The Six Most Common Uses of Electrical Slip Ring

Introduction

Electrical slip rings have many uses. Their versatility, both as complete units or component units, have a wide range of usage in many parts of the industrial sector.

There is a wide range of circuitry available, and they also come in many combinations of voltage that is alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) as well as different amperages.

Electrical slip rings have many designs, and they are normally favored in applications that require a rotating platform or base. Therefore, it is not a surprise that you will find that slip rings are common in automated welding machines, winders, and index tables, among others.

Other common uses of slip rings include CT and MRI imaging machines. Whenever you see a pivoted closed-circuit security camera, you should know that a slip ring is at work. The same goes for amusement park rides where slip rings transmit power and data across several sections of vertical ride falls, Ferris wheel, and carousels.

On an industrial scale, there are hundreds of ways that slip rings have found uses. Today we will discuss six most common uses of electrical slip rings.

• Wind Turbines

The demand for wind power is on the rise globally, and wind turbine construction is also on the rise. Europe is one of the places where the demand for wind turbine construction is high.

Wind turbines have many movable parts, and slip rings solve the problem. The only challenge is exposure to natural elements because you have to service the parts periodically. It also means that slip rings for use in wind turbines must be durable.

Another advantage of using durable slip rings in wind turbines is that rings should have the capacity to withstand high power output. For instance, offshore wind turbines require reliable slip rings because the time and the costs of repair are quite high in case they need repairs.

Slip rings not only need to support the wing turbine’s moving parts but also transmit signals and power. The rings should have pitch control with commands and power for pitch and hub motor adjustments, power backup, and blade information.

• Use in machines for Semiconductor Manufacturing

Slip rings, in conjunction with rotary unions, are also used in index platforms when processing wafers chemically and mechanically. In such cases, the process can also involve applications of fluids and materials.

For instance, in the chemical planarization, the process comes later on in the semiconductor processing, which means that it must happen as quickly as possible. It is at this juncture that the integrated slip-ring comes into the picture because it can withstand abrasive and corrosive environments.

• Defense

In defense, electrical slip rings play a huge role. For instance, they are used in armored vehicles to control turrets because they separate the gunner station batteries and the main turrets.

Another reason why slip rings are common in defense is to maintain adequate power supply, video connectivity, and reliable transfer of data in military activities.

• Aerospace and Marine

Slip rings have also found use in the aerospace industry. The solar arrays in space crafts have small slip rings connecting the rotor to the actuator outputs, which move the panels.

In marine designs, electrical slip rings apply in many areas including on coast guard boats, offshore platforms, ice breakers, and cruise liners. However, one of the areas in marine where slip rings have heavy usage is in radar towers.

In marine operations, remote vehicles and other remote devices are favorites in underwater operations. In such a case, the slip rings used are not the same ones used on on-land operations because the rings are not exposed to oil because the operations are underwater.

• Packaging Industry

A Moflon slip ring can either be SRD or SRC electrical slip ring. Such slip rings are specifically used in packaging industry machines. The machines package food, beverage, pharmaceuticals, and other goods, which are for human consumption.

The slip rings can either be configurable or modular. They usually have up to 40 channels with speeds of up to 250 rotations per minute. It is an important aspect because, in the manufacturing industry, the speed of packaging determines profitability.

However, there are some challenges in every industry. For instance, in the packaging industry, there may be a need for using plastic materials, and such materials require melting and remolding. In such a scenario, the slip rings are exposed to extreme temperatures, and it can be a source of problems in the packaging process.

It might not be a problem if you choose the right slip ring because some slip rings transmit energy, and they are also capable of generating their heat. It is a unique and pertinent design for use in places where extreme heat is common.

• Synchronous Electric Motors

Asynchronous electric motors are also using slip rings nowadays. In these motors, induction motors are known as wound-rotor motors. The working principle is not to transfer power, but to create resistance in the rotor windings.

The slip ring inside an electric motor does not function the same way a commutator works. The functions and designs are the same, but the ring inside the electric motor slip ring is continuous. On the other hand, the ring inside a commutator is segmented.

Slip rings in a wound rotor have three circuits while the rings in a motor are isolated and made of alloys or copper. The connection takes place in each of the three winding phases.

Final Thoughts

Electrical slip rings are important in driving modern infrastructure. Slip rings are used in the electrical assemblies to create electrical connections between moving and stationary conductors. It enables a stationary source of power to send electric signals to the parts that are rotating.

Other devices that use electrical not mentioned here include many types of alternators, electrical generators, and gyroscopes. A slip ring is a device mounted on a shaft, and it transmits electricity. There are also other names given to slip rings, including electric swivels, rotary electrical joints, and collector rings.