EN IEC 60276:2019

Carbon brushes, brush holders, commutators and slip-rings - Definitions and nomenclature

IEC 60276:2018 applies to carbon brushes for electrical machinery. This edition applies only to carbon brushes for commutators and slip-rings in rotating machines. Terms and definitions are relative to the brush construction (references 100’s to 500’s and parts of 900’s) and to the markings when operating on a rotating machine (references 600’s to 800’s). This new edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:  
Some nomenclature has been deleted or added, whereas remaining definitions have been detailed and clarified, to reflect the technical evolution since 1987.
Additional definitions have been included to address the request for reviewing this standard, in particular nomenclature of commutator/slip-rings markings, brush markings and commutation sparks codes.

Definitionen und Benennungen für Kohlebürsten, Bürstenhalter, Kommutatoren und Schleifringe

Balais de charbon, porte-balais, collecteurs et bagues - Définitions et nomenclature

L'IEC 60276:2018 s'applique aux balais de charbon pour machines électriques. Pour le moment, il n'est applicable qu'à des balais de charbon montés sur collecteurs et bagues dans les machines tournantes. Les termes et définitions se rapportent à la construction des balais (numéros de référence 100 et suivants à 500 et suivants et parties 900 et suivantes) ainsi qu'aux états de surface lorsqu'ils sont utilisés sur une machine tournante (numéros de référence 600 et suivants à 800 et suivants). Cette nouvelle édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l'édition précédente:  
Certaines nomenclatures ont été supprimées ou ajoutées, alors que les définitions restantes ont été détaillées et clarifiées, pour refléter l’évolution technique depuis 1987.
Des définitions supplémentaires ont été incluses pour répondre à la demande de révision de la présente norme, en particulier la nomenclature des états de surface des collecteurs/bagues, les états de surface des balais et les cotations des étincelles pour la commutation.

Ogljikove ščetke, držalo ščetk, komutatorji in drsni obroči - Definicije in nomenklatura (IEC 60276:2018)

Ta dokument se uporablja za ogljikove ščetke za električne stroje. Trenutno se uporablja samo za ogljikove ščetke za komutatorje in drsne obroče v rotacijskih strojih. Izrazi in definicije se navezujejo na zgradbo ščetke (sklicevanja na 100–500 in dele 900) ter oznake pri obratovanju v rotacijskem stroju (sklicevanja na 600–800). Z razširitvijo so lahko izrazi in definicije primerni za vse vrste drsnih električnih kontaktov v električnih strojih.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 19-Sep-2019
• Withdrawal Date: 19-Sep-2022
• ICS: 01.040.29 - Electrical engineering (Vocabularies)
• ICS: 29.100.20 - Electrical and electromechanical components
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 2 - Rotating machinery
• Drafting Committee: IEC/TC 2 - IEC_TC_2
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 20-Sep-2019
• Completion Date: 20-Sep-2019
• Directive: 2014/35/EU - Directive 2014/35/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits
• Ref Project: SIST EN IEC 60276:2020 - Carbon brushes, brush holders, commutators and slip-rings - Definitions and nomenclature (IEC 60276:2018)

Relations

• Replaces: EN 60276:1996 - Definitions and nomenclature for carbon brushes, brush-holders, commutators and slip-rings
• Effective Date: 24-Sep-2019

Overview

EN IEC 60276:2019 (identical to IEC 60276:2018) is a vocabulary and nomenclature standard for carbon brushes, brush holders, commutators and slip‑rings used in rotating electrical machines. The document defines terms, symbols and standardized names covering brush construction and the marking of brushes, commutators and slip‑rings when operating on rotating machines. This edition updates and clarifies nomenclature from earlier editions and adds definitions for commutation spark codes and marking conventions.

Key topics

• Scope and application: Applies to carbon brushes for commutators and slip‑rings in rotating machines; terms may extend to other sliding electrical contacts.
• Terms and definitions: Detailed definitions of materials (carbon, carbon‑graphite, electrographite, metal‑graphite, resin‑bonded, metal‑impregnated, etc.) and the concept of a brush grade.
• Symbols and abbreviations: Standard symbols, subscripts and short forms used throughout brush and commutator documentation.
• Nomenclature structure: Systematic numbering of nomenclature sections (e.g., 100s for brush construction, 200s for tops, 300s for flexibles/shunts, 400s for terminals, 500s for commutator/slip‑ring features, 600–800s for markings, 800s for spark evaluation, 900s for miscellaneous).
• Markings and sparking: Definitions and codes for commutator/slip‑ring markings, brush markings (sliding surface, edges, sides, connections) and commutation sparks codes, with an informative annex relating spark characteristics to assessment criteria.
• Technical updates: Clarifies and expands several definitions, deletes or adds nomenclature items to reflect technological developments since the 1987 amendment.

