Low Cost Wireless Component Offers Superior Power Handling, Reliability and
Design Flexibility for Base Station and Other Applications
WEST CALDWELL, N.J., June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Merrimac Industries,
Inc. (Amex: MRM) today introduced Multi-Mix Zapper(R) -- its "next generation"
of microwave components specially designed for use as direct drop-in
replacements for conventional surface mount couplers and hybrids used in
virtually all wireless base station designs. The Zapper Z-Series provides
design flexibility that offers 45% higher power handling capability and twice
the reliability of competitive products their size, but at a fraction of the
cost.
The Zapper line of hybrids and couplers is designed for use in wireless
base stations for dividing and combining signals before and after the signals
are amplified and directed to the base station antenna. They also can be used
in all types of combining networks, tower-mounted amplifiers, and many other
defense and commercial applications. The lower insertion loss and improved
heat transfer characteristics allows the amplifier to run more efficiently,
improving the overall reliability of the system.
The benefits of the Zapper line of devices includes:
* RF power handling ability of 325 Watts CW, which is more than 100 Watts
higher than any competitor.
* Better Coefficient of Thermal Conductivity which results in lower
operating temperatures and longer life.
* A Failure In Time (FIT) rating of 0.27, which translates into only
0.27 failures over 1 billion hours of operation -- half the failure
rate of any competitor.
* Insertion loss and phase balance equal to or better than any
competitor.
* Exceptional repeatability thanks to the inherent characteristics of the
Multi-Mix(R) process upon which they are based.
Mason N. Carter, Chairman and CEO commented, "Reliability is a key concern
of every system designer. The Zapper products provide unparalleled reliability
and margin of safety, even when handling high power levels. Zapper is a direct
drop-in replacement for industry standard size components. We provide high
power handling without a cost penalty and without consuming valuable board
space."
Reliability Is Key
The long-term reliability of a component is determined in part by the
temperature at which it operates. A component's case temperature increases
directly with increasing RF power levels, until the component reaches the
point at which it fails. The lower the temperature, the greater its
reliability. In some cases, a decrease of 10 degrees C in case temperature can
double the component's operating life and halve its failure rate. These
devices have very low insertion loss and are able to conservatively handle 325
Watts CW. Zapper reliability can easily handle sudden high peak power levels,
providing a reassuring margin of safety.
The Multi-Mix process employed to fabricate the Zapper components is a
patented technique that produces micro-multifunction modules (MMFM(R)) that
are extremely small, measuring 0.56 wide x 0.35 in. long x 0.075 inches high,
and can be fixed on the circuit board with automated manufacturing equipment.
They are housed in the industry-standard "H" package, and are available in
frequency ranges that cover all major commercial, industrial, and
aerospace/military applications up to 2.3 GHz.
The Zapper quad hybrids and couplers are currently available in production
quantities. For more information visit http://www.merrimacind.com .
About Merrimac
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Merrimac Industries, Inc. is a leader in
the design and manufacture of Multi-Mix PICO(TM) RF Microwave components,
assemblies and micro-multifunction modules (MMFM), serving the wireless
telecommunications industry worldwide with enabling technologies for space,
defense and commercial applications. Merrimac is focused on providing Total
Integrated Packaging Solutions(R) with Multi-Mix(R) Microtechnology, a leading
edge competency providing value to our customers through miniaturization and
integration. The Multi-Mix(R) process for microwave, multilayer integrated
MMFM circuitry is a patented method developed by Merrimac Industries based on
fluoropolymer composite substrates. The fusion bonding of multilayer
structures provides a homogeneous dielectric medium that can integrate both
active and passive functional elements for superior electrical performance at
microwave frequencies. The bonded layers may incorporate embedded
semiconductor devices, MMICs, etched resistors, passive circuit elements and
plated-through via holes to form a three-dimensional subsystem enclosure that
requires no further packaging. Merrimac Industries facilities are registered
under ISO 9000, an internationally developed set of quality criteria for
manufacturing operations.
Merrimac Industries, Inc. and its subsidiary Filtran Microcircuits Inc.,
are located in West Caldwell, NJ, San Jose, Costa Rica, and Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada, and have approximately 240 co-workers dedicated to the design and
manufacture of signal processing components, gold plating of high-frequency
microstrip, bonded stripline and thick metal-backed Teflon (PTFE) micro-
circuitry and subsystems providing Total Integrated Packaging Solutions(R) for
wireless applications. Merrimac (MRM) is listed on the American Stock
Exchange. Multi-Mix(R), Multi-Mix PICO(TM), MMFM(R) and Total Integrated
Packaging Solutions(R) are trademarks of Merrimac Industries, Inc. For more
information about Merrimac Industries, Inc. and Filtran Microcircuits Inc.,
please visit http://www.merrimacind.com and http://www.filtranmicro.com .
This press release contains statements relating to future results of the
Company (including certain projections and business trends) that are "forward-
looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result
of certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include,
but are not limited to: risks associated with demand for and market acceptance
of existing and newly developed products as to which the Company has made
significant investments, particularly its Multi-Mix(R) products; general
economic and industry conditions; slower than anticipated penetration into the
satellite communications, defense and wireless markets; the risk that the
benefits expected from the acquisition of Filtran Microcircuits Inc. are not
realized; the ability to protect proprietary information and technology;
competitive products and pricing pressures; risks relating to governmental
regulatory actions in communications and defense programs; and inventory
risks due to technological innovation and product obsolescence, as well as
other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed
from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the
Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
Contact:
Mason N. Carter, Chairman & CEO
973-575-1300, ext. 1202
mnc@merrimacind.com
SOURCE Merrimac Industries, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.merrimacind.com
http://www.filtranmicro.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/567525.html
CONTACT:
Mason N. Carter, Chairman & CEO, Merrimac
Industries, Inc., +1-973-575-1300, ext. 1202, mnc@merrimacind.com
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