Screening polymers for use as magnet wire enamels

The evaluation of new magnet wire enamels is a slow and costly process. There are at least one hundred different tests which have been developed by various segments of the electrical industry to determine the suitability of magnet wire enamels. Some of these tests take over a year to complete. A large modern chemical laboratory can synthesize new polymers at an astonishing rate, making complete testing of only a fraction of the polymers practical. This paper deals with the selection of screening tests to determine the best candidates for complete evaluation. Screening test results are compared with the results of more complete later evaluations and finally with commercial experience.