To test the efficacy of the antenna I worked on in the ferrite machining project, I constructed this simple translation stage with built in measuring ticks. Essentially, the transmitter was fixed in between two walls, while the reciever was mounted on the translation piece. For the first iteration of this project, I tried using a dovetail method. Keep in mind this was one of my very first projects during my first co-op, so in hindsight I can see how that was a bad idea. I didn't let it get past the CAD stage. Anyhow, heres a picture of the very first design I thought of.
So before moving on with this design, I came up with a new one that harnessed a simple lead screw linear action. Eventually I started doing testing on biological tissue with one of the elctrical engineers. We discovered through using a thermal camera, that the lead screw and bold I was using were heating up due to transmission power through the antenna. To solve this I ordered the same threaded rod but made in plastic, and same for the c-clamps and hardware. We conducted the tests again and they didn't head up at all after.
So before moving on with this design, I came up with a new one that harnessed a simple lead screw linear action. Eventually I started doing testing on biological tissue with one of the elctrical engineers. We discovered through using a thermal camera, that the lead screw and bold I was using were heating up due to transmission power through the antenna. To solve this I ordered the same threaded rod but made in plastic, and same for the c-clamps and hardware. We conducted the tests again and they didn't head up at all after. I had to block out the actual transmitter and receiver since they are proprietary design. The image on the left has the metal hardware with some whiteout painted on it to reduce the amount of thermal radiation it absorbed. The version on the right has all plastic hardware and didn't experience any heating from the transmission testing.
Below is some bonus content, on the left showing ex-vivo testing on biological tissue, and on the right is just a video of the stage curing in the UV chamber.
