Overview

Developing automated test equipment for RF and microwave products requires careful tradeoffs between performance, flexibility, cost, development time, and internal engineering resources. This white paper examines three approaches to building a switching and signal-routing subsystem: COTS PXI modular switching, flexible LXI switch platforms, and turnkey LXI solutions.

Readers will learn where each architecture is most effective, how external cabling and system configuration can affect signal integrity and repeatability, and when outsourcing may provide a more scalable and lower-risk alternative to an in-house build. The paper also explores how Pickering’s Microwave Switch Design Tool supports modeling, simulation, performance optimization, and faster system development.

Download the white paper to determine which RF and microwave test strategy best fits your technical requirements, available resources, and long-term production needs.