EMCORE Corporation has released the TAC-440 MEMS inertial measurement unit (IMU). The TAC-440 IMU is designed for demanding, mission-critical, rugged environments in a wide variety of defense, commercial, industrial and marine applications.
The TAC-440 features 1°/hr gyro bias and 1 mg accelerometer bias stability with very low 0.05°/√hr angle random walk over a wide temperature range. The solid-state quartz sensors and hermetically sealed IMU construction provide reliable MTBF and storage life, EMCORE states.
The TAC-440 supports four data message synchronization methods with either input synchronization pulse capability or an output time of validity capability. The user can choose whether the synchronization pulse is internally generated and output as a time of validity of the output data or whether the TAC-440 software will identify the synchronization pulse input and synchronize the output data to the input pulse.
Emcore Corporation has launched the EN-2000 to the Emcore-Orion series of micro-inertial navigation (MINAV) systems.
The new EN-2000 will represent the pinnacle of performance in Emcore navigation systems, and realizes the company’s vision of a closed-loop, solid-state design that will deliver higher performance at lower cost than traditional RLG (ring laser gyroscope) navigation systems.
The EN-2000 expands Emcore’s navigation systems line that also includes the EN-1000 introduced in 2017. The Emcore-Orion series of inertial navigation system (INS) are designed for use in a broad range of defense, aviation and aeronautics applications.
The unit was introduced at the Paris Air Show, held June 17-20 at the Parc des Expositions Paris-le Bourget in Hall 6, Stand #C65.
Today, there is an ever-increasing premium being placed on modern navigation systems for improved size, weight and power (SWaP). Traditional RLG navigation systems placed a premium on accuracy and performance, but not SWaP. Typical RLG and FOG systems are large and heavy, ranging in volume from 330 in3 to 540 in3, weighing 13 to 22 pounds with power requirements of 25 to 38 watts.
Many modern weapon systems are now remotely operated, unmanned or man-portable and may need to operate where GPS is unavailable or denied. The compact EN-2000 is designed for these applications. It puts a premium on accuracy and performance, but also on smaller size, less weight and lower power consumption.
The new Emcore-Orion EN-2000 MINAV is a three-axis design using the company’s proprietary, next-generation solid-state optical transceiver with advanced integrated optics, combined with all new field programmable gate array (FPGA) electronics to deliver stand-alone aircraft-grade navigator performance at one-third the SWaP of legacy or competing systems.
The EN-2000 model comes in two standard versions, an IMU version and a standalone INS configuration. The INS version can gyrocompass to less than 0.7 milliradians and maintain near-GPS-level positional accuracy without the use of a GPS receiver. This makes it suitable for use in GPS-denied environments.
To provide customers with additional flexibility, the unit is also capable of being aided by an external GPS for applications where needed.
The Emcore-Orion EN-2000 is compact and lightweight, weighing less than 7 pounds, with very low power consumption of 10 watts. It can deliver twice the performance of the EN-1000 with the same form factor.
The low SWaP of the EN-2000 makes it a suitable inertial navigation system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), manned aircraft, rotorcraft and dismounted soldier applications.
“With the introduction of the EN-2000, Emcore can now offer class-leading performance at a fraction of the size, weight and power of competing systems with increased reliability,” said David Faulkner, Emcore vice president and general manager of aerospace and defense. “Emcore’s goal of a true full navigation system that can replace older technology navigation systems in UAVs, UUVs, UGVs, manned aircraft and rotorcraft is fully realized with the introduction of the EN-2000.”
“Our Emcore-Orion series micro navigators improve dramatically on the size and cost of navigation and azimuth sensing equipment by utilizing affordable lightweight sensors that reduce overall system weight and increase accuracy,” added K.K. Wong, Sr., director of fiber optic gyro products for Emcore. “The digital interface is also fully programmable at Emcore’s factory enabling it to directly replace competing units.”
Emcore Corporation, a provider of advanced mixed-signal optics products that provide the foundation for defense systems, has acquired Systron Donner Inertial, Inc. (SDI) from Resilience Capital Partners for approximately $25.8 million. Consideration will be in the form of $22.8 million in cash plus 810,698 shares of Emcore common stock.
Highlights of the transaction are as follows:
Expected to increase the navigation systems products to over one third of Emcore’s total revenue; making the aerospace and defense market Emcore’s largest revenue source.
Expands Emcore’s navigation systems product portfolio and accelerates growth through the contribution of substantial additional revenue, which in the unaudited books and records of SDI, totaled approximately $28 million for the 12 months ended March 31, 2019.
Adds additional Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Boeing 777X programs to Emcore’s existing navigation systems portfolio.
Expected to create material operating synergies in manufacturing, sales and engineering.
Expected to be non-GAAP EPS accretive by the end of calendar 2019
Emcore intends to add SDI’s business to its current navigation product line and support these products from facilities in Concord, California. Through the transaction, Emcore has acquired all of the outstanding assets and liabilities of SDI, including SDI’s 100,000 square foot production facility in Concord.
“This acquisition delivers immediate scale to our growing navigation systems product line and positions Emcore as one of the largest independent inertial navigation providers in the industry,” said Jeff Rittichier, president and CEO of Emcore. “Merging Emcore’s existing navigation systems product line with SDI’s strong brand, technology and backlog, and program wins, instantly creates a stable, growing, and technically advanced business well-positioned to disrupt market norms.
“SDI provides Emcore with a scalable, chip-based platform for higher volume gyro applications, while delivering superior performance compared to its competitors. Combining this business into Emcore will allow us to provide customers with a full product suite that serves a broad range of requirements across both the tactical and navigation grade segments of the market,” concluded Rittichier.
Emcore also announced the appointment of Bruce Grooms to its board of directors. Grooms has extensive senior management and executive experience in both the private sector and the U.S. Navy. From 2015 until June 1, 2019, Grooms served as Raytheon’s vice president of U.S. Business Development, Navy and Marine Corps Programs, where he was responsible for identifying and pursuing U.S. Navy and Marine Corps business growth opportunities for Raytheon and was one of its primary contacts with Navy customers, pursuing opportunities in the evolving cyber area, undersea growth and next-generation strike weapons.
