en.Wedoany.com Reported - Smiths Interconnect has received an additional £340,000 in funding from the UK Space Agency's Space Cluster Infrastructure Fund (SCIF) to enhance its rapidly expanding CAD-to-FAB (Computer-Aided Design to Manufacturing) prototyping and digital manufacturing capabilities at its fiber optic and radio frequency components facility in Dundee. This funding follows a previous grant awarded by the UK Space Agency in November 2023.

Smiths Interconnect, a Molex company, primarily provides technologically differentiated electronic components, subsystems, microwave, optical, and RF products. Its CAD-to-FAB model enables the conversion of custom designs into space-qualified hardware within a single facility, supporting the entire passive RF product portfolio, including isolators, circulators, filters, couplers, hybrids, and multifunctional assemblies, covering key frequency bands such as C-band and X-band, with operations ranging from prototyping to large-scale production for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) projects.

The latest SCIF grant will be used to install additional manufacturing equipment, increase production capacity, unlock product development in higher frequency bands such as Q, V, and E bands, while supporting production needs across all other frequency bands, and extending capabilities to advanced materials and more complex filter architectures. These improvements reduce lead times and development risks by supporting faster prototyping, testing, and iteration, while also lowering non-recurring engineering costs.

Tullio Panarello, General Manager and Vice President of Fiber Optic and RF Components, stated that since its launch, the CAD-to-FAB lab has delivered exceptional value to customers and reached full capacity in record time. The further funding from SCIF solidifies Smiths Interconnect's position at the forefront of UK space technology, enhancing capabilities, driving innovation, and enabling the next generation of high-performance space hardware.

UK Space Minister Liz Lloyd added that Smiths Interconnect represents the highest level of British innovation, and the UK government continues to provide support through investment. Its Dundee facility is already producing world-class components for some of the most ambitious space missions, and this funding will help it further expand, creating technical jobs and strengthening the UK's reputation as a global leader in space technology.