Frequently asked questions

Strain gage and thermocouple signals are the most common. Slip rings also carry RTD signals such as PT100 and PT1000, IEPE accelerometers, Ethernet and video.

Yes, it is one of their most popular uses. The result depends on where the bridge arms are placed. With all four arms on the spinning side, ring noise stays under 0.1 % of the signal. See technical note 101.

Yes. Keep the assembly at a uniform temperature, or put a thermocouple amplifier on the spinning side, so that a temperature gradient across the rings does not enter the measurement.

No. Michigan Scientific slip rings use precious metal rings and brushes instead of mercury. Many of their operating specifications match or exceed those of mercury slip rings, which makes them a substitute where a high-quality unit is required.

No. Michigan Scientific specializes in instrumentation slip rings. When both signal and power connections are needed, a hybrid unit is built with a power slip ring manufacturer.

Yes. They have been tested by Allen-Bradley for use with DeviceNet and ControlNet systems.

No. It is only needed when the rotating surface is smaller than the slip ring rotor, or when machining is not available. Mounting directly on the rotating surface is usually best, since an adapter adds to the tolerance stack-up.

Choose an LW wheel force transducer when you need the loads the road puts into the vehicle: durability, vehicle dynamics, road load data for a rig. Choose a TW wheel torque transducer, a separate family, when you only need drive and brake torque: driveline efficiency, drag torque, rolling resistance.

The transducer mounts between a rim adapter and a hub adapter designed from the profile of your original rim. Minimum rim size depends on the model, from 12 in for an LW12.8-50.

Both carry the same signals and are swappable on the same transducer. The slip ring assembly is wired and contains the encoder. The telemetry transmitter is powered by induction and sends the digitized signals by radio to the telemetry stator, which holds the encoder pick-ups.

Yes. An LW transducer mounts on a rig through flanges or hubs, spinning or not.

Yes. The rental fleet holds over 30 wheel force transducers, commercial vehicle models included, and many adapters. A rent-to-own program, a free remote training session, on-site support and a road load data acquisition service are available.

Choose a TW when you only need drive and brake torque: driveline efficiency, drag torque, rolling resistance. Choose an LW wheel force transducer, a separate family, when you need the loads the road puts into the vehicle: durability, vehicle dynamics, road load data for a rig.

When the torques to read are low: friction, grip or consumption work. The TW12.8HRMS175 resolves 0.14 N·m over 237 N·m, the TW12.8HRMS800 0.27 N·m over 1 085 N·m. The high-resolution TW models are used for the CO2 and fuel consumption tests of regulation (EU) 2017/2400.

The transducer mounts between a rim adapter and a hub adapter designed from the profile of your original rim. Minimum rim size depends on the model, from 10 in for a TW9.5.

Both carry the same signal. A slip ring is wired, with an encoder option; telemetry leaves no cable through the hub.

Yes. The calibration is temperature compensated between 24 and 121 °C, so repeated hard braking does not move the reading. Stainless steel and weatherproof sealing take rain, snow, ice and mud.

Yes. The wheel instrumentation system can be used on electric vehicles, including with the motor directly at the wheel.

No. The system mounts on the original wheel through a plate and collet lug nuts machined for the vehicle.

The transmission is analog, through a low-resistance slip ring designed for low-voltage signals such as thermocouples and strain gages. Conditioners and on-board acquisition systems are available as options.

End of shaft: the SR/E60 series (60 ppr), the SR/PE512 series (512 ppr), the SR/ERT series and the SR10AW/E60/A. Tubular: the B8-2/E60, B7-T-1.2W and BA-T-1.2W. The encoder gives wheel angle from the same assembly, which the wheel force electronics need to resolve loads into vehicle axes.

Yes, with a weatherproof version. End of shaft: the SR series, SR/E60, SR/PE512, SR/ERT, SR10AW/E60/A and SR20/75/W offer one. Tubular: the B7-1.24W, B4-2WT, B6-2W, B6-3.2W, B7-T-1.2W and BA-T-1.2W. The S-Series, Short S-Series and SR45A/SR60A have no weatherproof option.

A slip ring has no bandwidth limit and carries up to 60 circuits, but an end-of-shaft model needs a free shaft end. When the shaft cannot be modified, a clamp-on telemetry transmitter is the other route.

Yes. Michigan Scientific builds custom slip rings to a bore, length and circuit count; send the shaft drawing and the signal list.

CBT: up to 48 hours with one bridge, 36 hours with two. CBT-mini: up to 28 hours with 1 channel. For longer tests use an induction-powered CIT or TEL-SC.

No. CIT and CBT clamp on with cable ties, with no adapter; the TEL-SC split collar closes around the shaft.

Yes. Send the shaft; it comes back gaged, calibrated in torque and fitted with its transmitter.

Yes. Four TR3D load cells between a platform and the ground give the three net forces and the three net moments on the platform, by calculation from their twelve readings.

Not if your recorder supplies bridge excitation and reads strain gage bridges directly. Otherwise the SGA3A box (one TR3D) or SGA12A box (up to four TR3D) supplies the excitation and gives ± 10 V DC per axis, with remote shunt calibration.

A shielded cable, 3.05 m on most models, and its calibration certificate.

Custom load cells are designed and built in any quantity: 1 to 6 axes, 250 N to 667 kN, 100 N·m to 203 kN·m. Your own part can also be strain gaged and calibrated.

Yes, with a set of adapters per wheel design. The transducer stays the same if the capacity class fits both vehicles.

For road load data and vehicle dynamics, yes. For drive and brake torque alone, a wheel torque transducer such as the TW9.5 measures it on one dedicated channel.

Analog ±10 V or CAN from the transformation electronics, plus the angle signal. The channel count is in the specifications of each model.

Yes. The design guides exist for that. Keep the critical dimensions, respect the materials and verify the assembly against SAE J328.

Yes. Rim and hub adapters are designed and machined for each vehicle, standard or weight-optimized, and adapters can also be rented.

Guides are published here for the LW12.8-50, the LW65 and the LW-2T-20K. For another model, ask for its drawing.

Yes. The CIT and CBT strap around the shaft with cable ties and need no adapter or shaft modification, and the TEL-SC split collar closes around the shaft. They are installed and removed without taking the half-shaft apart.

Very little, if the full bridge is on the rotating side. The rings are then outside the bridge and do not change its balance: peak ring noise stays under 0.1 % of the data signal. Quarter and half bridges put rings inside the bridge and are not recommended. An amplifier on the rotor is added for low strain levels or electrically noisy environments.

Yes. The TEL-SC, the M560 and the Model T3 and T8 accept thermocouples as well as strain gages. The CIT and CBT are for strain gage bridges only.

Michigan Scientific can. A production or prototype shaft is fitted with strain gages and calibrated in torque on a calibration machine, then supplied with its slip ring or transmitter. The TEL-SC can also be bought alone for sensors you install yourself.