Testing Military Grade Magnetics: Transformers, Inductors and Coils

Focus:

Engineers are constantly searching for test methods to qualify or "prove-in" new designs. In the high-reliability world of military parts, design test, qualification tests, in-process tests and product characteristic tests, become even more important. The use of in-process and function tests has been adopted as a way of demonstrating that parts will operate correctly and survive their "use" environments for programs as demanding as the Weapon Reserve Stockpile, which requires that parts be operational after 30 to 40 years without use. This article describes tests used to qualify magnetic components, providing test setups and procedures for testing the current-carrying capability of coils, a next-assembly "as used" test (also called functional test), a corona test and an inductance-at-temperature test. Each of these tests addresses a different potential component failure. Article includes definitions of test classifications.

What you’ll learn:

• How to qualify magnetic components for military and aerospace applications
• How to test the current-carrying capabilities of coils
• How to test for partial insulation breakdown in transformers using the corona test

Notes:

Article also addresses how to measure transformer inductance at temperature extremes; how to perform a functional test on a transformer per customer requirements.

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Author & Publication:

Paul Vrabel, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, How2Power Today, Jan 26 2010

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