Develops and manufactures ferrite-based microwave components such as circulators, isolators, loads and subsystems for the highest power levels.
AFT microwave GmbH
Backnang (DE)New on Amplifa
About AFT microwave
AFT microwave GmbH is a mid-sized technology company based in Backnang in the Stuttgart region, specializing in high-power microwave technology. The portfolio includes ferrite-based low-loss circulators and isolators, ferrite loads and absorbers, phase shifters and Fast Ferrite Tuners, passive components, custom assemblies and subsystems as well as electronic devices such as ARC detectors, TCU and AFC modules. A core competence is the in-house ferrite ceramics production: from proprietary formulations for garnets and spinels, through milling and mixing of metal oxide powders and rare earths, pressing and sintering at over 1200 °C, to the grinding of the sintered bodies to tightly toleranced final dimensions, the entire production takes place in-house. Products are manufactured in waveguide, coaxial, microstrip, drop-in and SMD technology; housings are made from aluminium, stainless steel and copper, and thin-film microwave circuits with gold plating are also produced. Customers come from science (particle accelerators, fusion research), medical technology (cancer radiation therapy), industry (LINAC, microwave heating, plasma, semiconductors) as well as aerospace; around 90 % of the double-digit million revenue is generated abroad. About 50 employees work at the 5,000 m² Backnang site, complemented by service, simulation and engineering through to series production.
- Site
- Backnang
- Processes
- Ferrite ceramics production (milling and mixing of metal oxide powders, pressing, sintering), Grinding of ferrite sintered bodies to tightly toleranced final dimensions, Thin-film microwave circuit fabrication (thin-film processing), Hybrid circuit and module manufacturing, Manufacture of circulators, isolators and loads (waveguide, coaxial, microstrip, drop-in, Simulation, engineering for custom solutions (multi-physics simulation with CST,, Physical measurements, test benches, metrology (network analyzer measurements, water leak tests,, Commissioning, inspection, maintenance and repair of microwave systems
- Materials
- Ferrites (garnets, low-loss RG LL / temperature-stabilized RG TC), Ferrites (spinels, RF), Metal oxide powders, Rare earths, Aluminium (body material), Stainless steel, Copper, Fused silica (water load)
- Certificates
- DIN EN ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1993
- Employees
- 50
- Industries
- Science (particle accelerators, fusion research), Medical technology (cancer radiation therapy/LINAC), Industry (LINAC: cargo scanning, non-destructive material testing,, Industry (microwave heating/drying, plasma, CVD, semiconductors, hydrogen), Aerospace (radar, satellite communications)
- 01
Consulting and studies
- 02
Simulation and engineering (multi-physics simulation, CST)
- 03
Ferrite ceramics production (milling, mixing, pressing, sintering)
- 04
Grinding of ferrite sintered bodies to final dimensions
- 05
Thin-film microwave circuit fabrication
- 06
Assembly of hybrid circuits, circulators, isolators and loads
- 07
Physical measurements and testing
- 08
Commissioning, inspection, maintenance, repair (worldwide)
Materials and Processes
Ferrite garnet, low-loss
Low-loss garnet materials from in-house formulations for high-power circulators and loads.
Ferrite garnet, temperature-stabilized
Temperature-stabilized garnets for operation under fluctuating thermal conditions.
Ferrite spinels
Spinel materials for a broad spectrum of applications and operating frequencies.
Metal oxide powders and rare earths
Raw materials for ceramic ferrite production including pressing and sintering at over 1200 °C.
Aluminium
Body material for circulator and isolator housings.
Stainless steel
Material for housings and parts of microwave components.
Copper
Material for microwave components requiring high conductivity.
Fused silica
Material for water loads in the loads and absorbers range.
Gold (thin film)
Plating used in thin-film microwave circuit fabrication.
Sites
Backnang
DEHeadquarters, development and production
- Lot size
- Prototypes to series production; up to 20,000 units/year for thin-film circuits
- Materials
- Ferrites (garnets, spinels), aluminium, stainless steel, copper, fused silica, gold
- Ceramic production line (milling and mixing systems, presses, sintering furnaces >1200 °C)
- Grinding tools for ferrite sintered bodies
- Thin-film processing
- Network analyzer measurement stations and test benches
- Leak testing (water, helium gas)
- CST simulation environment, 3D CAD
Components and Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrite ceramics production (milling and mixing of metal oxide powders, pressing, sintering)Ceramics | – | – | – | – | Ferrites (garnets), Ferrites (spinels), Metal oxide powders, Rare earths |
| Grinding of ferrite sintered bodies to tightly toleranced final dimensionsMachining | tightly toleranced final dimensions | – | – | – | Ferrites (garnets), Ferrites (spinels) |
| Thin-film microwave circuit fabrication (thin-film processing)Surface treatment | Laser trimming of resistance to ±1% tolerance | – | – | 20,000 units/year | Ferrites, Thin-film substrates, Gold |
| Hybrid circuit and module manufacturingAssembly | – | – | – | – | Ferrites |
| Manufacture of circulators, isolators and loads (waveguide, coaxial, microstrip, drop-inAssembly | – | – | – | Prototypes – Series production | Ferrites, Aluminium, Stainless steel, Copper, Fused silica |
| Simulation, engineering for custom solutions (multi-physics simulation with CST,Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Physical measurements, test benches, metrology (network analyzer measurements, water leak tests,Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Commissioning, inspection, maintenance and repair of microwave systemsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Quality
AFT microwave has been certified to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 for many decades. All products undergo a comprehensive inspection program for critical parts, including measurement of all decisive material parameters of the ferrites as well as network analyzer measurements, water leak tests, helium gas leak tests and environmental/MIL tests.
| Evidence | Backnang |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1955
In-house ferrite development and production as part of AEG-Telefunken
- 1969
Development of the first high-power circulator for DESY, Hamburg; since then over 1,000 circulators and loads for scientific customers
- 1980er
Company division of ANT/Bosch
- 1993
Management buy-out and founding of Advanced Ferrite Technology GmbH in Backnang
- 2005
Renaming to AFT microwave GmbH; 100 % owned by Müller Investment Group