Digital twin for naval satellites
The ARM Hub is helping EM Solutions scale up its manufacturing capabilities to deliver a $150m contract to upgrade the Royal Australian Navy’s satellite communications (SATCOM) systems.
The Client
EM Solutions is a Brisbane-based technology company specialising in the development and manufacturing of advanced microwave and radio frequency (RF) communication systems.
The company manufactures, assembles, installs, and maintains the King Cobra SATCOM terminals for the Royal Australian Navy.
The Challenge
In 2023, EM Solutions won a $150m contract to upgrade the Navy’s SATCOM systems across its existing fleet of vessels.
A King Cobra terminal is a large structure fitted to the top of the ships, designed to work around the clock, in any ocean, and in all weather to enable communication.
It consists of 22, 000 individual components, including hundreds of hand-made cables. The intricate nature of these components has historically presented challenges in manufacturing.
The Solution
EM Solutions approached the ARM Hub to assist with scaling up its manufacturing to meet national and international demand.
The ARM Hub completed a technical assessment and co-design workshop that created a list of options that would lead to improved quality control and increased production speed.
The Outcomes
EM Solutions is subsequently trialling a digital twin of the satellite with the view to reducing testing time (e.g. from one month to one week).
A digital twin is a virtual representation or model of a physical object, system, or process. The model is designed to simulate the real-world counterpart in real-time, allowing for monitoring, analysis, and optimisation.
The digital twin will replace a version that is no longer representative of the satellites.
It also uses open source software and is far more accurate in pinpointing issues.
