At European Microwave Week (EuMW) 2026, everything RF met with a representative from Microwave Products Group (MPG), who demonstrated the company’s Filter Wizard, a free online RF filter design tool that enables engineers to generate customized filter designs based on their electrical and mechanical requirements. The platform supports the design of various types of RF filters operating across frequencies from 10 MHz to 40 GHz.
Unlike conventional product search platforms that identify existing components from a database, Filter Wizard uses a filter synthesis engine to generate designs that meet or closely match user-defined specifications. During the demonstration, MPG showcased how engineers can enter their performance requirements and generate filter designs complete with electrical performance characteristics, mechanical drawings, connector configuration options, and quotation capabilities, helping simplify the filter selection and design process.
European Microwave Week 2026, held from 4–9 October in London, brought together leading companies, researchers, and engineers from the RF, microwave, millimeter-wave, and radar industries to showcase the latest developments in high-frequency technologies.
Online Filter Wizard for RF and Microwave Filter Design
Microwave Products Group‘s Filter Wizard is accessible through the company’s website and provides an interface for defining RF filter requirements. Engineers can begin by selecting one of four filter categories: bandpass, lowpass, highpass, or notch.
During the demonstration, MPG used a bandpass filter design to walk through the configuration process. Engineers can specify electrical parameters such as upper and lower stopband requirements, return loss, insertion loss, and operating temperature range. The tool also allows users to select different filter responses, including configurations with monotonic group delay characteristics and elliptic responses, depending on the desired performance.
In addition to electrical specifications, engineers can define mechanical and interface requirements. Depending on the operating frequency and filter configuration, the platform offers surface-mount, PCB-mount, connectorized, and waveguide interface options. Once the requirements have been entered, clicking the Find Matches function activates the synthesis engine, which generates a table of filter designs that either meet the specified requirements or offer close alternatives.
Comparing Electrical Performance and Mechanical Requirements
The Filter Wizard results table displays multiple filter configurations, each identified by a specific part number and accompanied by its electrical and mechanical specifications. Engineers can compare parameters such as insertion loss, physical dimensions, and mounting configurations to determine which design best meets their application requirements. Mechanical dimensions are provided in both millimeters and inches to simplify the evaluation of space constraints.
During the demonstration, MPG highlighted the trade-offs between electrical performance and physical size. For example, a filter designed for lower insertion loss may require a larger package, while a more compact configuration may exhibit higher insertion loss. The results table allows engineers to evaluate these alternatives and select a design that provides the appropriate balance between RF performance and mechanical requirements.
MPG also explained that the electrical performance specifications associated with each selected part number are guaranteed, giving engineers defined performance limits when evaluating a design.
Detailed S-Parameter Analysis and Filter Performance Data
An important feature of Filter Wizard is its distinction between guaranteed and typical electrical performance. While guaranteed specifications define the performance limits that MPG commits to meeting, typical values indicate the performance generally expected from manufactured filters.
To illustrate this, MPG demonstrated a filter with a typical insertion loss of approximately 1.24 dB, compared with a guaranteed maximum insertion loss of 1.4 dB. This difference provides a margin for manufacturing variations while ensuring that the filter meets its specified performance requirements.
The platform also provides power-handling specifications and information about stopband performance at higher frequencies.
During the demonstration, MPG presented a resonant cavity filter centered at 7.5 GHz, with a clean stopband extending to approximately 26 GHz. The software also identified a higher-frequency resonance at approximately 26.25 GHz. This example demonstrated how engineers can use the tool to evaluate out-of-band behavior and identify unwanted resonances that may affect system performance.
Mechanical Configuration and Space-Grade Filter Options
Alongside the electrical characteristics, Filter Wizard provides detailed mechanical drawings showing the selected filter’s physical dimensions, mounting footprint, connector dimensions, and fixing positions. The software also supports configurable connector arrangements, allowing engineers to select from available interface options. For example, a filter can be specified with a male connector at the input and a female connector at the output to suit particular system integration requirements.
For space applications, the platform includes an option that allows engineers to indicate whether the filter is intended for use in a space environment. Selecting this option communicates the requirement to MPG’s engineering and purchasing teams, enabling them to evaluate the necessary environmental, material, and ruggedization considerations.
If a particular set of requirements cannot be met by the automatically generated configurations, users can submit their specifications for further engineering review. This provides a route for evaluating custom requirements that fall outside the tool’s standard design capabilities.
Downloadable Design Data and Online Quotation Requests
Once engineers have selected a suitable filter, Filter Wizard provides several options for exporting design information and proceeding with procurement.
Users can download Touchstone files containing the filter’s S-parameter data for use in RF simulation environments, allowing them to evaluate its performance as part of a larger circuit or system. The detailed specification page can also be printed or exported as a PDF for design documentation and purchasing purposes.
The platform includes an integrated Request a Quote function through which engineers can submit their selected filter configuration along with additional requirements, including quantities and operating conditions. The request is forwarded to MPG for review, with quotations typically processed within 24 to 48 hours, according to the company.
Registered users with approved access can also view indicative pricing and delivery information for quantities of ten units, helping engineers assess procurement considerations alongside technical performance.
European Microwave Week 2026 brought together companies showcasing the latest developments in RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave technologies. To explore more product launches, technical demonstrations, and innovations from the exhibition, visit everything RF’s complete EuMW 2026 coverage.