In an effort to help attendees experience the benefits of its Canted Coil Spring technology first-hand, Bal Seal Engineering, Inc. gave away special two-piece demonstration keychains at the IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference. The keychains, which contained small working versions of the Bal Seal spring, were handed out to qualified visitors at the company's Booth #1204.
According to Shawn Noh, a Bal Seal Global Energy Market Manager, the promotional items were "effective and engaging tools" for communicating the unique mechanical and electrical properties of the spring to design engineers and manufacturers in the power transmission and distribution industry.
"The keychain's design allows a clear view of the spring deflection when it's assembled," Noh explained. "Engineers can see each of the coils acting independently, and they immediately understand how this allows our spring to accommodate large tolerances between two contacting bodies. This ability, coupled with the spring's high power density, offers huge benefits to makers of power transmission and distribution equipment."
Originally developed as an energizing component for seals made from PTFE and other polymers, Bal Seal's Canted Coil Spring has been used as a connecting and conducting solution in energy applications for nearly a decade. The spring's capacity to function as a high-performance electrical contact -- and its inherent ability to compensate for misalignment and surface irregularities -- has led to its widespread use in breakers, three-point switches, busbars and other types of equipment used to carry and deliver electric power. More recently, the spring has been employed as a high current contact in connector and generator components for wind and solar power.
Noh, who was working at the Bal Seal exhibit during both days of the IEEE event, said visitors walked away with one of his company's custom keychains "simply by having a brief conversation" with him about their electrical connecting needs.
