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This section provides an overview for current collectors as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 16 current collector manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked current collector companies as of January, 2025: 1.Multitech Systems, 2.American Crane & Equipment Corp., 3.CMK Electro Power Private Limited..
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Engaged in research on nitride semiconductor growth using the MBE method at Waseda University Graduate School. After graduating from graduate school in 2016, he joined a non-ferrous metal manufacturer.
Engaged in equipment maintenance and engineering work at metal smelting plants. Moved to a chemical manufacturer in 2022. Engaging in similar tasks.
A current collector is a device used to supply electricity from an electric wire to a train or other transport device while it is running.
It is used as a power feeder for cranes, hoists, etc. in factories. Trolley wires are placed on the ceiling or sides of the track of the transport equipment, and current collector wheels and shoes are connected to the trolley to collect the power.
There are various types of current collectors, including pantographs commonly used on trains, pole collectors for cranes and hoists, and trolley poles.
Current collectors are primarily used in self-propelled industrial and commercial equipment. Specific uses include the following:
They are mainly used to move heavy machinery and equipment on a constant track. Current collectors require wires to be stretched, so they can only be used on predetermined tracks.
Current collectors consist of the following parts: current collectors, arm, and insulator.
The current collectors are the part that actually contacts the bare wire. It contacts the current-carrying point and conducts electricity. For this reason, alloys such as copper, tin, and carbon, which conduct electricity easily, are used. Since it is worn by contact, it needs to be replaced periodically.
The arm bar is the part that supports the electron collector while pressing it against the bare wire. A spring is used to press the current collectors against the wire. It is characterized by the fact that it has some play to cope with the impact of running.
The insulator prevents this voltage from being applied to the traveling equipment. If voltage is applied to the running gear, it is very dangerous because it can cause equipment failure or electrical shock. Insulation by insulators prevents such accidents.
There are various types of current collectors, of which pantographs, pole collectors, and trolley poles are three typical examples.
Pantographs are applied to various types of rolling stock and are the most common type of current collectors. There are two main types: the wheel type and the shoe type.
The wheel type collects power when the wheel contacts the overhead wires and has high arc resistance. On the other hand, the shoe type has a plate-shaped shoe in contact and provides a stable supply.
The wheel of the pole collector makes contact with the bare trolley wire and collects power.
These current collectors were often used in trolleybuses and railroads in the past. It is made of iron or other metal pipe and energizes when the trolley wheel at the end comes into contact with an overhead line. Although the structure is simple, the number of trolley wheels is on the decline because of their tendency to separate from the overhead wires. It is applied to cranes in factories.
Trains run by rotating motors that use electric energy. There are many vehicles in the world, but it is surprisingly unknown that trains are the only vehicles that do not carry their own energy.
The reason for this is the performance and distance that trains can travel. If you want to run a heavy vehicle for a long time and over a long distance on electricity, batteries do not have enough energy capacity. A generator would be excessive, and energy for power generation would have to be provided separately. Therefore, if the vehicle is to be operated over a long distance, it must be replenished along the way.
Due to the above limitations, it was determined that the most efficient way to get electricity is to take it from an overhead line that has been electrified. Based on this idea, current collectors were invented as devices to collect electricity from overhead wires.
Current collectors have been used in electric trains since their commercialization, including Japan's first commercial train, which opened in 1895. The current collector at that time was a trolley pole with a single pole, which was replaced by a trolley pole with two poles when the two-wire overhead system was introduced.
However, the trolley pole must be manually operated by the conductor at junctions to prevent derailment. The pole must also be raised or lowered when changing the direction of travel. Therefore, as technology advanced, trolley poles gradually fell into disuse. As time progressed, view gels and pantographs were introduced to solve and improve various problems related to overhead wires and operation. Today, pantographs are widely used, and in Japan, pantographs are used almost exclusively.
When pantographs were first introduced, only foreign pantographs were available, but after much trial and error by domestic manufacturers, domestic pantographs became the mainstream. Even now, improvements are being made to improve the functions and performance of pantographs.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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American Crane and Equipment Corporation has a 50-year history and is headquartered in Douglassville, Pennsylvania. American Crane is a manufacturer of electric overhead cranes, electric wire rope hoists, and overhead material handling equipment used in aerospace, nuclear, transit, construction, and other industries. American Crane offers new equipment, used equipment, and parts. American Crane's product line includes crane systems and parts, hoists, crane systems, and tractors. American Crane also provides custom equipment upon request. American Crane also offers services including field service, testing, support, and equipment upgrades.
