Industrial rings use slip rings to assist transmission. This is because it makes transmission easy, fast, and efficient. One such slip ring is electrical. Here, you will learn what a slip ring is, what its components are, how it works, and how to extend its service life.
Electric Slip Ring Meaning
In any environment with rotating parts that require power, there is a slip ring that aids transmission. Like any other slip ring, electric slip rings are used to transfer current from rotating parts to stationary parts. Slip rings are mainly used in semiconductors and motors.
The electric slip ring can rotate freely without restriction. They make the current efficient and fast, especially in turning parts. Slip ring manufacturers will manufacture electrical slip rings based on customer specifications and slip ring working locations.
Parts of Electric Slip Rings
The electric slip ring keeps the sliding contact brush on the ring. A part of the slip ring (that is, the brush) is fixed, and the electrical conductor continuously moves, so the brush can brush on it to transmit current. Therefore, in order to learn more about the working principle of the slip ring, the electrical slip ring has the following parts:
· Housing. One holds the metal conductor. To make it effective, manufacturers are using high-strength metals to make the casing, because slip rings usually work at extreme temperatures. Most manufacturers use aluminum when manufacturing electrical slip ring housings.
Contact brush. As we all know, the brush plays an important role in the transmission. In an electric slip ring, the brush sweeps through the metal conductive brush, and in the process transfers the electricity from the moving to the fixed part. So, what should you know about brushes? Because brushing is done frequently, the brush tends to wear out quickly. Therefore, slip ring manufacturers must be equipped with high-quality brushes. That one is not easy to rust and durable, the other can resist. Brushes made of fiber technology or carbon work well.
· Conductive ring. It is metal that rotates with moving parts. Here, the brush transfers electricity from one end to the other. Here, the material should also be of good quality to help extend the shelf life.
· Insulation. Due to slip ring operating conditions, slip ring manufacturers consider adding additional insulators to protect the slip ring from extreme external conditions. For example, wind turbine slip rings work under severe weather conditions. Insulation helps protect the electric slip ring from external damage.
· Brush holder. One of the challenges to be solved by slip rings is crosstalk. This may happen when the brush is worn, displaced due to vibration or rusted due to corrosion. The brush holder firmly fixes the bush together to avoid displacement of the bush during work.
The Use of an Electric Slip Ring
As the name implies, slip rings are suitable for environments where current needs to be transferred from the stator in the device to the rotor components. Slip rings have many uses in manufacturing and outside.
One of the areas where electrical slip rings are utilized is rotary automation. These devices always rotate 360 ° and require lip-shaped items that can cope with the rotation speed. Electric slip rings are the best because they can withstand constant rotation while still passing current quickly.
Slip rings can come in handy because they can effectively move current without causing any loss, confusion, or communication interruption. They are also in semiconductors, and we all know that they play an important role in electrical equipment.
Robot technology has been rising. Because robots have many moving parts, many countries are using robots to improve work efficiency and convenience. The electric slip ring is very convenient because it helps to transfer current within the robot system.
We cannot forget wind turbines. The demand for green energy continues to increase, and wind turbines provide solutions. Between the rotating blades and the electric motor in the wind turbine, the slip ring continuously transfers current to or from the conductor.
How to Increase the Service Life of Electric Slip Ring?
Both the manufacturer and the end user should play a role in ensuring a longer service life for the slip ring. The replacement cost of the slip ring is very high, and when it must be replaced, the entire device is a slip ring failure. Therefore, you must pay attention to the slip ring.
The role of the slip ring manufacturer is to manufacture high-quality electrical slip rings using the correct materials. Gold-to-gold contacts, fiber technology, and aluminum are excellent materials for slip rings used to transmit electricity. As a consumer, what role must you play to extend the shelf life of the electric slip ring?
The end user must also maintain the slip ring by regularly lubricating, removing dust, and checking the brush for corrosion. The temperature of the working environment of the slip ring should be kept constant to avoid any damage due to heat.
Conclusion
The electric slip ring works like any other slip ring. The only difference is that they are mainly used to transfer current from the rotating part of the device to the fixed part. Slip ring manufacturers play an important role in deciding the environmental protection period of slip, which is why aluminum, gold, and carbon constitute the materials that make up the components.
The end user should also regularly clean, lubricate, and maintain the slip ring to increase its working range and make it work efficiently. Slip rings are widely used in wind turbines, robots, semiconductors, control systems, and many other places.
