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.

SPINNER Air Traffic Control Catalog
Download catalog (5 MB)

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.

SPINNER FORJ 1.14 with waveguides and slipring for weather radars

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.

SPINNER 6 channel rotary joint with slip ring and encoder

Defence

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.

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.

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

• air traffic control 
• anti-aircraft
• tracking
• border surveillance
• aircraft on-board
• unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
• ships, submarine

The military demands very much in terms of durability, reliability and low maintanance, and SPINNER rotary joints always meet the expectations without any problems. They do so, although the technical specifications for the products are extremely exacting in the military field. So it has already been the standard requirement for quite some time already to integrate RF rotary joints with optical rotary joints as well as slip rings for power and signal transmission. Since there is a growing trend to relocate the amplifier modules towards the antenna the standard range of features today also includes media lines for air or coolant.

Learn more

Catalogs and Brochures (PDF Download)

• 
  Contactless Data & Power Transmission (3 MB, 8 pages)
• 
  Fiber Optic Rotary Joints (5 MB, 20 pages)
• 
  Data Transmission in Wind Turbines (3 MB, 12 pages)
• 
  Rotary Joints for SPACE Applications (2 MB, 12 pages)
• 
  Swivels for FPSO Applications (2 MB, 6 pages)
• 
  Rotary Joints for Air Traffic Control (5 MB, 60 pages)
• 
  Connectivity Solutions for RF Anechoic Chambers (7 MB, 36 Pages)
• 
  Rotating Solutions 2008-2017 (9.7 MB, 116 pages)
• 
  Rotating Solutions for Camera Applications (2 MB, 4 pages)