Frequently Asked Questions
1.800.959.0146
What is a slip ring?
What do you need to know to specify a slip ring for my application?
Do you keep inventory of all of your standard products in stock?
What are the typical delivery times for standard products?
Can standard products be modified to fit my application?
Do you offer custom slip rings and what is the process to procure one?
What is a typical delivery for a custom slip ring?
What is the largest custom slip ring that you can manufacture?
Does your standard one year warranty apply for a custom slip ring?
Are your slip rings tested prior to shipping?
What is a slip ring?
A slip ring is used to continuously transmit electrical power, signal or data from a stationary source to a rotating destination, or vice versa. They are available in a wide variety of configurations, termination types and materials to fit most applications.
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What do you need to know to specify a slip ring for my application?
The first thing that needs to be defined is the type of assembly required of which there are two basic types:
- Separate slip ring & brush block assemblies (no bearings or mounting hardware).
- Self-contained slip ring assemblies with their own bearing arrangement.
• Fully enclosed capsule slip rings.
• Packaged slip rings with accessible terminals.
Then the ring configuration needs to be considered based upon the space available within your system:
- Drum type where each ring is adjacent to the next along the central axis.Or
- Pancake type where each ring is concentric to the next (a bit like a record).
The drum type is the more common, the pancake type being specified when axial length is limited.
The available space within the system will define the mechanical envelope and by giving up the maximum space available in the system to the slip ring you will increase the chances of utilizing an existing design.
The system interface requirements need to be defined and the following should be considered:
- Is a through bore required for shaft mounting or for the routing of hydraulics or pneumatics?
- How will the slip ring assembly be mounted in the system? Hard mounting of both the rotor and the stator should be avoided as this can overload and damage the slip ring bearings if there is any misalignment within the system.
- What sort of electrical connections does the slip ring assembly need? Connectors, terminals, leads or a combination of the three? If leads are required what is length needed and should they exit in an axial or radial direction?
The electrical requirements should also be defined, and by specifying the current we can propose an assembly with the correct ring cross-section, brushes and termination. The voltage required will determine the spacing between adjacent rings and brushes. The current and voltage of each ring or group of rings should be specified individually as this will enable us to provide the most economical solution within the smallest space envelope possible.
The operating speed is a critical consideration in defining the mechanical requirements. The speed, diameter and the required operating life of the application will dictate which contact materials are suitable.
Will the assembly rotate at a continuous speed or will it oscillate?
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Do you keep inventory of all your standard products in stock?
We keep inventory for our standard product line and many custom products. Occasionally, we may be out of stock on an item, in which case, delivery would typically be 4 weeks.
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What are typical delivery times for standard products?
Delivery on standard, in-stock products is one week from time of order. In some emergency cases, product can be shipped the same day.
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Can standard products be modified to fit my application?
In most cases, our standard products can be modified to fit into your application. Modifications may include adding connectors, terminal boards, wire harnesses, as well as internal modifications and custom enclosures, to name a few.
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Do you offer custom slip rings, and what is the process to procure one?
Rotary Systems specializes in custom designs for your application. One of our Applications Engineers will work directly with you on your custom requirement. Once we have an idea of your design, we will provide you a detailed quote with delivery. After receiving a Purchase Order, we will provide you with a detailed print to review and sign off prior to manufacturing.
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What is a typical delivery for a custom slip ring?
Delivery times will vary depending on complexity of the custom slip ring. Typical delivery is 8 weeks for general materials, and longer for special materials and plating.
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What is the largest custom slip ring that you can manufacture?
The largest slip ring that we have manufactured to date is over 48.0” in diameter. This slip ring is used for a wind turbine application. We have the in-house capacity to manufacture slip rings up to 60.0” in diameter, in production volumes.
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Does your standard one-year warranty apply for a custom slip ring?
Yes, in most cases we will offer our standard one-year warranty. On very rare occasions we will not be able to offer a warranty, but this will be disclosed up front during the initial discussion and quotation process.
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Are your slip rings tested prior to shipping?
Our slip rings are run-in and 100% tested to ensure they are ready for immediate installation upon arrival.
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