Using of copper-graphite brushes

A copper-graphite, or carbon brush, is a technically necessary component of an electric motor. A real user cannot touch or see these brushes, as they are hidden in the motors of the devices, which will be discussed later, but in this article we will try to reveal the principle of operation and the benefits of copper-graphite brushes.

Usually we associate the word "brush" with a toothbrush, a shoe brush, or a brush for cleaning clothes, but not with a small graphite product that makes a motor working. This name was fixed in the middle of the 19th century, when the first electric motors and generators used brushes made of bonded copper wires (copper-braided brushes). Subsequent inventions replaced them with graphite (carbon) blocks, so the concept of "brush" has survived and people continue to use it.

In nature we can meet carbon, which is the basis of the brush, in various forms such as diamond and graphite. Graphite is also produced artificially, such as charcoal used in barbecue or pencil lead. Charcoal is made by steaming and firing wood, and pencil lead is made by molding and firing powdered graphite from mines, but these products are based on carbon. Today, carbon is used in a wide range of inventions, from the manufacture of sports equipment such as tennis rackets and golf clubs to the fuselage of spacecraft, and graphite powder is the main component of carbon brushes.

What is the principle of operation of graphite brushes? The brushes are in contact with the rotating parts of the motor or generator, and perform the function of exciting the current when sliding. Depending on purpose of use, carbon brushes can be divided into rectifying brushes - for DC motors, and current-collecting brushes - for electric motor collectors. In addition to its role as a current conductor, the straightening carbon brush must also suppress the formation of sparks. On the other hand, the role of the carbon brush for collecting current is to excite the rotating commutator. The advantages of copper-graphite brushes are: light weight, corrosion resistance, heat resistance, high heat and electrical conductivity.

Graphite brushes are used in various electrical products that we see in everyday life, such devices as: coffee grinders, drills, chainsaws, vacuum cleaners, mixers, office equipment, door locks, and many, many other products. If we talk about the specialization of our store, then the brushes are used in various automotive components: starters, electric window motors, motors for wipers, sunroofs, seats, all-wheel drive pumps, motors for heaters, stoves, brake master cylinders, clutch actuators, etc. We offer a large selection of copper-graphite brushes in different sizes and at a good price. For wholesale buyers, we can offer a flexible system of discounts.