Environmental conditions weigh heavily into the design for a new slip ring. When working on a new design, UEA engineers will ask if the new project needs to be designed to withstand outdoor elements such as rain or dust. If the answer is yes, then all the specific environmental conditions are considered in the design.
Outdoor-rated slip rings need to have extra sealing to keep out these contaminants ensuring that the slip ring will function properly for its entire life span.
Sealing for Inverted Mounted Slip Rings
If a slip ring is going to be mounted inverted and outdoors, it will need to have a shaft seal between the mounting tube and base casting and will also require a rubber seal between the cover and the base casting. For pre-wired slip rings, UEA will also seal off the exit of the center harness with a potting material to eliminate water ingress. Additionally, the brush harness will exit through a liquid tight strain relief connector to further seal the slip ring. The cover itself on an inverted slip ring will typically have drain holes, which have a splash guard over them to shield the circuits, to allow any possible condensation to drain out.
Sealing for Upright Mounted Slip Rings
For upright mounted slip rings, UEA also uses a liquid tight strain relief connector for a brush harness exit and sealing washers under the fasteners attaching the cover. The way the covers are designed to fit onto the base casting reduces the possibility of water ingress by design with no additional sealing needed.
Cover Options
UEA offers a variety of cover designs to meet the demands of the environment. For applications in humid environments, such as irrigation equipment, UEA offers a dome aluminum cover. Additionally, UEA’s aluminum covers can be painted, powder-coated, Alodine-treated, or anodized based on environmental conditions. Learn more about our slip ring covers here.
The use of 3D Printed Slip Ring Covers has also opened new doors to allow UEA to have new cover designs with extra sealing features to aid in the reduction of water and dust ingression. Features that can be added in a 3D printed cover include internally shielded drain holes, bosses for NPT threaded fittings, and counterbores for shafts seals in the top of the cover.
Contact us today to find a custom slip ring for your unique environment!