid modeling software (SolidWorks) and programming software (CAMWorks) to efficiently create and manufacture hardware
Computer numeral controlled (CNC) milling machining (HASS machining center and fourth axis capability)
Rapid prototyping of physical components utilizing Stratasys Dimension 3D printer
Prototype manufacture transmitters and digital receivers
Lathe equipment (with digital readout)
Multiple milling machines (with digital readout)
Welding
Sheet metal fabrication
Composite material fabrication
HASS VF2 Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC)
- X,Y,Z,A axis (fourth axis capability)
  - Table movement X-axis is 30 inches.
  - Y-axis is 16 inches
  - Z-axis is 20 inches
- 24 position tool changer

Computer Controlled Milling Machine	Computer Controlled Milling Machine
21-inch Lathe with Digital Readout	Sheet Metal Fabrication- Hydraulic Metal Shear
Rapid prototyping of physical components utilizing Stratasys Dimension 3-D Printer

Electronics Prototyping Capabilities

Assemble printed circuit boards (PCB); surface mount (SMT) and through hold (TH) advanced technology
Radio frequency (RF) cables and harness assemblies for all in-house projects
PCB prototype fabrication (in-house board cutter)
Assist with the assembly of digital and analog prototype designs, testing and repairs
Perform electrical and temperature testing for circuit boards and finished products
Quality control inspections and documentation of circuit boards, systems and products
Antenna winding, potting/encapsulating, testing, and tuning
Utilize the principles of lean manufacturing
APS Novastar automatic pick and placer, manual pick and placer
Manual stencil printer
Bench top reflow oven
LPKF board cutter machine (prototype PCB)
Eight Metcal-QFP/PLCC Rework stations
Agilent spectrum analyzers, impedance analyzers, amplifiers, generators, oscilloscopes, chip programmer and multimeters
Two Metcal solder suckers/repair station
Manga-site television for inspection-electrostatic discharge safe (ESD)

The pick and place machine comes with 96 feeders, 30" x 50" work area and provides a technologically advanced PCB assembling system. Stolar’s Model LS 40 machine accurately places a wide range of SMT components including 0201s, LEDs, BGAs, 15 mil pitch QFPs and numerous others at a maximum placement rate of 3,600 components per hour and ± 0.001" accuracy.	APS Novastar (Model LS 40) Automatic Pick and Place Machine
The APS Novastar (Model MPP-21) manual pick and place machine is equipped with a camera, detachable TV monitor and 40 movable ESD safe component bins. This system ensures precise X,Y,Z and theta axis controls for accurate, consistent manual pick and placement of a wide range of SMT components. With its maximum placement rate of 400 components per hour, this system greatly increases efficiency during hand assembly operations.	Once a printed circuit board has been populated in the pick and place machine, it is then placed through the reflow oven for the final soldering process. Stolar’s APS Novastar (Model GF-12HT) bench top reflow oven uses forced air, horizontal convection heating technology, which ensures component thermal uniformity. It is equipped with a 100-menu profile storage.
APS Novastar (Model SPR-25) manual stencil printer offers fine X,Y,Z and theta adjustments for exact stencil-to-PCB alignment resulting in precise, fine pitch solder paste print. The manual dual squeegee provides a clean and convenient application of solder paste during printing.	Reflow Oven

Testing Capabilities

As designs mature, testing is conducted at each stage of the process. All testing takes place at the Stolar laboratory. The company has the unique ability to design, manufacture, in-lab test, and eventually field-test all products. The facility has a comprehensive testing laboratory with equipment functional in frequency ranges of 0 to 4 GHz and capable of accurate measurements down to 160 dB. All equipment is on an annual calibration cycle, and is not considered operational unless within approved calibration limits. Available equipment includes:

Oscilloscopes
Mainframe oscilloscopes
Function/arbitrary waveform generators
Dual output dc power supplies
Signal generators
Spectrum analyzers
Network/spectrum analyzers
S-parameter test sets
Two-channel digitizing oscilloscopes
LF impedance analyzers
S-parameter network analyzers
Digital storage oscilloscopes
RF impedance analyzers
Environmental and shock testing equipment
Vibration machine, 1,500 lbf with 1-inch displacement
Sine and random vibration controllers with frequency range of 20 Hz - 2,000 Hz
4 kW amplifier

Vibration Machine	Varipulse VP-35 Shock Tester
AGREE Environmental Chamber -75ºC to 175ºC