Although it looks just like any undistinguished box arriving and leaving TK, this box contain the last of the three Quasi-Optical Networks design, built tested by TK for Eumetsat Metop-SG Microwave Sounder (MWS). A good six years work..... Delivered to AIRBUS D&S in Portsmouth, it will form the center of the FM3 version of MWS. Around it are just a few of the people who helped build it: Parts of the QON are gold plated, but is value is actually significantly higher than its total weight in gold.
The VDI/TK collaboration - some 7 years since Mt Rainier - took Jeffrey Hesler and Lucy and Richard Wylde in May 2022 onto the Mulanje Massive in the south of Malawi - and to climb Sapitwa - at 3002 M (Though some maps have 2998 M) .... Quite a tough climb for Richard over Granite Slab - an new experience, and with the wrong boots on... Left to right: David Foot, Richard & Lucy Wylde and Jeffrey Hesler The area was made famous by Laurens van der Post's 1952 book of the same name
The GrACE G-band 199 GHz Radar, based at the Chilbolton Observatory in southern England - with a QO frontend and antenna designed and built by TK - continues to perform well: Peter Huggard of RAL kind sent us the following image of ice clouds, and commented (The x-scale is time in seconds) "Top of the screen is 8 km, so the returns are from about 4 km to 6.5 km. Not bad for less than 200 mW transmitted power".
TK has shipped two small 170 GHz antennas to JPL, machined using our new 5 Axis Bostamatic Milling Machine
Surface grinding at Thomas Keating: polarising grid frames Thomas Keating have been at the forefront of surface grinding excellence since our beginnings in 1940. This continues to this day, with our large surface grinding capacity of 800mm x 400mm, servicing the injection mould tool manufacturing sector as well as the grinding of batch parts and the grinding of exotic materials for the space and scientific instruments industries. The following video shows the use of ancillary work holding equipment for the grinding of an Invar grid frame aspart of the manufacture of a polarising grid. ...
Thomas Keating Ltd welcomes Reece Clements to begin his toolmaking apprenticeship. 'An apprentice's first year's training, which uses a training structure that has been in place since 1940 in the manufacture of personal equipment, really does allow that apprentice to appreciate the skills needed when using hand tools through to operating machinery. 'With that comes personal pride in seeing what they have achieved' says Training Supervisor Dave Cox. TK strongly believes in the continuation of strengthening its personnel skill base for the future. 'We are always planning ahead so we are able to recruit an apprentice year on year' says Toolmaking Manager, Simon Duke. ...