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Answers to the Questions High-Volume Production.
Product selection, testing methodologies, custom formulations, qualifications, and the practical questions that come up during the specification process.
About MAST Technologies
4 Questions
Company overview, location, certifications, and the markets we serve.
MAST Technologies designs and manufactures RF and EMI absorber materials, radar-absorbing composites, and RF-treated structural materials for aerospace, defense, commercial wireless, and industrial electronic applications.
Our portfolio spans sheet absorbers (MR series), foam absorbers (MF series), castable and sprayable compounds (MC10), RF-treated honeycomb structures (MS Series), and dual-function EMI/thermal interface materials (Suppress-n-Sink™).
MAST Technologies is based in San Diego, California. All manufacturing, engineering, and shipping activities are conducted at our San Diego facility.
MAST Technologies is AS9100D certified — the aerospace industry quality management standard that extends ISO 9001 with additional requirements specific to aviation, space, and defense applications. This certification applies to our engineering and manufacturing operations.
MAST serves a broad range of markets including:
Our materials support both program-level defense builds and high-volume commercial applications.
Product Selection & Materials
8 Questions
Finding the right product family, understanding product differences, frequency coverage, and configuration options.
The right product depends on the problem you’re solving:
Our engineering team can help identify the right product for your specific application — Request a Consultation to walk through your requirements.
MR sheet absorbers are thin, flat materials designed for surface-level RF attenuation — targeted attenuation at specific frequencies (MR1), cavity resonance damping (MR21), surface-wave suppression (MR3), or custom applications (MR4). They’re typically attached to a surface after fabrication.
MF foam absorbers are lightweight, carbon-loaded materials designed for volumetric attenuation inside enclosures, cavities, and antenna systems where broader frequency coverage and higher absorption are needed. They occupy volume rather than sitting on a surface.
MC10 absorber compounds are the right choice when the absorber needs to be integrated into the manufacturing process rather than attached afterward. Common cases include:
Suppress-n-Sink™ 300 Series is a dual-function EMI suppression and thermal interface material that mounts directly on electronic components. It combines RF absorption (0.5–12 GHz) with thermal conductivity in a single sheet material — reducing emissions at the component level while supporting heat dissipation without additional hardware.
Where other MAST absorbers address EMI alone, Suppress-n-Sink™ solves two component-level problems (EMI and thermal) in the same material footprint — useful for compact systems where separate shielding and thermal solutions compete for the same board space.
MS Series RF-Treated Honeycomb Structures are aerospace-grade honeycomb cores (Nomex, Fiberglass, Overexpanded, or Polyimide) treated with proprietary RF-absorbing formulations. They function as both structural material and RF-functional component.
MS Series is the right choice when a platform needs mechanical load capacity and controlled electromagnetic performance from the same material — reducing the need for secondary absorber materials while supporting efficient system integration where mass and volume budgets matter.
MR1 Tuned Frequency Absorbers provide targeted attenuation at specific frequencies — useful when you need to suppress narrowband interference at one band without imposing broadband loss on surrounding signals. Good for pinpoint EMI mitigation.
MR21 Cavity Resonance Absorbers provide Q-factor damping in compact metallic cavities — used inside microwave radar modules and dense RF assemblies where cavity resonance is the actual problem. Optimized for resonance suppression rather than open-space absorption.
Frequency coverage varies significantly by product family and configuration:
For non-standard frequency requirements, MR4 Specialty Sheet, MF5 Specialized Foam, and MC10 Compound families support custom formulations.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) backing is available on selected configurations across our foam and sheet product families. PSA availability is called out in each product’s Available Products table — look for the PSA tag next to specific part numbers.
Custom adhesive configurations can be developed on request for applications where standard options don’t fit.
Testing & Performance
6 Questions
Test methodologies, characterization data, technical bulletins, and configuration-specific performance information.
MAST characterizes absorber performance using industry-standard RF test methods — primarily:
The applicable methods depend on the product family and intended application. Sheet and foam absorbers are typically qualified via NRL Arch; foam absorbers in transmission-loss applications add Bulletin 103.
NRL Arch is a free-space reflectivity test methodology used to characterize how much RF energy an absorber reflects at various frequencies and angles of incidence.
It’s the industry-standard method for qualifying absorbers where reflection loss is the primary performance metric. Full methodology, test setup, and angular-dependent performance data are documented in MAST Technical Bulletin 101.
Transmission tunnel testing measures how much RF energy passes through an absorber material — used primarily for foam and sheet absorbers in transmission-loss applications where the material is placed between an emission source and a receiver.
Full methodology is documented in MAST Technical Bulletin 103. This test method complements NRL Arch reflectivity for materials that operate in insertion-loss configurations.
Yes. Configuration-specific performance data is available in individual Technical Data Sheets for each product SKU — documenting formulation, thickness, adhesive configuration, and frequency response.
For custom or application-specific configurations (MR4, MF5, MC10), our engineering team can provide characterization data based on the specific formulation, thickness, and application method for your build.
Yes. Technical Data Sheets are available for all standard product SKUs. Each datasheet documents:
Datasheets can be downloaded directly from the product pages. Contact our engineering team for datasheets on custom configurations not represented in the standard portfolio.
For most foam and sheet absorbers, greater thickness improves attenuation at lower frequencies (extends the low-frequency cutoff) and generally increases overall reflection loss. The trade-off is that thicker materials consume more clearance space in the installation envelope.
Example: MF1 Reticulated Foam configurations range from 0.375″ (12–40 GHz coverage) to 1.250″ (3–40 GHz coverage). Product-specific thickness/frequency relationships are documented in each Technical Data Sheet.
