What are the characteristics of self-locking tuning screws installed on communication equipment?
Core characteristics of self-locking tuning screw installed on communication equipment
As the key precision fastener of communication equipment (such as base station equipment, radio frequency antenna, optical module, router, etc.), the self-locking tuning screw's installation characteristics accurately match the use requirements of communication equipment "high-frequency vibration, precise tuning, long-term stability and compact layout", which has obvious advantages in fixed reliability, tuning accuracy and environmental adaptability. The specific characteristics are as follows:
1. Self-locking and locking to ensure long-term stable operation of the equipment.
Communication equipment (especially base station antenna and outdoor router) is exposed to high-frequency vibration (such as wind vibration and vehicle passing vibration) and temperature fluctuation environment for a long time, and traditional screws are easy to loosen, resulting in signal deviation, poor contact and other failures. The self-locking tuning screw can generate a continuous and stable locking force after assembly through the self-locking structure such as thread interference, nylon locking ring and friction tooth pattern, and the loosening torque is more than or equal to 80% of the locking torque, which can resist the high-frequency vibration of 10-50Hz and avoid the screw loosening caused by vibration in long-term use. Even in the extreme temperature cycle environment of-40℃~85℃, the self-locking structure can still maintain elastic deformation or friction resistance, ensure that the screws are not loose and the equipment is connected reliably, and reduce the incidence of communication failures.
Second, precise tuning to meet the requirements of precise calibration of signals
The core components of communication equipment, such as RF module and antenna resonant cavity, need to be tuned by screws to achieve accurate calibration of signal frequency and phase (the accuracy requires ±0.01mm). The rod and thread of the self-locking tuning screw are precisely machined (the tolerance of the middle diameter is 6H/6g) and matched with the fine thread design (such as M1×0.2 and M2×0.3). When tuning, the feed can be accurately controlled at 0.001mm/step, which can realize the slight adjustment of signal parameters and ensure the signal frequency of communication equipment to be stable in the preset range (such as the 3.5GHz band of 5G base station). At the same time, the self-locking structure can lock the position immediately after tuning in place, and there is no back-off deviation phenomenon, which ensures that the tuning parameters remain unchanged for a long time and avoids the influence of signal drift on communication quality.
3. Convenient installation and compact layout of adapter materials.
The internal structure of communication equipment is highly integrated, the layout of parts is compact, and the installation space is narrow (the gap between some installation positions is ≤5mm), and most of them are batch assembly scenes. The self-locking tuning screw is small in size (head diameter ≤3mm, length ≤10mm), suitable for miniature installation space, and can be quickly installed by tools such as electric screwdriver and torque wrench, without additional accessories such as check washer and cotter pin, thus simplifying the assembly process. Some models adopt universal head design such as cross groove and hexagon socket, which has strong compatibility of installation tools, and the installation time of a single screw is less than or equal to 10 seconds, which meets the efficiency requirements of large-scale production of communication equipment; At the same time, self-locking can be realized only by reaching the preset locking torque (0.5-2 nm) without over-tightening during installation, so as to avoid deformation of the equipment shell and damage of internal components due to excessive force.
Four, materials and surface treatment to meet the needs of communication environment
Communication equipment covers a variety of indoor and outdoor use scenarios, and the requirements for anti-corrosion, conductivity and lightweight of screws are strict:
The screws used for outdoor communication equipment (such as base station antenna and outdoor optical junction box) are mostly made of 316 stainless steel and titanium alloy, and the surface is galvanized (colored zinc and black zinc) or passivated, and the salt spray test is more than or equal to 96 hours, which can resist outdoor environmental erosion such as wind and rain, ultraviolet rays and industrial corrosion, and prolong the service life of the equipment;
Screws for indoor precision communication equipment (such as optical modules and routers) are usually made of phosphor bronze and silver/gold plating, and the coating thickness is 1-3μm, which not only has good electrical conductivity, but also can reduce contact resistance and prevent electrochemical corrosion.
For equipment with outstanding lightweight requirements (such as UAV communication module), self-locking tuning screws made of aluminum alloy can be selected, which are 30%-50% lighter than traditional stainless steel screws and are suitable for lightweight design of equipment.
5. Strong compatibility and adaptability to various installation scenarios.
Installation structure adaptation: it can adapt to various scenarios such as threaded hole installation, through hole fixing and cavity sealing of communication equipment. Some models support blind hole installation, can be used in narrow spaces that cannot be fastened from the other side, and adapt to closed structures such as antenna resonant cavity and RF module housing;
Compatibility with equipment material: the screw material has strong compatibility with aluminum alloy shell, plastic shell, metal cavity and other substrates of communication equipment, and will not produce electrochemical corrosion (for example, when stainless steel screws are matched with aluminum alloy substrate, the surface is nickel-plated for isolation), so as to avoid damaging the equipment body;
Function expansion and adaptation: part of the self-locking tuning screw integrates sealing function (with O-ring groove at the head), which can be waterproof and dustproof (IP65 grade) after installation, so as to meet the sealing requirements of outdoor communication equipment; You can also adjust the shape of the head (such as flat round head and countersunk head) to avoid the protruding surface from interfering with the heat dissipation or signal transmission of the equipment.
Six, low damage installation, protection equipment precision structure
The interior of communication equipment is mostly precision components (such as chips, circuit boards and resonators), so mechanical damage should be avoided during installation. The head of the self-locking tuning screw is designed with rounded corners (without acute angles), so that the surface of the equipment or internal lines will not be scratched during installation; Smooth thread processing (surface roughness Ra≤0.8μm), low friction when screwing in, and no damage to the threaded hole of the equipment; At the same time, the locking force of the self-locking structure is uniform, and there is no local stress concentration, which avoids the deformation of the equipment shell and the dislocation of the internal cavity caused by the fastening of screws, and ensures that the precise structure of communication equipment is not damaged.
To sum up, the self-locking tuning screw, with its core characteristics of "self-locking and anti-loosening, precise tuning, convenient installation and environmental adaptation", perfectly matches the use requirements of communication equipment, which not only ensures the long-term stable operation of the equipment in complex environment, but also improves the assembly efficiency and signal calibration accuracy, and becomes an indispensable key component in the manufacture of communication equipment.
