ELTEK Labs conducts a wide range of material properties tests to various industry standards.
- Material properties relate to the evaluation of individual materials without long-term thermal aging or other long term exposure.
- These tests relate to materials which may be used as an Electrical Insulating Material (EIM) but are not limited to that specific application.
- Evaluation of materials may consist of measured values as well as observed characteristics of the material while under stress.
- These material properties set the baseline for other lab testing such as Long-Term-Thermal-Aging (LTTA), inclusion into an Electrical Insulation System (EIS), and/or evaluation for compatibility in different environments.
- These property evaluations can be beneficial in production changes, research and development, and product modifications.
General Information
This general category must be separated into specific types of properties as each property, or related group of properties, has different performance evaluation methods and requirements within the application area of the industry.
ELTEK Labs tests all types of materials such as films, papers, tapes, laminated sheets, composite sheets, potting compounds, sleeving, tubing, rigid sheets, insulating oils, powder coatings, magnet wire, single and multi-layered insulated wire, and many others types.
This lab is presented by type of test.
Tracking (Arc tracking)
This group of tracking tests evaluates materials under “dry” stress conditions.
ASTM D495: Standard Test Method for High-Voltage, Low-Current, Dry Arc Resistance of Solid Electrical Insulation
IEC 61621: Dry Solid Insulating Materials – Resistance Test to High-Voltage, Low-Current Arc Discharges
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials – Short Term Property Evaluations
- Section 22: High-Voltage, Low Current, Dry Arc Resistance Performance Level Categories of Solid Electrical Insulation
- Section 24: High-Voltage Arc-Tracking- Rate Performance level Categories of Solid Insulating Materials
- Section 32: High-Current Arc Ignition Performance Level Categories
- Section 33: High-Current Arc Resistance to Ignition Performance Level Categories
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
This group of tracking tests evaluates materials under “wet” or liquid contamination stress conditions.
ASTM D2132: Standard Test Method for Dust-and-Fog Tracking and Erosion Resistance of Electrical Insulating Material
ASTM D2303: Standard Test Method for Liquid-Contaminate, Inclined-Plane Tracking and Erosion of Insulating Materials
- Time to Track
- Initial Tracking Voltage
IEC 60587: Electrical Insulating Materials Used Under Severe Ambient Conditions – Test Methods for Evaluating Resistance to Tracking and Erosion
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials – Short Term Property Evaluations
- Section 23: Comparative Tracking Index and Comparative Tracking performance Level Category of Electrical Insulation Materials
- Section 25: Liquid Contaminate, Inclined- Plane Tracking, and Erosion of Insulating Materials
ASTM D3638: Standard Test Method for Comparative Tracking Index of Electrical Insulating Materials
IEC 60112: Method for the determination of the proof and the comparative tracking indices of solid insulating materials
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Ignition without Application of a Flame
ASTM D3874: Standard test Method for Ignition of Materials by Hot Wire Sources
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials – Short Term Property Evaluations
- Section 31: Hot Wire Ignition – Performance Level Categories
- Section 34: Glow-Wire Ignitability Test
ASTM D6194: Standard Test Method for Glow-Wire Ignition of Materials
IEC 60695: Fire Hazard Testing
- Part 2: Glowing/Hot Wire Based Test Method
- Part 2-10: Glow-wire apparatus and common test procedure
- Part 2-11: Glow-wire flammability test method for end-products
- Part 2-12: Glow-wire flammability method for materials
- Part 2-13: Glow-wire ignitability test method for materials
UL 746C: Polymeric Materials – Use in Electrical Equipment Evaluation
- Section 73: Glow-Wire End-Product Test
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Flammability with Application of a Flame
Flame – Horizontal
ASTM D635: Standard Test Method for Rate of Burning and/or Extent and Time of Burning of Plastics in a Horizontal Position
IEC 60695: Fire Hazard Testing
- Part 11: Test Flames
- Part 10: Test Flames – 50W horizontal and vertical flame test method (Method A / 20 mm flame)
UL 94: Tests for Flammability of Plastics Material for Parts in Devices and Appliances
- Section 7: Horizontal Burning Test; HB (20 mm flame)
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Flame – Vertical
ASTM D229-09b: Standard Test Method for Rigid Sheet and Plate Materials Used for Electrical Insulation
- Sections 61 through 66 Method 1 Burning Rate
ASTM D3801: Standard Test Method for Measuring the Comparative Burning Characteristic of Solid Plastics in a Vertical Position (20 mm / 50 W flame)
IEC 60695: Fire Hazard Testing
- Part 11: Test Flames
- Part 10: Test Flames – 50W horizontal and vertical flame test method (Method B / 20 mm flame)
UL 94: Tests for Flammability of Plastics Material for Parts in Devices and Appliances
- Section 8: 50W (20 mm) Vertical Burning Test; V-0, V-1, or V-2
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Flame – 125 mm / 500 W flame
ASTM D5048: Standard Test Method for Measuring the Comparative Burning Characteristics and resistance to Burn-through of Solid Plastics Using A 125-mm flame
IEC 60695: Fire Hazard Testing
- Part 11: Test Flames
- Part 20: 500W Flame Test Method
UL 94: Tests for Flammability of Plastics Material for Parts in Devices and Appliances
- Section 9: 500W (125mm) Vertical Burning Test; 5VA or 5VB
