Mclennan’s extensive system building capabilities for complete motion automated sub-systems include in-house designed projects as single orders or in volume quantities that combine components from its distribution partners (typically motors, drives, and motion control hardware and software) with other sourced or specially manufactured machine components.
With the new distribution partnership with Servotecnica, Mclennan has access to carbon brush and precious metal alloy fibre brush technologies as separate slip ring and brush-block designs or as completely packaged assemblies for up to 96 ‘ways’ or separate electrical channels. Over 2000 standard models cover signal level transmission to high-voltage power units up to 400 Amps. Available technologies also include optical, inductive, capacitive and RF signal transmission. Furthermore, a comprehensive custom design service is available
Slip ring assemblies are especially found in the packaging & converting industries as well as food & beverage production machines where continuous rotary processes can be enhanced and even simplified with addition motion axes. For instance a labelling machine with a carousel table and a slip ring assembly can manage power and feedback position for a servo motor via a fieldbus, allowing the label placement to be applied to an exact position on the target product.
Other areas where slip ring assemblies are increasing being specified include converting and palletising machines, medical and surgical equipment, assembly machines, theatre automation, pan & tilt surveillance platforms, robotics, research and military equipment, wind turbines and more.
Slip ring assemblies offer the ability to improve the performance of the machine where rotating components that require electrical power or signals may rotate freely and not need to rotate back to their initial position. Rather than cabled solutions that address this function - which by necessity have a restricted rotation - slip rings cause no stress on the components being rotated and often result in a higher throughput capability and a much reduced machine footprint.
