Influence of surface roughness on contact voltage drop of sliding contacts

Usually, sliding contact action is used to supply current to a rotating or a moving object. In the present experiment, we examined the relation between surface roughness condition and contact voltage drop for sliding contacts. We used carbon brush and copper slip ring for sliding materials. It is confirmed that the contact voltage drop tends to decrease for large roughness surface condition of sliding materials. However, in case of the brush surface roughness is same to slip ring surface roughness, the contact voltage drop is increased. The present work has demonstrated that the relation between surface roughness condition and contact voltage drop for electrical sliding contact action.