...a new testing facility that houses a custom-made hexapod motion simulator. Construction on the facility began in 2010 and was completed in 2011, creating a dedicated space for advanced motion testing with a clear view of critical satellites. The new building is adjacent to KVH’s world headquarters in Middletown, Rhode Island, and supports all TracPhone and TracVision products. The facility allows KVH to advance its industry-leading quality assurance program, providing outstanding products for marine, RV, and automobile customers. The satellite observatory is equipped with a custom-designed, curved wall of windows with a perfect view of the satellites that provide TV and communications signals to KVH antennas. The facility has a cantilever roof, which uses a beam anchored at only one end of the structure. This single-beam support ensures that the arced windows on the opposite wall have no corner columns or other obstructions. KVH also used polycarbonate windows, ensuring clear satellite signals. Standard glass windows contain traces of lead, which can interfere with these signals, so KVH opted to use translucent polycarbonate instead to more accurately replicate the outdoor conditions in which fielded systems operate.
The new hexapod, or Stewart Platform, used inside the facility was built for KVH by Mikrolar, a New Hampshire company that designs and produces high precision positioning systems. KVH’s ultra reliable, state-of-the-art products are routinely subjected to testing procedures, such as vibration, humidity, and motion simulation tests, and the new hexapod allows even greater flexibility for these operations. This high-tech approach to testing ensures industry-leading quality and reliability for KVH customers.
While under development, all of KVH’s TracPhone and TracVision products undergo meticulous motion simulation tests in the new satellite observatory, including the new, 1-meter TracPhone V11 and TracVision HD11. The design and location of the testing facility allows KVH engineers to easily perform regular, rigorous testing, supporting the company’s commitment to providing top-of-the-line products to people on the go around the globe. In-motion satellite TV and communications customers can rest assured that KVH is dedicated to providing products that are designed and tested for maximum performance.