BudgitHoist.com is headquartered in Forest Lawn, Illinois and is owned and operated by Sievert Electric Service and Sales Company. Sievert Electric is a distributor for Budgit Hoist who is the producer. BudgitHoist produces 1/4 to 3t electric chain hoists, air chain hoists, trolleys, repair parts, and other accessories. BudgitHoist offers additional services such overhead crane design sales, service, and repair, as well as electrical repairs and new construction. Additionally, BudgitHoist offers communication installations, repairs, and maintenance, as well as scoreboard installation repair and construction.
TOYO DENKI SEIZO K.K. founded in 1918 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer that is engaged in three main areas of business that includes transportation systems, industrial systems, and information systems. They provide electrical equipment such as motors, generators, transformers, and control systems. These products cater to various industries including manufacturing, energy, and transportation. Their products are utilized in applications such as industrial machinery, power generation, and transportation systems. The company also answers customer inquiries through postal, mail, and telephone contact.
Resonac Corporation is a Japanese chemical manufacturer and supplier, catering to various industries was established in June 1939. Resonac Corporation has developed expertise in electronics, mobility, high-performance materials, olefins and derivatives, basic chemicals, graphite, device solutions, and life sciences. Serving a diverse range of industries, their product portfolio includes inorganics, aluminum, electronics, chemicals, and inorganic materials. With its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, the company provides innovative solutions and products tailored to diverse customer needs. Resonac Corporation is recognized for its advanced technologies in the industry.
Multitech Systems, established in 2012 and based in Haryana, India, is a manufacturer and supplier of various industrial thruster brakes. The company's product consist of limit switches, resistance boxes, pendant control, rail festoon systems, as well as thruster brakes and master controllers. It also provides mill duty thruster brakes for EOT cranes and other applications with varying dimensions and oil capacity. The company offers product customization services based on the specific needs and requirements of its customers.
Totan Kako Co. Ltd. was established in 1984 in Japan as a manufacturer of electric carbon brushes. The company designs various carbon brushes for different applications such as long-life brushes for Power Tools that are used in drills, angle-grinders, and disc-grinders along with brushes for high-speed motors, commuter motors, and for industrial applications in DC motors, Induction motors, and Synchronous motors. The products are relevant to many industries like home appliances, railways, automobiles, office automation equipment, and more.
Mersen Electrical Power, founded in 1891 and located in La Défense, France, is a manufacturer of electrical power and advanced materials. The company’s products include low-voltage switches, DC distribution fuses, bus bars, capacitors, and fuse holders. The products are used in building, electric vehicles, energy, semiconductor, and infrastructure industries. The company has certifications like UL, ISO 9001, CSA, ISO 14001, and CE. The company has FTCAP, Idealec, Cirprotec, Eldre, and Ferraz Shawmut brands.
CMK Electro Power Private Limited., established in 2012 and based in Rajkot, India, is a manufacturer of material handling and control equipment. It offers products such as bus bar systems, festoon systems, industrial brakes, EOT cranes, as well as crane components like radio remote control and weighing scale. The company's products find ideal applications in the for foundry, mining, paper, and cement industry. It exports to many countries including Nepal, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, and Vietnam, and also offers repair and AMC services.
Redoxme AB was founded in 2015 as a manufacturer of laboratory instrumentation with its headquarters in Sweden. The company provides equipment for electrochemical and photo-electrochemical research of simultaneous in-situ measurement of various signals, such as optical, thermal, and electrochemical, on thin film and membrane materials. Some of the applications of the company’s products include organic electronics, energy storage, corrosion, and biosensors which are performed in laboratories, universities, and fields of material sciences.
MacCabe Electric Conductors, Inc. is a manufacturer, headquartered in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania, specializing in electrification systems for industry. The company supplies complete electrification systems for material handling, electro-coating, overhead and gantry cranes, and various other applications. Its product line, including conductor bars, festoon systems, cable reels, slip rings, and specialty collectors, enables effective electrical connectivity for different applications. Furthermore, the company's custom design, fabrication, and assembly services contribute to tailoring solutions that meet specific power transmission needs across industries.
N B M Industries has been a manufacturer and supplier of crane accessories and power transmissions since it was established in Gujrat, India in 2006. The company provides rail systems and busbar systems, crane current collectors, crane accessories like PVC-insulated galvanized busbars, pole hanger clamps, expansion joints, and more. There are also various other components and equipment such as wire rope trolleys, crane pendant stations, etc. for small hoists and application of control circuits serving renewable energy power plants, steel producers, petrochemicals, textiles industries, and more.