Applications

EN IEC 60276:2019 is essential for:

• Design engineers and manufacturers of motors, generators and rotating machines to ensure consistent terminology in specifications and drawings.
• Carbon brush and brush‑holder producers for product labelling, datasheets and quality documentation.
• Test laboratories and maintenance teams for interpreting spark evaluation, markings and operational reports.
• Procurement and compliance officers ensuring components meet standardized definitions and that documentation is interoperable across suppliers and countries.
• Technical authors and standards developers who need a common vocabulary when creating manuals, inspections procedures or further standards.

Practical benefits include improved clarity in technical communication, easier supplier interchangeability, consistent failure analysis (commutation sparking) and standardized marking interpretation.

Related standards

• IEC 60136 – Dimensions of brushes and brush‑holders for electrical machinery (referenced normative standard).
• IEC 60773 – Test methods and apparatus for measurement of operational characteristics of brushes.

Keywords: EN IEC 60276:2019, carbon brushes, brush holders, commutators, slip‑rings, definitions and nomenclature, commutation sparks, brush markings, rotating machines.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-februar-2020
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 60276:1999
Ogljikove ščetke, držalo ščetk, komutatorji in drsni obroči - Definicije in
nomenklatura (IEC 60276:2018)
Carbon brushes, brush holders, commutators and slip-rings - Definitions and
nomenclature (IEC 60276:2018)
Definitionen und Benennungen für Kohlebürsten, Bürstenhalter, Kommutatoren und
Schleifringe (IEC 60276:2018)
Balais de charbon, porte-balais, collecteurs et bagues - Définitions et nomenclature (IEC
60276:2018)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 60276:2019
ICS:
01.040.29 Elektrotehnika (Slovarji) Electrical engineering
(Vocabularies)
29.100.20 Električni in elektromehanski Electrical and
sestavni deli electromechanical
components
29.160.10 Sestavni deli rotacijskih Components for rotating
strojev machines
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN IEC 60276

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
September 2019
ICS 01.040.29; 29.100.20 Supersedes EN 60276:1996 and all of its amendments
and corrigenda (if any)
English Version
Carbon brushes, brush holders, commutators and slip-rings -
Definitions and nomenclature
(IEC 60276:2018)
Balais de charbon, porte-balais, collecteurs et bagues - Definitionen und Benennungen für Kohlebürsten,
Définitions et nomenclature Bürstenhalter, Kommutatoren und Schleifringe
(IEC 60276:2018) (IEC 60276:2018)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2018-06-12. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2019 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 60276:2019 E
European foreword
The text of document 2/1898/FDIS, future edition 2 of IEC 60276, prepared by IEC/TC 2 "Rotating
machinery" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and approved by CENELEC as
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at national (dop) 2020-03-20
level by publication of an identical national standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with the (dow) 2022-09-20
document have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN 60276:1996 and all of its amendments and corrigenda (if any).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 60276:2018 was approved by CENELEC as a European
Standard without any modification.

Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments)
applies.
NOTE 1  Where an International Publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod), the relevant
EN/HD applies.
NOTE 2  Up-to-date information on the latest versions of the European Standards listed in this annex is available here:
www.cenelec.eu.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year
IEC 60136 -  Dimensions of brushes and brush-holders - -
for electrical machinery
IEC 60773 -  Test methods and apparatus for - -
measurement of the operational
characteristics of brushes
IEC 60276 ®
Edition 2.0 2018-05
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Carbon brushes, brush holders, commutators and slip-rings – Definitions and

nomenclature
Balais de charbon, porte-balais, collecteurs et bagues – Définitions et

nomenclature
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 29.160.01 ISBN 978-2-8322-5680-0

