• CN: 11-2187/TH
  • ISSN: 0577-6686

Journal of Mechanical Engineering ›› 2026, Vol. 62 ›› Issue (11): 342-352.doi: 10.3901/JME.260599

Previous Articles    

An Electromagnetic Performance Weighted Tension Design Method of Cable Network for Mesh Reflectors

ZHANG Shuxin1, KOU Danyang1, ZHANG Shunji1, CHEN Xiaofeng2   

  1. 1. National Key Laboratory of Integrated Electro-mechanical Manufacturing of High-performance Electronic Equipment, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071;
    2. National Key Laboratory of Aerospace Mechanism, Shanghai Institute of Aerospace System Engineering, Shanghai 201109
  • Received:2024-12-24 Revised:2025-09-05 Published:2026-07-29

Abstract: Tension design of cable network is the key point for mesh reflectors to realize the high surface accuracy and electromagnetic performance. Different from the traditional uniform tension design method, an electromagnetic performance weighted tension design method is proposed. The main innovation lies in the transformation from the objective function of traditional uniform tension distribution to the tension design based on the electromagnetic distribution, namely, the strong tensions appear in the position with high electromagnetic performance requirement. By introducing the aperture field amplitude distribution function defined in electromagnetic design as the tension distribution basis for the tie cables, an optimization model is established with the electromagnetic performance weighted tension design method. Furthermore, both the tension amplitude exerted on the truss and the mean value of electromagnetic performance with structural random errors are chosen as the evaluation functions from both the mechanical and electromagnetic viewpoints. An offset cable mesh reflector is selected in the example, and the results show that, compared with the traditional uniform tension design method and under the same average tie cable tensions, the proposed method can provide a better mechanical and electromagnetic performance.

Key words: mesh reflectors, tension design, electromagnetic performance, weighted, gain

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