Fabricast

Manufacturer information and published contact details

Fabricast contact details

Head office

2511 Seaman Avenue
South El Monte, CA 91733
United States

Telephone +1 626 443 3247

Website fabricast.com

United Equipment Accessories (parent)

2103 East Bremer Ave.
Waverly, Iowa 50677
United States

Telephone +1 319 352 3946

Email info@uea-inc.com

Web uea-inc.com/contact

Show Fabricast headquarters on the map Open in Google Maps →

Contact details as published by United Equipment Accessories, Inc., checked 2026-10-30. Specify Motion is not affiliated with United Equipment Accessories, Inc..

Fabricast product lines

Who Fabricast is

Fabricast is a Californian maker of electrical slip rings with unobstructed through-bores. Its standard products are built around four bore sizes (0.50, 1.00, 1.50 and 2.00 in) in two formats: a self-contained housed ring and a brush-block design with a separate rotor. It also builds custom rings, which it positions for robotics, medical and defence use, and sells slip ring brushes.

UEA describes Fabricast’s products as high-speed, high-rpm precision slip rings for instrumentation and power, which is reflected in its 10,000 rpm rating on the 1.00 in range.

History and ownership

Fabricast was founded in 1960. The legal entity is Fabricast, Inc., at 2511 Seaman Avenue, South El Monte, California. In late 2025 it was acquired by United Equipment Accessories (UEA), a family-owned Iowa company founded in 1952 that also owns Alpha Slip Rings and American Reels. Fabricast’s website now describes it as a UEA subsidiary.

Product portfolio

Self-contained slip rings

The self-contained through-bore slip rings come in 0.50, 1.00, 1.50 and 2.00 in bores. Fabricast publishes full ratings for the 1.00 in range:

• 2 to 24 rings (models 1982 to 19824);
• 5 A per ring as standard, or 10 A with four brushes per ring;
• 60 V standard, with options up to 1,000 V and a 1,000 V AC hi-pot test;
• up to 8,913 rpm with FAG180 brushes, or 10,000 rpm with FAG150 brushes subject to an environment review;
• contact noise of 10 mΩ (5 A) or 5 mΩ (10 A);
• 1 Gb Ethernet capability and a hard-vacuum option.

Rings are solid coin silver, brushes are silver graphite, and the rotor is a one-piece aluminium sleeve with moulded dielectric.

Brush-block slip rings

The brush-block slip rings use the same bore sizes but supply the rotor and brush block separately, for building into the customer’s own housing. Fabricast does not list their electrical ratings on the overview page, so confirm them per model.

Technologies

Fabricast’s combination of coin-silver rings and silver-graphite brushes is a classic choice for slip rings that must carry both power and low-noise signals at speed. Silver gives low contact resistance, and graphite lubricates the contact. The hard-vacuum option matters for space simulation and vacuum process equipment, where ordinary lubricants and materials outgas.

See how slip rings work, capsule vs through-bore vs pancake slip rings and how to select a slip ring.

Industries served

Fabricast’s home page names robotics, medical and defence for its stock and custom rings, and UEA describes Fabricast’s rings as suited to instrumentation and power. High speed and vacuum options also suit test rigs and high-speed spindles.

Worked example: a spin test rig

A rotating test article needs eight thermocouple and strain-gauge channels plus 5 A of heater power at 6,000 rpm, with a 25 mm shaft through the middle. The 1.00 in (25.4 mm) self-contained range offers up to 24 rings and up to 8,913 rpm with standard brushes, so a ten-ring model (19810) covers the eight signals and two power rings. Check that the 25 mm shaft clears the 25.4 mm bore with a suitable fit, or move to the 1.50 in bore.

Things that catch engineers out

• Bore clearance. A nominal 1.00 in bore leaves little room around a 25 mm shaft; allow for tolerances and keys.
• Speed and brush grade. The 10,000 rpm figure applies to FAG150 brushes and is subject to review of the environment.
• Brush-block alignment. Separate rotor and brush designs need accurate concentricity in your housing to reach their rated life.

Choosing between the two formats

Choose the self-contained version when you want a tested, aligned unit that drops onto a shaft. Choose the brush-block version when space is tight, when you want the ring inside an existing housing, or when you are building enough machines to justify controlling the alignment yourself.

Reading the noise figure

Fabricast quotes contact noise in milliohms: 10 mΩ for 5 A rings and 5 mΩ for 10 A rings. This is the variation in contact resistance as the ring turns. For a thermocouple or strain-gauge bridge carrying microamps, that variation is negligible; for a 5 A heater circuit it produces a small voltage ripple. Put sensitive signals on dedicated rings away from power circuits.

Global and UK presence

Fabricast lists only its South El Monte facility and no UK office or distributor. UK engineers can request quotes through its website or contact UEA.

What to send when specifying a slip ring

Send the bore or shaft size, number of circuits, current and voltage per circuit, signal and data types, speed, environment (including vacuum) and mounting arrangement.

Specify Motion is independent of Fabricast and UEA and is not a distributor for either. Our engineers can help source Fabricast slip rings or propose equivalents from our supply network on published figures; see find a replacement or the slip rings hub.

Fabricast history: key dates

1. 1960Fabricast founded
2. 2025Acquired by United Equipment Accessories (late 2025)

Fabricast slip rings

Through-bore slip rings

Self-contained through-bore slip rings

Housed through-bore slip rings with 0.50 to 2.00 in bores; the 1.00 in range offers 2 to 24 coin-silver rings at 5 A (10 A option), 60 V standard up to 1,000 V, up to 10,000 rpm and 1 Gb Ethernet capability.

Open and frameless slip rings

Brush-block slip rings

Separate rotor and brush-block slip rings with unobstructed 0.50, 1.00, 1.50 and 2.00 in through-bores for integration into the customer's own housing.