Enameled wire is a copper or aluminium wire coated with a very thin layer of insulation. The wire itself is most often fully annealed, electrolytically refined copper. There is a big variety of enameled wire types. The different types are described in different standards, such as IEC 60 317, NEMA MW 1000 or JIS C 3202, which sometimes still use different test methods. Different types of enameled wire are important to its applications.
Enameled wire plays an important role in our daily life and industrial electronics. It can be used in many different fields. For example, enameled wire is used in the construction of transformers, motors, generators, headphones, loudspeaker coils, hard drive head positioners, electromagnets, and other devices.
In electric motors. Magnet wire has its unique applications taking advantage of its power to create extremely powerful magnetic fields. Electric motors convert electrical energy into mechanical motion, which usually needs the help of the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors. Moreover, electric motors are found in numerous diverse applications, such as fans, blowers, pumps, machines, household appliances, power tools, and disk drives. Some machines are equipped with enameled wire so that the machines can lift something large and heavy. Not all magnet wire is used to move heavy objects. For example, magnets made from this or otherwise made from copper wire may be used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. MRI machines use large, strong magnets to scan the inside of the human body, which allows doctors to see your soft tissues and organs.
In transformers. Enameled wire is used for certain high-frequency transformers. A transformer means a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through its coils. Transformer windings are normally made from copper but aluminium is a suitable competitor where weight and first cost are decisive factors. Enameled wire is used for the manufacture of transformer in the form of wire for small products and strip for larger equipment. The wire must be strong enough to be wound without breakage for small products. Good ductility is essential for the strip.
