METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TESTING COMMUTATORS

摘要

Methody and apparatus for testing, qualifying and/or evaluating the performance capabilities and/or characteristics of commutators are disclosed. A commutator (C) is preheated, using a heater (51), to a first predetermined temperature, held at a substantially constant temperature, and rotated at increasing speeds, by means of a variable speed motor (25) until the commutator (C) fails. Additional and substantially comparable commutators are preheated to the same predetermined temperature and rotated at increasing speeds until they fail. Additional commutators are preheated to higher temperatures and rotated at increasing speeds, while held at these temperatures, until they fail. Speed/temperature failure data from these tests provide a graph that enables designers to determine appropriate speed and temperature ranges for commutators over a wide range of applications.