– 2 – IEC 60276:2018 © IEC 2018
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Symbols and abbreviated terms . 7
4.1 Symbols . 7
4.2 Subscripts . 7
5 Nomenclature . 7
5.1 Brushes . 7
5.1.1 101: Body / block . 7
5.1.2 102 to 104: Definitions of t, a and r . 7
5.1.3 105 to 112: Angles . 9
5.1.4 113 to 123: Edges and faces . 11
5.1.5 124 to 136: Brush top . 13
5.1.6 137 to 146: Monobloc, divided or double brushes . 15
5.1.7 147 to 153: Other configurations . 17
5.2 Tops (references No. 201 and following) . 19
5.3 Flexibles (shunts) and other electrical connections (references No. 301 and
following) . 20
5.4 Terminals (references No. 401 and following) . 21
5.5 Commutators and slip-ring (references No. 501 and following) . 22
5.5.1 501 to 512: Commutators. 22
5.5.2 513 to 514: Slip-rings. 24
5.5.3 515: Profile . 24
5.5.4 516: Flat contact . 25
5.6 Commutator and slip-rings markings (references No. 601 and following) . 25
5.7 Brush markings (references No. 701 and following) . 31
5.7.1 701 to 710: Sliding surface markings . 31
5.7.2 711 to 716: Edge/corner markings . 33
5.7.3 717 to 721: Side markings . 34
5.7.4 722 to 727: Connection markings . 36
5.8 Spark evaluation (references No. 801 and following) . 37
5.9 Miscellaneous (references No. 901 and following) . 38
Annex A (informative) Spark codes . 40
A.1 Criteria for assessment of sparking . 40
A.2 Complementary observations . 41
A.3 Relation between spark code and Westinghouse scale . 41

Figure 1 – Elements of the brush for definition of r dimension . 9

Table A.1 – Additional definitions of spark . 40
Table A.2 – Relationship between energy, colour, sound and spark code . 41
Table A.3 – Relationship between spark code and Westinghouse scale . 41

IEC 60276:2018 © IEC 2018 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
_____________
CARBON BRUSHES, BRUSH HOLDERS, COMMUTATORS
AND SLIP-RINGS – DEFINITIONS AND NOMENCLATURE

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
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in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
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transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
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6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
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8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 60276 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 2: Rotating
machinery.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition, issued in 1968 and its
Amendment 1, issued in 1987. It constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
– Some nomenclature has been deleted or added, whereas remaining definitions have been
detailed and clarified, to reflect the technical evolution since 1987.
– Additional definitions have been included to address the request for reviewing this
standard, in particular nomenclature of commutator/slip-rings markings, brush markings
and commutation sparks codes.
– 4 – IEC 60276:2018 © IEC 2018
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
2/1898/FDIS 2/1901/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
IEC 60276:2018 © IEC 2018 – 5 –
CARBON BRUSHES, BRUSH HOLDERS, COMMUTATORS
AND SLIP-RINGS – DEFINITIONS AND NOMENCLATURE

1 Scope
This document applies to carbon brushes for electrical machinery. For the present, it applies
only to carbon brushes for commutators and slip-rings in rotating machines.
Terms and definitions are relative to the brush construction (references 100’s to 500’s and
parts of 900’s) and to the markings when operating on a rotating machine (references 600’s to
800’s).
By extension, terms and definitions may be relevant for any kind of sliding electrical contacts
for electrical machinery.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their
content constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition
cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including
any amendments) applies.
IEC 60136, Dimensions of brushes and brush-holders for electrical machinery
IEC 60773, Test methods and apparatus for measurement of the operational characteristics of
brushes
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
NOTE Brushes are classified according to the class of grade used, as follows.
3.1
grade
brush material used for the brush body, defined by its composition and its physical properties
3.2
carbon
consists of various forms of amorphous carbon, generally made of a mixture of
carbonaceous powders agglomerated with a binder, moulded and baked at suitable
temperature to carbonize the binder
Note 1 to entry: Also named hard carbon (or plain carbon).
Note 2 to entry: The material can contain additives and can be impregnated with oils, wax or resin. This material
contains principally carbon, because it is not graphitized during baking operation.

– 6 – IEC 60276:2018 © IEC 2018
3.3
carbon-graphite
carbographitic
CG
consists of a mixture of po wd er e d amorphous carbon and graphite, agglomerated with a
binder (pitch or resin), moulded and baked at suitable temperature to carbonize the binder
3.4
electrographite
electrographitic
EG
consists of various forms of amorphous carbon (hard carbon or carbon-graphite) converted
during manufacture into artificial / synthetic graphite
3.5
natural-graphite
NG
carbon-graphite grade consisting principally of natural graphite
Note 1 to entry: Sometimes also called soft graphite.
3.6
resin-bonded
bakelite-graphite
BG
consists of powdered carbon and/or graphite bonded with a resin (artificial, synthetic or
natural) and polymerized at suitable temperature
3.7
metal-graphite
metallographitic
MG
consists of a mixture of powdere
...