Magnet wire is insulated copper or aluminum wire that produces an electromagnetic field when energized. It can transform energy in three ways and is used in appliances, machinery, and generators. Copper is the most common material, with insulation varying by temperature. The enamelled insulation process was developed by George Jacobs during World War II.
Magnet wire is fine-insulated wire made of purified and fully annealed copper or aluminum. When wound and energized by an electrical power source, the wire will produce an electromagnetic field. Almost all electricity must be routed through an electromagnetic field to convert from one form of energy to another. Magnet wire can be used to transform energy in three different ways: from one form of electrical energy to another, from mechanical energy to electrical energy, and from electrical energy to mechanical energy.
Appliances that transfer power from one voltage and amperage to another voltage and amperage use magnet wire to accomplish this. Examples are transformers, electrical controls, and power generation. An automobile’s ignition coil converts the 12 volts of a car battery into the thousands of volts needed to start the car.
Magnet wire is involved in the transfer of electrical energy into mechanical energy. Examples are machinery and electric motors. Advances in the development and production of magnet wire contributed to the mass construction of electric motors, greatly influencing the growth of production in the twentieth century.
A third application is the conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy. Generators are machines that use electromagnetic coils to produce electricity. A coil of wire rotates between two magnetic poles, producing an electric current that increases and decreases as the coil moves towards and away from each magnetic pole, changing direction as it approaches a pole. This type of current is alternating current or AC.
Most magnet wire is made from copper, a highly conductive material that can be produced in very fine gauges ranging from a few microns to several centimetres. Sometimes aluminum is used in large transformers or motors. Since aluminum is not as conductive as copper, it is typically square or rectangular, as it needs more diameter to approach a similar resistance to copper.
Modern insulation material varies depending on the temperature at which it will be used. One to three layers of polymer is suitable for most applications, even when used in high heat situations. Glass is used for wires used in electric generators, engines and mining equipment. Paper liners are used for oil filled and utility transformers.
Initially, the enameled wire was insulated with cloth. Inventor George Jacobs, founder of Dudlo Manufacturing, developed the enamelled insulation process which made it possible to produce copper wire in thin gauges. During World War II, magnet wire production increased to meet the demand for transformers, telephone wires, X-ray machines, military trucks, and B-24 bomber wiring.
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