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Flame – Thin Materials
ASTM D4804: Standard Test Method for Determining the Flammability Characteristics of Nonrigid Solid Plastics
UL 94: Tests for Flammability of Plastics Material for Parts in Devices and Appliances
- Section 11: Thin Material Vertical Burning Test; VTM-0, VTM-1, or VTM-2
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Needle Flame
IEC 60695: Fire Hazard Testing
- Part 11: Test Flames
- Part 5: Needle-flame Test Method Apparatus, Confirmatory Test Arrangement and Guidance
UL 1694: Tests for Flammability of Small Polymeric Component Materials
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Insulation Resistance
ASTM D257: Standard Test Methods for DC Resistance or Conductance of Insulating Materials
- Section 12.1: Insulation Resistance or Conductance
- Section 12.2: Volume Resistivity or Conductivity
- Section 12.3: Surface Resistance or Conductance
IEC 60093: Methods of test for volume resistivity and surface resistivity of solid electrical insulating materials
IEC 60167: Methods of test for the determination of the insulation resistance of solid insulating materials
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials – Short Term Property Evaluations
- Section 21: D-C Resistance or Conductance of Insulating Materials
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Corona Resistance
IEC 60343: Recommended test methods for determining the relative resistance of insulating materials to breakdown by surface discharges
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Dissipation Factor / Dielectric Constant
ASTM D150: Standard Test Method for AC Loss Characteristics and Permittivity (Dielectric Constant) of Solid Electrical Insulation
ASTM D924: Standard Test Method for Dissipation Factor (or Power Factor) and Relative Permittivity (Dielectric Constant) of Electrical Insulating Liquids
ASTM D1531: Standard Test Method for Relative Permittivity (Dielectric Constant) and Dissipation Factor by Fluid Displacement Procedures
IEC 60250: Recommended methods for the determination of the permittivity and dielectric dissipation factor of electrical insulating materials at power, audio and radio frequencies including metre wavelengths
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Electrical Strength
ASTM D149: Standard Test Method for Dielectric Breakdown Voltage and Dielectric Strength of Solid Electrical Insulating Materials at Commercial Power Frequencies
IEC 60243: Electrical strength of insulating materials – Test methods
- Part 1: Test at power frequencies
- Part 2: Additional requirements for tests using direct voltage
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials – Short Term Property Evaluations
- Section 20 – Dielectric Breakdown Voltage and Strength
ASTM D877: Standard Test Method for Dielectric Breakdown Voltage of Insulating Liquids Using Disc Electrodes
ASTM D120: Standard Specification for Rubber Insulating Gloves
- Section 11: Electrical Requirements
- Section 18: Electrical Tests
ASTM D178: Standard specification for Rubber Insulating Matting
- Section 11: Electrical Requirements
- Section 18: Electrical Tests
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Physical Properties
Tensile
ASTM D202: Standard Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Untreated Paper Used for Electrical Insulation
- Section 111 -120 Machine and Cross Direction Tensile Properties
ASTM D638: Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics
ISO 527: Plastics: Determination of tensile properties
- Part 1: General principles
- Part 3: Test conditions for Films and Sheets
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials – Short Term Property Evaluations
- Section 9: Tensile Properties of Thermoplastic Polymeric Materials
- Section 11: Tensile properties of thin polymeric sheeting
ASTM D882: Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting
ASTM D971: Standard Test Method for Interfacial Tension of Oil Against Water by the Ring Method
Impact
ASTM D256: Standard Test Method for Determining the Izod Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastics (Method A Cantilever Beam Test)
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials – Short Term Property Evaluations
- Section 12: Izod Impact Test
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Flexural
ASTM D790: Standard Test Methods for Flexural Properties of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating Materials
ISO 178: Plastics: Determination of Flexural Properties
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials: Short Term Property Evaluations
- Section 15: Flexural Properties of Thermosetting Polymeric Materials
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Compressive
ASTM D695: Standard Test Method for Compressive Properties of Rigid Plastics
ISO 604: Plastics – Determination of compressive properties
Absorption
ASTM D570: Standard Test Method for Water Absorption of Plastics
ISO 62: Plastics – Determination of Water Absorption
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials – Short Term Property Evaluations
- Section 37: Method for Measuring Water Absorption of Polymeric Materials
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Density
ASTM D792: Standard Test Methods for Density and/or Specific Gravity (Relative Density) of Plastics by Displacement
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials – Short Term Property Evaluations
- Section 40: Specific Gravity of Polymers
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Water Transmission
ASTM E96: Standard Test Method for Water Vapor Transmission of Materials
Tests listed in this section are for various specific types of electrical insulating materials
The following methods and Standards have multiple methods referenced with focus on a specific type of insulating materials.
