Enameled Wire VS Silk Covered Wire

Similarities between enameled wire and silk-covered wire

‌1. Both belong to the category of magnetic wire

Both belong to electromagnetic wire, mainly used for conductive and insulating purposes in electrical equipment, such as windings of motors, transformers and other equipment.

‌2. Same conductor material

Both use metal materials (such as copper and aluminum) as the conductive wire core, and the outer layer is added with an insulating layer through different processes to achieve electrical isolation.

‌3. The function of the insulating layer is the same

Although the insulating materials are different (enameled wire is insulating varnish, and silk-covered wire is natural silk, glass fiber and other fiber materials), their core functions are to prevent short circuits between conductors and provide heat resistance, chemical resistance and other protection.

‌4. Application areas

Both are suitable for electrical equipment under high temperature or special environments, such as motor windings, transformer coils and other places. ‌

Difference between enameled wire and silk-covered wire

• 1. The difference in the basic structure of silk-covered wire and enameled wire

Silk-covered wire and enameled wire are both a kind of wire material, mainly used for winding inductor coils and transformers, and are one of the indispensable materials in the production of electronic components. Due to their different insulating materials, all performance and application scenarios are also different.

Silk-covered wire is a coil with a layer of fiber or synthetic fiber wound around the outside of the conductor, which has good insulation performance in high temperature environment.

Enameled wire is an insulating varnish coated on the conductor to increase its insulation performance.

• 2. The difference in materials between silk-covered wire and enameled wire

The insulation layer of silk-covered wire is mainly composed of fiber or synthetic fiber, and there are many types of fibers, mainly including cotton fiber, hemp fiber, polyimide fiber, etc. Because the insulation layer is mainly composed of fiber, it has good insulation performance and high wear resistance in high temperature environment.

The insulation layer of enameled wire is mainly composed of winding wire coated with insulating varnish, which is cured by drying during the processing process. There are many types of insulating varnish, common ones include polyurethane varnish, polyimide varnish, etc. Enameled wire has better insulation performance and chemical corrosion resistance in high temperature environment and harsh industrial environment.

• 3. The difference between the performance of silk-covered wire and enameled wire

Enameled wire usually has a higher temperature resistance level, because the insulating paint can withstand higher temperatures, the paint film of the enameled wire is more uniform, the insulation is better, and it is suitable for high-frequency or high-voltage environments.

The temperature resistance of silk-covered wire is low, and the silk-covered wire has good mechanical strength and is more wear-resistant. Because the outer layer is wrapped in silk, the silk-covered wire has excellent flexibility, is softer, and is easy to bend, which is suitable for scenes that require frequent movement.

• 4. Different applications of silk-covered wire and enameled wire

Enameled wire is often used in high-temperature environments, high-frequency circuits, and miniaturized precision equipment, such as transformers, inductors, motor windings, and other places that require high insulation.

Silk-covered wire is usually used in environments that require flexibility and wear resistance, such as: coil production in high-temperature environments such as motors, electric motors, and transformers, such as the binding of certain motors or low-frequency equipment.

• 5. Cost and process of silk-covered wire and enameled wire

The production process of enameled wire is mature and the cost is low; the cost of silk-covered wire is higher due to manual winding or special weaving requirements.

Original Source:Magnet Wires for Power Industry