iXMotion, a French supplier of mechanical, electronic and software engineering and systems and a manufacturer of motion simulators, is here at Farnborough (Hall 1 Stand A15) exhibiting its range of antenna station platforms, also known as positioners. The company began delivering the platforms two years ago and currently is completing several contracts. Positioners are one of several applications for iXMotion’s expertise in motion simulators, which are used to test gyroscopes and accelerometers.

“Our skills are in precision motion,” sales vice president Bertrand Laubie told AIN. A positioner is a pedestal that holds an antenna or an optical device in place with great precision so it can be aimed at a radio or video transmitter. To achieve this, iXMotion supplies the positioner with its embedded control unit, including gyrostabilization and tracking.

Platforms can be provided with one-, two- or three-axis for various military, civil and space applications. iXMotion’s customers for positioners include the French ministry of defense and EADS subsidiary Cilas.

So far, iXMotion’s activities in inertial component testing have focused on motion simulators through which it has developed capabilities in automatics, mechanics and software. Inertial component manufacturers Thales, Sagem, Northrop Grumman and Honeywell are all iXMotion customers.

Exports account for over 60 percent of iXMotion’s revenues. “But we need the French authorities to give the necessary authorizations for us to access foreign military markets,” Laubie said.

According to Laubie, iXMotion, which has been in business for 30 years, has had no sudden upturn or downturn in its business “because we are in long cycles,” he said.
Despite the fact that some customers have suffered during the continuing economic downturn, Laubie said the company expects its overall volume of business to remain fairly steady this year and next.