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Slip Ring Solutions for the Agricultural Industry

As one of the oldest industries in the world, agriculture and food production is essential to life on earth. The agricultural industry encompasses all aspects of food production, including farming, fishing, and forestry. As the world’s population continues to grow, increased demands for productivity and efficiency are placed on the agricultural industry. This has led to new innovations within machinery, and slip rings are an essential part of this evolution. In this blog post, we will provide some insights into how slip rings are used within the agricultural industry, and offer an overview of the products offered by rotarX. 

Overview of the Agricultural Industry

Due to the nature of the industry, agricultural machinery is designed to withstand extensive operations, extreme environmental conditions, and harsh chemicals without being worn out.  Naturally, the slip rings used must be able to endure the same stressors, while ensuring optimum performance in all parts of farm equipment. Seals are integral parts of these complex machines because they enable the transmission of power and signals from static to moving parts. With the growing use of smart technology and robotics within this industry, we can expect even more developments within this industry in years to come.

Slip Ring Applications in the Agricultural Industry

Slip ring in irrigation

Image Source: cyulin.net

There are a number of potential applications for slip rings within the agricultural industry, including axles, conductions, motors, and hydraulic systems. To give an example, one common application is as part of center pivot irrigation systems. This is a popular sprinkler system due to its efficiency, uniformity, and versatility in terrains where they can be used. Here, the sprinkler works around a central axis with a slip ring mounted on top to transfer power and enable the rotation around the central axis. 

 

Another common application for slip rings within agriculture, is within grain silos. These preserve and store grains or silage for future use and are highly popular within the agricultural industry. While these are simple devices that do not require high-tech systems, they still need careful installation, running, and maintenance. From the filling and monitoring of the silos, slip rings play an integral part in the functionality of the operation of the silo. A special demand for slip rings used in silos is the explosion proof protection. Inside the silos there can be a lot of explosive dust which can easily lead to an explosion of the silo. Therefore we offer explosion proof slip rings which are IECEx and ATEX certified for those applications. 

Finally, slip rings also play an essential part in the rotary dairy barns commonly used when milking cows. These resemble merry-go-rounds in their design, where the cows move around a central axis while they are milked, and once done are allowed back into their feeding and resting dens. 

Rotary Dairy Barn

Image Source: gea.com

Slip Rings From rotarX

Given the demands of the agricultural industry, slip rings from rotarX are designed to withstand these tests. For use in agricultural applications, we recommend the following slip rings: 

Hollow Shaft Slip Ring

Hollow shaft slip ringHollow shaft slip rings are a great choice for applications where space is limited. This slip ring has a rotatingprofile with an open interior. These hollow shafts are suitable as empty conduits for installation on an axle or for cable feed-through. It is also common to use the hollow shafts to pass through a gas or liquid, which is common in hydraulics, pneumatics, and media lines. In addition, the hollow shaft slip rings are completely rotatable to ensure continuous rotation without having to worry about leaks. We offer a variety of different sizes and configurations, to ensure that we have a solution for your need.

Capsulated Slip Rings

The capsulated slip rings are one of our most versatile slip rings solutions. These are available in a variety of sizes, configurations, and materials to ensure that they are durable enough to withstand the pressures of the agricultural environment. A series of contact rings are attached to the rotor, which are insulated from each other. To the inside, the contact rings are connected with an insulated cable which is led out of the slip ring to the front. Signal cables also run into the stator part, which end in sliding contacts. Incoming and outgoing cables always have the identical colors, so that the confusion-free assignment during installation is guaranteed. Because these slip rings are capsulated, the rings are protected from their environment, including penetrating dust or moisture and vibrations. This ensures a longer more low-maintenance lifetime of the slip ring.

ATEX Certified Slip Ring

Slip ring for ATEXThe slip ring EXD was developed especially for use in silos and has been approved for both zone 21 and 22.Zone 21 is an area in which a hazardous explosive atmosphere in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in the air may occasionally occur during normal operation. Zone 22 is a place in which an explosive atmosphere in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in the air is not likely to occur in normal operation. If it does occur, it will persist for a short period only. For this solution, we can also add an optional anti-condensation heater, to prevent the formation of condensation water, to prevent corrosion.

 

The agricultural industry is a complex, growing industry with a number of potential applications for slip rings. At rotarX, we pride ourselves on being slip ring experts and are happy to help you find the best solution for your project. In addition to our standard solutions, we also design custom slip rings for clients who need something more specific. Please feel free to get in touch with our experts to find your perfect slip ring solution today.