Patent ID: 7777500

Claim:
A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a part, comprising: placing a full-size part having its normal geometric configuration within a dielectric property measurement apparatus, wherein the dielectric property measurement apparatus includes an electrically grounded chamber, a lower electrode disposed within the chamber and connected to a radiofrequency (RF) transmission rod, and an electrically grounded upper electrode disposed within the chamber above the lower electrode, wherein the full-size part is placed on the lower electrode; positioning the electrically grounded upper electrode to rest freely on top of the full-size part such that a contact force between the electrically grounded upper electrode and the full-size part is defined only by a weight of the electrically grounded upper electrode; operating the dielectric property measurement apparatus to determine a dielectric constant value of the full-size part and a loss tangent value of the full-sized part; and attaching the determined dielectric constant and loss tangent values to the full-size part.