Powermech Engineering was established in 1997 as a manufacturer and supplier of crane parts and accessories based in Chennai, India. The company offers current collectors, limit switches, AC and DC electromagnetic brakes, Conventional tapper rotor hoist parts, resistors, and much more along with systems and solutions used for material handling, automation, storage technology, and related. The products and services range finds its application in automotive, aerospace, heavy machinery, and general engineering industries.
STEMMANN-TECHNIK is a manufacturer and supplier of energy and data transfer components and systems based in Germany since 1912. The company's product line includes cable festoon systems, cable reels, slip ring assemblies, and conductor lines for use in cranes, hoisting devices, conveyors, environmental engineering, and workshop equipment for data and power transmission. The company also deals in roof-mounted pantographs, stinger systems, ground contacts, and 3rd rail current collectors that are essential equipment for tram lines, metropolitan railways, metros, traction units for energy and control parameters, hydraulic oil and coolants, and various other applications serving the railways and many other industries.
Schunk Transit Systems is a supplier of power transmission technologies based in Germany since 1965 The company offers products and system solutions for power transmission, charging, and grounding for mobility on rail and road which comprises Pantographs for local transport, metro, high-speed rail freight transport, and current collectors. There are also automated charging devices for electric vehicles, 3rd rail current collectors, grounding systems, and spare parts to provide solutions to the railway and electric vehicle industries.
Ranking as of January 2025
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | STEMMANN-TECHNIK GmbH |
13.4%
|
| 2 | Multitech Systems |
12.0%
|
| 3 | American Crane & Equipment Corp. |
10.9%
|
| 4 | Schunk Transit Systems GmbH |
8.5%
|
| 5 | CMK Electro Power Private Limited. |
7.0%
|
| 6 | Redoxme AB |
7.0%
|
| 7 | Budgit Hoist |
6.7%
|
| 8 | MacCabe Electric Conductors, Inc. |
6.7%
|
| 9 | Resonac Holdings Corporation. |
6.0%
|
| 10 | Mersen Electrical Power |
4.9%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the current collector page as of January 2025. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
3 | 30.0% |
|
India
|
3 | 30.0% |
|
United States of America
|
2 | 20.0% |
|
Germany
|
2 | 20.0% |
15 products found
15 products
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
100+ people viewing
Last viewed: 33 minutes ago
■For high-speed monorail carts. V-type conductor with large contact area. Power supply is stable even at high speeds, preventing troubles such as d...
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
80+ people viewing
Last viewed: 8 hours ago
■For powering transport vehicles and monorails. Multi-wire batch type saves space. It can also handle curved lines and lines with transitions, and ...
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
80+ people viewing
Last viewed: 8 hours ago
Can be constructed up to 100m without seams. Single-wire insulated trolley, easy to install. It can be laid for 100m without any seams, and variou...
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
70+ people viewing
Last viewed: 8 hours ago
For space-saving power supply for hoists and cranes. Multi-wire all-in-one type requires less installation space and is extremely speedy to instal...
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
70+ people viewing
Last viewed: 39 minutes ago
■Especially for lines that require high capacity. Easy installation by simply joining the 3m main body using a single-wire insulated trolley. Vario...
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
80+ people viewing
Last viewed: 6 hours ago
The collector and lead wire can be attached and detached with one touch.
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
70+ people viewing
Last viewed: 9 hours ago
The collector and lead wire can be attached and detached with one touch.
Wave Energy Co., Ltd.
30+ people viewing
Last viewed: 21 minutes ago
Low voltage AC intermediate current collector. Up to 6 input circuits. ■Features ・Can be installed under the module ・Improved workability ・Redu...
Hataya Limited Co., Ltd.
80+ people viewing
Last viewed: 15 hours ago
Hataya OKS slip ring that can be used for many purposes. Hataya OKS slip rings are used in a wide range of fields as current collectors to supply ...
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
50+ people viewing
Last viewed: 17 hours ago
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
60+ people viewing
Last viewed: 17 hours ago
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
60+ people viewing
Last viewed: 11 hours ago
A part of the trolley that collects current by touching the conductor directly. Replace when worn. The standard for replacement is a mileage of 300...
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
60+ people viewing
Last viewed: 11 hours ago
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
60+ people viewing
Last viewed: 17 hours ago
Denzai Industries Co., Ltd.
60+ people viewing
Last viewed: 17 hours ago
This is a replacement part when the current collector on the current collecting arm becomes worn out. One set has as many current collectors as the...
