RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
We provide a comprehensive partnership from pre-feasibility study
and prototype testing to a fully developed concept.
In terms of measuring and testing carbon brushes and associated products, Carbex has one of the most modern ‘state-of-the-art’ test laboratory facilities. We conduct tests for our own research purposes and customer projects. In addition to our own department, we also maintain well-developed co-operations with a number of universities, such as the Tekniska Högskolan at Linköping University, Sweden. This provides us with the opportunity to perform very extensive tests.
Within our R&D department we have leading expertise in the fields of metallurgy, chemistry, sintering processes, mechanics and software development. Through our long experience, we have gained knowledge of those parameters which are important for high quality manufacturing within brush technology. We invest continuously in R&D in order to meet existing and future market needs. This ensures that we as a company are at the forefront of all processes and developments. The will to develop and improve lies deep in our DNA.
R&D
We provide a comprehensive partnership from pre-feasibility study and prototype testing to a fully developed concept.
Testing
In our test laboratory we can simulate lifecycles in different application environments as close to actual reality as possible.
We have our own in-house facilities that allow us to analyze and evaluate a large number of operative parameters, such as:
- Voltage drop
- Electrical & mechanical wear
- Current through each individual brush
- Thermal build-up and distribution
- Ambient temperature and humidity
We also analyze the mechanical properties and the characteristics of the brushes, as well as the effects of vibrations, thermal properties, different cooling systems, carbon brush pressure and optimal brush holder solutions.
Material analysis
We have the possibility to analyze a wide range of material properties in a carbon brush. As a complement to operational tests, we also examine static material properties and parameters such as appearance, content, homogeneity, density, porosity, hardness, resistance, resistivity, thermal expansion, flexural strength and degradation when subjected to excessive currents or temperatures.
Environment
A carbon brush behaves differently in different application environments. In particular, the temperature and humidity have a significant impact. It is equally important to collect and record climatic data such as operating conditions and also parameters such as power current, speed, voltage drop and mechanical losses, which are important when selecting carbon brush grades. Carbex also has access to many climatic chambers where we collect the data and control the ambient environments. We have the possibility to simulate everything from extremely arid climates (i.e. 0.1 g H2O / m3) up to 90% RH (Relative Humidity) at various temperatures.
