Do you ever find it challenging in determining how you will bring communication and power to your tooling fixtures on a rotary index table application? Do you have a challenge in determining the appropriate slip ring for your application? Did you know it is possible to provide high voltage 3-phase power and communication such as Ethernet, Device Net, Profinet, etc. all through one device? 

The Rotary index table of today has a growing list of responsibilities. Tables with more than two stations and or being used in a single direction need provisions in place to allow for access to air, electric power, communications, or a combination of the three. In the situations where tooling fixtures require pneumatics, a simple single or multi-port air union can be implemented. When utilizing a pneumatic valve bank, the single port air union can be a simple yet cost effective method to bring compressed air to individual fixtures. If signal communication is all that is required to operate your valve bank, electrical slip rings can be purchased with low voltage flying leads. This is a very low-cost solution to operating a valve bank mounted on top of a rotary index table. If some type of communication protocol is necessary, most electrical slip rings have the ability to transmit numerous forms of communication; be it Ethernet or Profinet, Profibus, Device Net or CanBus. Motion Index Drives offers a wide variety of standard slip rings that can transmit the above mentioned communication protocols.

MX150

MX230

MX470

 It is important when choosing a slip ring with communication capabilities such as Ethernet that the connecting wires landed in the slip ring are twisted pairs. Twisted pairs in a slip ring reduce the probability of outside noise interference that can interrupt communications and cause unnecessary faults and downtime. A rotary index table with the provision to run wires and hose through a central housing while providing a stationary center column for mounting is ideal for slip ring applications. This provides a compact package, reduced overall footprint and avoids the need to mount slip rings and air unions from overhead or externally. Motion Index Drives RT and TMF series index tables are offered in many sizes and all models have center stationary columns to mount slip rings and rotary unions, making them an industry staple for over 40 years.

By utilizing Motion Index Drives to customize or provide a standard rotary slip ring, you can have the benefit of getting a designed package with our units already mounted to our rotary index table. This saves on your design and engineering design.

We can take standard flying lead slip rings and assemble any connectors you made need to plug into your power and communication ports without the need to hardwire at assembly.  All slip rings that come with prewired connectors and harnesses will be bundled together and shrink wrapped with industrial grade material. We will also design and engineer completely custom slip rings to meet your requirements, if it is something that falls outside our standard offering.

Our fully integrated plug in connector MX470 series slip rings can be manufactured up to an IP67 rating.

President,
Ben Talan
info@mid.us.com
www.motionindexdrives.com