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Directory:Andersen MFG Satellite Dish Applied to Solar
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PES Network, Inc. and the New Energy Congress are in process of establishing a business relationship with Andersen MFG.
World Leader in Satellite Dishes Tunes to Solar
In the past twenty years, Andersen Manufacturing has manufactured and installed over a quarter of a million "True Focus" satellite dishes, ranging from small receivers for RVs to 20-foot dishes for deep space intelligence communications (SETI) research. They could also build a 40-foot dish which they would segment for shipment. They have refined the process of rapidly deploying high-accuracy, low-cost parabolic dishes of a wide array of sizes. "No one else even comes close", says Mike Andersen, VP of Business Development.
When they first started producing these dishes, they tried to enter the solar market, but at that time, solar was not as big as it is now, so that initiative fizzled. Hence, they have been focusing on the satellite dish application of their parabolic manufacturing processes. They know how to build and deploy dishes to hold up for decades in nearly any harsh environmental condition. They also have developed two-axis tracking capabilities. Another capability of relevance is their offset reflector with sub-reflector that enables a shadow-less parabolic surface with focal point being down below the dish where it is more accessible.
Now they are coming back to solar and are looking for joint venture partners with receiver technologies that could be paired with their low-cost, high-accuracy, rapid-deploy dishes. With these advantages, Andersen MFG can make Solar even more competitive, both bringing the price down further as well as enabling more rapid roll-out of the technology.
With their 100,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Idaho Falls, they can crank out twenty 20x23-foot dishes per day. Each of these reflectors should give over 76,000 BTU’s of power. With this kind of speed they could build a 36,000-reflector solar farm in two years, building a plant on site to make the dishes; then package up the plant to go to the next installation project.
In short, Andersen MFG is poised to be able to be a major player in helping meet the various renewable energy objectives and goals being encouraged for the planet, both in making renewable energy affordable and in enabling its rapid deployment.
Contents |
Official Websites
Satellite-to-Solar Brochure
- Microwave Satellite Industry to Solar Industry (pdf; 281 kb) - 1-page brochure
Latest Developments
Oct. 2008
Andersen MFG turns to the solar industry to begin applying their parabolic dish technology in that industry.
1983
Andersen MFG gets into satellite dish manufacturing.
Overview
For a couple of decades, Andersen Manufacturing has been a worldwide leader in the manufacturing of high quality satellite antennas. Andersen has been able to achieve this success through the engineering application of their unique and innovative tooling design and "Hydroforming" process. They have continued to develop and refine this process, which allows them to manufacture parabolic antennas that are unparalleled in accuracy.
Hydroforming is a "stretch stress tempered forming process" that work hardens the formed material while shaping it. This process provides a smooth parabolic surface.
Another advantage of the Hydroforming process is repeatability. Andersen can make thousands of antennas, and the last one will be essentially identical to the first. When they make a tool for forming their antennas, it must go through a rigorous certification process. The prototype antennas are then verified with theodolites or photogrammetry to ensure their accuracy. These instruments check for ripples, flat spots, humps and other flaws that degrade an antenna's performance.
Mounting is an other area where Andersen excells, to maintain the integrity of the parabolic shape installed. If the mount distorts the final shape of the dish, then the dish will not perform correctly. Andersen designs each of their antennas and mounts with 3D CAD systems and solids modeling, verifying all aspects of the mount structure to minimize antenna. [1]
After tooling refinements, their largest antennas achieve a surface accuracy of 0.025 RMS or better, while the smaller antennas have an accuracy of 0.015 RMS or better. [2]
Presently-available sizes range from 48 inches (1.2M) to 14 feet (4.2M) in 20 different models. They offer fixed AZ-EL, and Polar Tracking mounts.
Clients
Andersen MFG's customers have ranged from U.S. Military (all branches) to scientific, industrial, commercial, residential, and RV. The name of a few companies include: JPL/NASA, Vertex Tele Communications, Seavey Engineering, VIA Sat.
- Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) - 350 dish array in California financed by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
- Global Communications - Wisconsin
Patents
list here
Profiles
Company: Andersen Manufacturing Inc.
See http://www.anderseninc.com/profile.htm
Andersen Manufacturing has been in the metal fabrication industry for over 30 years. They have years of experience when it comes to working with steel and aluminum. They are well known through out the satellite antenna industry for building the True Focus line of satellite antennas and mounts. Fabrication technology pioneered by Andersen Manufacturing makes the True Focus antennas one of the most accurate line of antennas in the industry.
Primary SIC: Radio & TV Broadcasting & Comm Equip, Primary NAICS: Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing
Description: Manufacturing: Manufactures satellite communications equipment; fabricates pipes and fittings; manufactures plastic fencing accessories
Sister Companies
Other sister companies:
- http://ultrahitch.rpmsolutions.biz - Andersen manufactures various hitch products including the Ranch Hitch Adapter, the Rapid Hitch, the Alumistinger, the AlumiBall, and the HardBall, having been in the custom metal industry for over 30 years.
- http://elitetruck.com - EPI is a Manufacturer and Distributor that sells Wholesale: Trailer Hitches, Truck Accessories and Camping products.
(3.47 Minutes) Andersen Manufacturing Hitch Products
- An overview of the products made by Andersen Manufacturing, Inc. (YouTube; August 29, 2008)
Coverage
In the News
list here
Other Coverage
- Andersen Manufacturing Inc. prifile at Goliath
- Andersen Manufacturing, Inc profile at Portfolio.com
- Andersen Manufacturing prifile at Automotive Outfitters
- Andersen Manufacturing Inc profile at Satellite-Links.co.uk
Recognitions
The Andersen MFG Satellite Dish Applied to Solar was exhibited at the Top 100 Clean Energy Technologies Display at the Environmental Hall of Fame in Chicago, 2008
Comments
See Description page
Contact
Andersen Manufacturing Inc. Contact form "Business inquiries only, please"
Headquarters Location
3125 N Yellowstone Hwy.
Idaho Falls, ID, United States
phone: (208)523-6460, fax: (208)523-6562
email: mandersen@elitetruck.com
See also
GENERAL:
- Directory:Solar - index of resources
- PowerPedia:Solar Energy - Encyclopedic review of history and future
- Videos:Solar
MODALITIES:
- Directory:Concentrated Solar Power
- Directory:Solar:PhotoVoltaics | Directory:Home Generation:Solar PV
- Directory:Home Generation:Solar Heating
- Directory:Thin Film Solar
- Directory:Solar:Photosynthesis Imitation
- Directory:Solar Tower
- Directory:Floating Solar Chimney
- Directory:Space Based Solar Power
- Directory:Solar Sails
INFRASTRUCTURE
- Directory:Plastic Solar Cells
- Directory:Silicon - more efficient uses, alternatives, methods
- Directory:Black Silicon
- Directory:Synchronous Solar Heliostat
- Directory:Solar:Installation and Consultation
- Directory:Solar:Largest
APPLICATIONS:
- Directory:Solar:Chargers
- Directory:Solar:Vehicles
- Directory:Solar Hydrogen
- OS:Solar Ethanol - distiller design
- Directory:Solar Pavement - black-body absorption of the asphalt