Applications & Industries
6 Questions
Where MAST products get used across defense, aerospace, automotive radar, wireless infrastructure, and industrial electronics.
MAST serves aerospace and defense, commercial wireless, automotive radar, and industrial electronics:
Yes. MAST Technologies is AS9100D certified, and our materials are used in aerospace and defense platforms across air, sea, space, and ground programs. Product families like MS Series RF-Treated Honeycomb Structures are specifically engineered for aerospace-grade structural + RF integration requirements.
Individual product qualifications for specific programs can be discussed with our engineering team — including support for program-specific specifications, first article inspection, and configuration control requirements.
Yes. MAST absorbers support automotive radar applications, particularly in the 76–77 GHz millimeter-wave band used by ADAS and autonomous driving systems.
Our engineering team can help identify the right absorber configuration for automotive radar bumper integration, sensor housing, and enclosure applications where sidelobe reduction, in-band cross-talk suppression, or interference mitigation are required.
Yes. MAST absorbers are used in wireless and 5G infrastructure applications for:
MF2 Series ruggedized outdoor configurations (MF23) are particularly relevant for outdoor 5G deployments.
MAST products address a wide range of electromagnetic challenges:
If the problem involves unwanted electromagnetic energy in an electronic or aerospace system, there’s likely a MAST product family that applies.
Yes. The MF2 Series includes ruggedized outdoor configurations (MF23 sub-series) specifically formulated for environmental resistance — used in outdoor RF enclosures, ruggedized electronic housings, and environmentally exposed installations.
Other product families can be qualified for outdoor use depending on the specific environmental exposure (temperature range, UV, moisture, contamination). Contact our engineering team for outdoor qualification guidance on non-MF2 products.
Custom Solutions & Engineering Support
5 Questions
Working with the MAST engineering team on tailored formulations, prototyping, and application-specific problems.
MAST offers three product families explicitly designed for application-specific requirements:
For all other product families, custom formulations, thicknesses, sizes, and adhesive configurations are available on request.
Yes. Custom absorber development is a core capability. Our engineering team can develop tailored formulations to meet application-specific frequency, thickness, environmental, or integration requirements that aren’t addressed by standard product configurations.
Development timelines vary depending on the complexity of the requirements; our engineering team can provide project-specific estimates during the initial consultation.
Yes. Our engineering team works closely with customers to identify the right absorber for the application — reviewing frequency content, power levels, operating environment, geometry constraints, and failure modes.
Consultations can be requested through our Request a Consultation form. Our team typically responds within 24 hours to schedule the initial call.
A typical consultation includes three phases:
Yes. MC10 absorber compounds and MF5 Specialized Foam Absorbers are particularly well-suited for prototyping and low-volume custom applications — MC10’s dispensable/castable/sprayable formats are especially useful when geometry is still evolving.
Standard product families can also be ordered in prototype quantities. Contact our engineering team to discuss prototype requirements and lead times.
Quality, Standards & Certifications
4 Questions
Quality management, industry certifications, flammability ratings, and material compliance.
Yes. MAST Technologies operates under AS9100D certification, the aerospace industry quality management standard. This certification applies to our manufacturing and engineering operations at our San Diego facility.
AS9100D extends the ISO 9001 quality management framework with additional requirements specific to the aviation, space, and defense industries.
UL94-HF1 is a flammability rating for foamed cellular polymeric materials, indicating the material meets specific standards for flame resistance under the UL 94 test methodology.
UL94-HF1 rating is available on select MF2 Lossy Foam and MF3 Convoluted Foam configurations. Contact our engineering team for qualification details on specific programs requiring documented flammability ratings.
Yes. All our products are RoHS compliant. Contact our engineering team for compliance documentation on specific SKUs and applications.
MAST Technologies operates under AS9100D — the aerospace quality management standard covering design, development, production, and delivery of products for the aviation, space, and defense industries.
AS9100D extends ISO 9001 with additional aerospace-specific requirements including configuration management, first article inspection, counterfeit parts control, and product safety management.
Ordering, Samples & Delivery
5 Questions
Requesting samples and quotes, lead times, and shipping from our San Diego facility.
Sample kits can be requested through our Sample Kit Request form. Provide your application details and shipping information, and our team will assemble a kit matched to your requirements.
Standard shipping from our San Diego facility is 5–7 business days. Expedited options are available on request.
Yes. MAST provides sample materials at no cost for legitimate evaluation. Sample kits typically include representative configurations from the product families relevant to your application — so your team can evaluate the materials firsthand before making specification decisions.
Lead times vary by product type and quantity:
Quotes can be requested through our Request a Quote form on any product page, or by contacting our sales team directly.
Include the following information for the fastest turnaround:
All MAST materials ship from our San Diego, California facility. Domestic ground shipping and expedited shipping options are available; international shipping is supported for qualified export destinations.
For programs with specific export control, ITAR, or country-of-origin documentation requirements, contact our sales team to confirm shipping and documentation options.
Still Have Questions?
Talk to our Our Team.
If your question isn’t answered here — or if the answer here needs more depth for your specific application — our engineering team is the right first stop. We’ll review your requirements, recommend the right materials, and dispatch a sample kit at no cost so your team can evaluate the recommendations firsthand.
Engineering Question
Don’t see your question here?
Share the details of your application — frequency profile, operating environment, geometry constraints, and the RF or thermal problem you’re trying to solve — and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours with recommendations and next steps.
