Airflyte Electronics Co. PO Box 231 Bayonne, NJ 07002 (201) 436-2230

The environmental conditions to which a slip ring may be subjected will depend upon the end result that is to be achieved. Because the entire design is affected these requirements must be considered at the lay-out stage. Most MIL specs are quite specific and it is helpful to the component engineer if this information can be made available.

It must be pointed out that the slip ring itself is only part of a system, and that if the system is subjected to vibration and shock, because of the structure that surrounds the slip ring, it is almost impossible to foretell the resulting wave shape that the slip ring will actually encounter. At best, it is possible to determine the natural frequency of the brush and spring combination or the resonance points of the slip ring rotor. Temperature, humidity, altitude, salt spray and other forms of testing will result in a derating of the slip ring and must be left to the manufacturer. Acoustic noise which is now being specified in some missile specifications should be kept below 140 Db less the slip ring and its components become damaged beyond repair. Random vibration (white noise) is a requirement that can only be evaluated by testing and therefore must be considered beforehand. Hermetically sealed slip rings which may be filled with nitrogen or similar type gases are very difficult to keep sealed because of leakage along the shaft. To completely eliminate leaking a form of magnetic drive must be provided to obtain rotation of the device from within a sealed case.