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Magnet Wire / Winding Wire
The evaluation of magnet / winding wire is conducted to testing described in NEMA, ASTM or IEC. The test methods are as harmonized as any category can be; hence the list of tests below can be presented in a color highlighted format.
The test methods are color coded to make the comparison of the NEMA and ASTM methods easy to find. There are two levels of testing:
- Short term performance properties
- Long Term Thermal Aging (LTTA).
This section presents the Short Term tests conducted by ELTEK Labs. The LTTA tests are presented in the RTI – TI section of this site.
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
NEMA 1000 – Magnet Wire
Part 1- Dimensions– Using the guidelines outlined in Part 1 of NEMA 1000 technicians are able to confirm build and AWG, which are useful in determining parameters for further testing.
Dimensions: 1.1 Includes dimensions of bare and film insulated magnet wire; to assist with the determination of build; [single-Heavy-Triple-Quad] and the corresponding wire gauge sizes; the increase in diameter of the bare wire to the various builds due to the film coating applied is used in determining the proof test voltage for some long term projects.
Part 2- Properties and Requirements– A lot of testing requires know the type of magnet wire/winding wire that is being tested, each type of magnet/winding wire listed in the NEMA standard has an outline of requirements that testing must confirm.
Types of Magnet wire / ANSI/ NEMA designations: descriptions of the magnet wire coating insulating material (polyurethane – polyamide- imide, etc…) thermal class assigned, and general requirements.
Part 3 – Test Procedures – The guidelines in part 2 outline the test procedures that need to be followed and the testing to be performed for MW confirmation.
The most common tests are as follows:
1.1 Dimension Chart – outline chart for the confirmation and reporting of dimensional changes due to magnet wire coating
3.2.1.1 Dimensions – procedure for measurement of wire.
3.3.1 Adherence and Flexibility – 20 % elongation of the magnet wire and a mandrel wrap to evaluate the conductor and look for cracks in the film coating due to the stretching of the wire and then the stretched wire being wrapped in a helical manner around a mandrel of a specified size for the gauge.
3.5 Heat Shock – a confirmation of the thermal class rating of the magnet (conducted at 20°C over the thermal class assignment of the magnet wire. Using the specimen of wire from the previous Adherence and Flexibility testing; the coil of wire is placed in an air circulating oven for 30 min, removed, then examined for cracks in the film coating.
3.8.1 Dielectric Breakdown – the average dielectric breakdown of a sampling of magnet wire samples by using [TP] twisted pair specimens, foil wrapping of the conductor, and cylinder (very fine gauge wires) methods. All methods have guidelines for the minimum breakdown outlined in the appropriate sections for that type of testing.
3.9 Continuity – continuity tests are performed to evaluate defects in the insulation of the magnet wire; 100 feet of the magnet wire being evaluated is coiled and placed in a bath of phenolphthalein solution, a low voltage direct current is then applied to the conductor to indicate the number of faults in the film insulation along the length.
3.50 Thermoplastic Flow – test to determine and confirm the cut through” temperature of round film- insulated magnet wire. The temperature at which the insulating film on the specimen of magnet wire deforms sufficiently enough to allow electrical contact.
