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Modified Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS)

Today, more and more companies are turning to off-the-shelf solutions to solve their project's needs. Nowhere is this more evident than with government, specifically systems for military deployment. The mantra these days is COTS. But is the chassis really meeting the needs of the project, or is it simply the best that can be found? Are you forced to settle because of budgetary constraints within the project? This is unfortunately the case in many instances, and often the system specification is re-evaluated and re-aligned with the limitations of the COTS product.

Rave has the ability to objectively assess the suitability of a selected product to the requirements of the project, then evaluate and determine what modifications are necessary to bring the product up to your specification.

In many cases, the packaging may simply not be rugged enough to survive various environmental conditions such as shock or vibration. Rave has a defined set of procedures, employed in a myriad of projects over several years, which have proven invaluable in industrial applications as well as military deployments. These procedures can be applied to virtually any system. If your system requires a level of hardening beyond this, Rave has the ability to fabricate brackets and other structural members to add additional support and stability to the chassis or to the components inside.

Military aircraft, in many instances, usually have two power systems; 60Hz and 400Hz. The 60Hz power system is always maxed out first because power supplies provided in COTS chassis operate within that range. Rave can provide and install power supplies suitable for 400Hz environments. Power supplies that are manufacturer-tested under all load conditions for equivalent performance.

If electromagnetic interference [EMI] is your challenge, Rave can employ many different methods for limiting this hazard. The use of filters, proper grounding, and improving seals where potential emission leakage may occur are just some of the modifications that have proven effective. Rave can also provide formal FCC testing and documentation if that is your requirement.

Structure-borne noise is the primary concern with many military projects, particularly with the U.S. Navy and their submarine fleet. After all, noise equates to detection when stealth is the watchword. Rave has the knowledge and experience in modifying COTS chassis with techniques to isolate and dampen vibration resonance for just this application.

Whether your challenges are shock, vibration, noise, EMI or any other potential hazard, Rave will evaluate your project requirements and determine what is necessary to ensure that the product is compliant to your specification. Let Rave bring innovation and experience to your next COTS project.