Company profile
Fabricast
Fabricast, Inc. is a California slip ring maker founded in 1960 and based in South El Monte, now a subsidiary of United Equipment Accessories (UEA). It makes self-contained and brush-block through-bore slip rings with 0.50 to 2.00 in bores, coin-silver rings and speeds up to 10,000 rpm. Contact: +1 626 443 3247.
| Legal name | Fabricast, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1960 |
| Owner / parent | United Equipment Accessories, Inc. |
| Headquarters | South El Monte, CA 91733, United States |
| Website | fabricast.com |
Fabricast contact details
Head office
2511 Seaman AvenueSouth 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
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
| Self-contained slip rings | Housed through-bore rings, 0.50 to 2.00 in bores, up to 24 rings |
|---|---|
| Brush-block slip rings | Separate rotor and brush block with unobstructed through-bores |
| Custom slip rings | Designs to specification for robotics, medical and defence |
| Slip ring brushes | Replacement and custom brushes |
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
- 1960Fabricast founded
- 2025Acquired by United Equipment Accessories (late 2025)
Fabricast 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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Fabricast website?
Fabricast's official website is fabricast.com. It lists its brush-block and self-contained slip rings by bore size with ratings and drawings, slip ring brushes, downloads and specifications, articles, and contact and quote forms.
What is Fabricast's phone number?
Fabricast publishes +1 626 443 3247 on its website. The site uses contact and quote request forms rather than a published email address. Its parent, UEA, can also be reached on +1 319 352 3946 or info@uea-inc.com.
Where is Fabricast based?
Fabricast is at 2511 Seaman Avenue, South El Monte, California 91733, USA (postal address PO Box 3176). It lists no other sites.
Who owns Fabricast?
Fabricast is a subsidiary of United Equipment Accessories, Inc. (UEA) of Waverly, Iowa. UEA's company overview says it acquired Fabricast in late 2025. UEA is family-owned and also owns Alpha Slip Rings and American Reels.
Does Fabricast have a UK distributor?
Fabricast lists no UK office or distributor on the pages we read. UK engineers can use the quote form on fabricast.com. Specify Motion is independent of Fabricast and UEA and can help source these slip rings or propose equivalents.
What does Fabricast make?
Fabricast makes through-bore electrical slip rings in brush-block and self-contained designs with bores from 0.50 to 2.00 in, custom slip rings for robotics, medical and defence use, and slip ring brushes.
Sources
- Fabricast: home page
- Fabricast: slip rings
- Fabricast: self-contained 1.00 in bore slip rings
- Fabricast: contact
- UEA: company overview
Figures are summarised from the sources above and from manufacturers' published data on the date shown. Always confirm against the current datasheet for your exact part.
Spec builder
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- 1Products
- 2Performance
- 3Environment
- 4Volumes
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Engineer support
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