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Sort Term Magnet Wire Property Evaluation of Film Insulated Magnet Wire ASTM ASTM D1676 – Standard Test Methods for Film-Insulated Magnet Wire
This Test Method presents different procedures for evaluating given properties of film-insulated magnet wire, these tests are intended primarily for the evaluation of the electrical insulating materials used. The intent is that these test methods can be used, except where modified, by individual specifications for particular applications.
Sec. 62-69 Cut Though “Thermoplastic Flow”- determines the thermoplastic flow or deformation of the film insulation of the magnet wire by determining at what temperature the film coating of the specimen deforms sufficiently to allow electrical contact between tow conductors.
Sec. 70-76 Dielectric Breakdown AC Voltage – test method to determine the dielectric breakdown AC voltage, in air, of insulating media on round, rectangular, or square film-insulated magnet wires at commercial power frequencies. Included are twisted pair and foil wrap.
Sec. 100-106 Dimensional Measurement of Conductor and Film-Insulated Magnet Wire – Film-Insulated magnet wire and conductor dimensions are basic parameters used in the design of electrical machinery. The breakdown voltage and other properties are related to the film thickness.
Sec. 122-128 Elongation- Elongation provides a general measure of the ductility (able to be molded or shaped or stretched without breaking) of film-insulated magnet wire. Useful indications of the flexibility and adherence of film insulation to the conductor may be derived from this test.
Sec. 141-148 Film Adherence and Flexibility – Test method procedure for evaluating the adherence and flexibility of the insulating film on the round, rectangular, or square film-insulated magnet wire. A measurement which indicates the degree to which film-insulated magnet wire may be mechanically stressed without visible cracks in the film or loss of adhesion to the conductor.
Sec. 156-162 Heat Shock – Film insulation of magnet wire is stressed during winding and forming operations. It is further stressed by temperature changes in processing of windings, and normal operation of the apparatus. This test is used to evaluate the resistance to cracking of the film insulation upon exposure to rapid temperature changes.
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Varnishes / Impregnating Resins
While Varnish and Impregnating Resins are often interchanged the international meaning of these two descriptions are:
- Varnish should be used for products which while in the liquid state contain solvents. Solvents refer to any component or components which are expected to volatilize, evaporate, out of the liquid in order to facilitate the curing process.
- Impregnating Resins refer to products which while in the liquid state do not contain components which are intended to volatilize or evaporate from the liquid in order for the liquid to complete the curing process.
It is possible for some evaporization to occur, but it is not necessary for evaporization to occur.
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
ASTM
ASTM D2519: Standard Test Method for Bond Strength of Electrical Insulating Varnishes by the Helical Coil Test
ASTM D4882: Standard Test Method for Bond Strength of Electrical Insulating Varnishes by the Twisted-Coil Test
ASTM D5637: Standard Test Method for Moisture Resistance of Electrical Insulating Varnishes
ASTM D5638: Standard Test Method for Chemical Resistance of Electrical Insulating Varnishes
ASTM D3353: Standard Test Methods for Fibrous-Insulated Magnet Wire
ASTM D2756: Standard Test Method for Weight Loss of Electrical Insulating Varnishes
ASTM D3377: Standard Test Method for Weight Loss of Solventless Varnishes
ASTM D4880: Standard Test Method for Salt Water Proofness of Insulating Varnishes OverEnamelled Magnet Wire
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Cotton Fabric
ASTM D295: Standard Test Method for Varnished Cotton Fabrics Used for Electrical Insulation
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Resin-Coated Glass Fabric and Glass Fabric Tapes
ASTM D902: Standard Test Method for Flexible Resin-Coated Glass Fabrics and Glass Fabric Tapes Used for Electrical Insulation
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Tapes
ASTM D1000: Standard Test Method for Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive-Coated Tapes Used for Electrical and Electronic Applications
UL 510: Tapes
Special note: ELTEK Labs conducts all tests in accordance with UL 510. Due to low demand, this specific UL Standard was discontinued as part of our data submittal program. Testing to and in accordance with UL 510 can be conducted for any customer.
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
Polymeric Films
ASTM D2305: Standard Test Method for Polymeric Films Used for Electrical Insulation
Composite Sheet / Laminated Sheet
ASTM D2381: Standard Test Method for Flexible Composite Materials Used for Electrical Insulation
For material properties testing, call 636-949-5835 or request a quote online.
