Roke launches high-voltage testing facility for medical equipment
3 November 2009
Roke Manor Research Ltd has launched the world’s first
commercial generic high voltage test facility which will help
manufacturers of high-end medical equipment decrease time to market for
new products.
Previously the preserve of government establishments, the Roke High
Voltage Facility will offer an additional option to both public and
private sector organisations that wish to test and commission high
voltage and high power radiofrequency (RF) equipment and make advances
in radiotherapy technologies.
The new service can accommodate radio frequency power and voltage on
a massive scale. It combines high voltage isolation with screening to 18
GHz frequency, whereby most other facilities only allow for testing at
50 Hz or at low voltage.
Alastair Cook, Industrial and Medical Business Sector Manager at Roke,
said: “A major issue for organisations wanting to test high power and
high voltage systems is the availability of facilities and management of
the hazards. Reliance on government or academic services can mean that
an organisation outside that sphere of influence doesn’t get priority
when booking in lab time or full system tests can’t be done.
"This presents a serious dichotomy for organisations that want to
accelerate time to market for their new products, but also need to
conduct complex and often hazardous tests first.
“Our new High Voltage Facility represents the largest single
investment Roke has made in testing for a number of years and we hope
that organisations across the world will recognise the benefit of this
unique and easy to access resource."
The high-end facility will be targeted at R&D specialists designing
systems that require multiple high power amplifiers that have tight
synchronisation demands and signal distribution complexity, have
challenging high-voltage supply arrangements or involve energised
structures subject to extreme voltages. In a controlled and isolated
environment, the powering and test of high voltage power supplies, high
power drivers and transmission lines can be conducted in complete
safety.
The HV facility has two screened chambers, one for the equipment
under test and a second to hold test equipment and power supplies.
Control is performed from a remotely operated and isolated console from
which tests can be controlled and progress viewed via a high resolution
camera link and optically isolated test gear. The primary test chamber
is 4.8m x 4.5m x 4.5m in volume and has double door access that can
allow heavy structures to be manoeuvred into position.
To complement the facility there is a team of trained and competent
personnel to help customers using the service, along with a robust set
of procedures to enable a safe operating environment.
Roke Manor Research Ltd is an independent electronics research and
development centre based in Romsey, Hampshire, UK and wholly owned by
Siemens.