Slip rings are often overlooked aspects of machines that have a rotary part to it and need a transmission of electrical signal or power.

Without slip rings, rotational devices and machines might not operate as smoothly as they do today, and that’s why slip rings can be seen in so many devices across so many industries.

Needless to say, slip rings are changing the industries for the better as they’re solving an important problem in rotary devices. Down below, you can find out exactly what slip rings do, and how they work, but also what are some of the devices they can be found in and yet are often overlooked.

What are Slip Rings and What is Their Purpose?

Slip rings are small devices that were made to solve the wire winding problem in devices that have a rotary as well as a stationary part of the device.

Their purpose was to help transmit electrical signals and power while providing a safe and hazard-free use at the joints inside various devices and machines.

Instead of dealing with wires that pass through joints, a slip ring features a ring body with brushes or wipers inside that make contact with the ring’s body as the rotation happens. As a result, they can transfer electrical signals and power without any wires in the way.

Also, they act as a bridge between the stationary and rotary part of a device, and they can be used in almost any type of device or machine, covering a wide range of industries.

Moflon is one of the slip ring manufacturers that provides slip rings for devices such as robots, monitors, wind turbines, and more. Not only does Moflon provide specific-purpose slip rings, but they also help create custom slip rings upon request for certain projects.

How are Slip Rings Used Globally Across Different Industries

Not many people pay attention to slip rings because they’re small and are mostly helping solve a tiny problem in devices that come with dozens of similar problems.

However, slip rings are very versatile and are wisely built to provide a couple of benefits in only one device.

Therefore, not only do slip rings create a hazard-free surrounding around the joints in the machines and devices, but they can also transmit much more than electrical signal and power.

Slip rings have many types that fit certain industry standards so they can be used in a wide range of machines and devices. Therefore, you can find slip rings in devices such as medical imaging equipment, radars, wind turbines, robots, monitors, and more.

Any device or a machine that has a rotary part to it can benefit from slip rings, and that’s why slip rings are used in so many devices, across so many industries.

And on top of the transmission and safety, slip rings are even used to control the speed of generators since they can add resistance to the windings to control the speed better.

Slip Rings and Types That are Changing the Way Electrical Devices are Built

Slip rings can be found in so many devices across so many industries, and they even have applications in the food and beverage industry, aerospace use, factory automation, and more.

Drilling, dredging, and excavation machines are also built with the help of slip rings. These are the best examples as these are some of the machines we all know of and yet not many know that slip rings can be found in such large machinery.

Some of the most common slip ring types include:

• Pancake ring
• Mercury contact ring
• Through-hole slip ring
• Fiber optic ring
• Miniature ring
• Ethernet ring

Apart from transferring electrical signals and power, slip rings can also transfer data and are widely used in the ethernet industry.

With so many different types, slip rings are made to fit so many different devices and machines, regardless of the size, the way they operate, or the purpose. If there’s a stationary and rotary part of a device and anything that needs to be transmitted, a slip ring can be a good fit.

It’s also good to know that certain slip ring types can transfer fluid, coolant, and many other mediums.

And without slip rings, it would be hard to come up with a solution that would provide a hazard-free and wire-free way to connect stationary and rotary parts of a device together.

The Most Common Slip Ring Uses in Devices You Never Thought of

Slip rings are often used in the packaging industry and commercial packaging machines, any type of device that includes an AC generator, wind turbines, cable reels, imaging machines in the medical industry (CT or MRI scans), and more.

One of the most interesting and unknown uses of slip rings lies in the amusement park rides, on rides that operate on a turntable style.

Apart from that, slip rings can be found in heavy machinery such as winders, index tables, welders, excavators, cranes, and more.

With the next generation of slip ring technology on the rise, we’ll soon be able to find wireless power slip rings with unlimited RPMs, or brushless slip rings that will extend the slip ring’s lifespan up three times.

And with so many custom solutions being done by companies such as Moflon, slip rings are being found in so many more devices since they’re very versatile and one of the simplest, yet most efficient solutions for rotary devices and machines.

Conclusion

Slip rings have an important role in devices and machines they’re installed in and even though they’re small, they’re far from irrelevant.

With the increase in the use of slip rings, we can really expect to find slip rings in almost any device or machine that has both stationary and moving parts.

And with so many slip ring types and available custom solutions, slip rings provide way more benefits than what they were intended to do at first.

All of this benefits the industries that might not have anything in common except slip rings.