System Engineering

ND SatCom provides a wide range of system engineering and system integration capabilities.

By always focusing on the customers' requirements, we aim for the best selection and combination of components that will be integrated into the final customized system.

Beginning with the Architectural Design Phase, followed by the Detailed Design Phase, System Engineering delves into the step-by-step details in close alignment with the customer. Each of these two design phases are completed with the respective quality milestones: PDR (Preliminary Design Review) and CDR (Critical Design Review).

System Engineering

Overall System Design

Engineering Tasks

For your project a Prime System Engineer will lead the overall system design and be supported by a dedicated team of engineers, each responsible for specific tasks and each cognizant of how design elements fit within the whole system.

Network Design

In designing satellite communication networks, ND SatCom aims for maximum network efficiency to cover customers' individual traffic profiles.

  • Traffic analysis
  • Link requirements / link budget
  • IP scheme
  • Frame relay
  • QoS / circuits
  • Switching / routing

Radio Frequency (RF) Design

The RF part of ground stations - such as HUB-stations, TV-uplinks, SNG vehicles, anchor stations or transportable stations - can be customized by ND SatCom to clients' needs.

  • Link analysis: EIRP, G/T
  • Redundancy concept
  • Proper selection of antenna, HPAs, up-converters and LNAs, down-converters or LNBs, based on link requirements
  • Waveguide design
  • Installation supervision
  • Testing: Pattern, X-Pol, amplitude frequency response, intermodulation, phase noise, amplitude and frequency stability
  • Acceptance by the satellite operator

Baseband Design

The Baseband Design covers all kinds of non-modulated signal formats. The required devices are selected in close cooperation with the customer.

  • Audio/video subsystems
  • DVB subsystems

The audio/video subsystems, in particular, often require a significant amount of cabling and workflow-optimized positioning of the devices. These aspects directly interface with both Mechanical and Cabling Design of the overall system.

Mechanical Design

The detailed mechanical set-up of a ground station covers mainly the following design aspects:

  • shelter, coach building for vehicles or trailers
    • environment (air-con, heating, sand, dust, etc.)
    • space
    • weight
    • power
  • equipment racks
  • waveguide runs & switching

This design process makes use of INVENTOR Professional 2015 and AUTODESK VAULT Basic 2015.

Cabling Design

System cabling covers all wiring aspects of a design project, from electrical power to RF cabling.

  • Detailed cabling plan, build documentation
  • Rack layouts
  • Wiring schemes
  • Cable runs
  • Detailed design for system-specific electrical power distribution, including:
    • UPS
    • power regulator
    • power generator
    • transformer
    • test procedures
    • commissioning
    • electrical safety according to DGUV-3 (former BGVA3)