At EuMW 2026, everything RF met with Paul Cole, Director of Business Development at X-Microwave, who demonstrated the company’s modular approach to RF and microwave design. X-Microwave highlighted its ecosystem of more than 8,000 modular RF building blocks, prototype station technology, solderless interconnect solutions, reusable RF probes, and Integrated Microwave Assembly (IMA) services. European Microwave Week (EuMW) 2026 was held from 4-9 October in London. This is Europe’s premier event that brings together companies developing the technologies, components, and tools shaping next-generation high-frequency systems.
X-MWblocks Modular RF Building Blocks
The foundation of the X-Microwave platform is its library of over 8,000 X-MWblocks, modular RF and microwave building blocks that incorporate components from manufacturers including Analog Devices, Mini-Circuits, Marki Microwave, MACOM, and others. The portfolio spans amplifiers, multipliers, dividers, mixers, filters, couplers, transmission lines, and many other RF functions. Each block is designed around a standardized mechanical and RF interface, allowing engineers to mix components from different manufacturers and quickly assemble signal chains without creating a custom PCB. This modular approach enables rapid evaluation of individual devices, subsystem architectures, or complete RF systems while reducing design risk and shortening development cycles. Click here to learn more about X-MWblocks.
Prototype Station and Solderless Interconnect Technology
A key part of the platform is the X-Microwave Protoplate, which allows X-MWblocks to be assembled and evaluated using a solderless interconnect system. Components are connected using ground-signal-ground (GSG) jumpers and anchor hardware, making it possible to build, modify, and optimize RF circuits without soldering. Because every X-MWblock follows common input and output geometries, engineers can quickly replace components, compare devices, or reconfigure signal paths during development. The platform supports testing of individual components, cascaded circuit sections, or complete systems on the same prototype environment. Click here to learn more about the Prototype Station.
X-MWprobes
X-Microwave’s X-MWprobe technology provides a reusable method for evaluating individual RF modules directly on the prototype platform. Since the blocks share common interfaces and layouts, the same probes can be used across multiple designs and projects, simplifying characterization and performance verification during development. Combined with the solderless interconnect architecture, the probes allow engineers to repeatedly test, swap, and evaluate RF building blocks without redesigning supporting hardware, helping accelerate both design validation and troubleshooting. Click here to learn more about the X-MW probes.
Integrated Microwave Assemblies (IMAs)
Once a circuit has been validated on the modular platform, it can be transitioned into an Integrated Microwave Assembly (IMA). X-Microwave’s IMA service enables designs created with X-MWblocks to be consolidated into standard or custom housings and optimized for production deployment. The company supports design integration, assembly, and testing, while also offering the ability to miniaturize multiple modular blocks into a more compact implementation. For higher-volume applications, validated designs can be further integrated into a single PCB, allowing manufacturers to leverage proven circuit elements while reducing development risk and time to market. Click here to learn more about the IMA solutions from X-Microwave.
At EuMW 2026, X-Microwave demonstrated how modular design methodologies can simplify RF and microwave development. Rather than requiring engineers to move directly into custom hardware design, the platform enables circuits to be assembled, tested, optimized, and ultimately integrated into production systems using the same underlying architecture, helping reduce both development time and design risk.
The technologies showcased by X-Microwave demonstrate a development workflow that bridges the gap between RF component evaluation and production-ready hardware. By combining modular RF building blocks, solderless prototyping, reusable test infrastructure, and production integration services, the platform allows engineers to rapidly explore design concepts, validate performance, and transition successful designs into deployable systems.
European Microwave Week 2026 showcased the latest developments in wireless communications, aerospace and defense, radar, satellite technology, semiconductors, antennas, and test and measurement solutions. From advanced RF components and design platforms to next-generation mmWave and terahertz technologies, the event highlighted many of the innovations shaping the future of high-frequency engineering. To discover more technologies, product launches, and demonstrations from across the exhibition floor, click here to view everything RF’s complete EuMW 2026 coverage.
Click here to learn more about X-Microwave and its RF solutions.