6/2/2020 Casting Method for Cast Coil and Instrument Transformers

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 Home // Support // Tips & Tricks // Casting Method for Cast Coil and Instrument Transformers

Casting Method for Cast Coil and Instrument Support

Transformers utilizing Epoxy Compounds Epoxy and Urethane

Since the core / coil calculations

assemblies are somewhat FAQ's
different between
manufacturers, the following Health & Safety
recommendations should be Quality & Certifications
used as a starting point in
Terms and Definitions
developing a consistently
repeatable casting process. Tips & Tricks
Crosslink Technology Inc.
Casting Method for Cast
manufactures a number of
casting systems, which are finely tuned to achieve excellent results in terms Coil and Instrument
of crack resistance, partial discharge and accuracy.
Transformers

Depending on the design and construction, whether or not cushioning is Degassing Materials
employed, some devices may require more or less rigid compounds.
Epoxy and Polyurethane

Tips

General Recommendations: Epoxy Casting Tips

Keep the number of sharp edges to an absolute minimum (none is Hand Mixing Urethanes
preferred) by cushioning. Sharp edges can cause micro-cracks in the
How to evaluate Epoxy or
encapsulant during the curing process.
Eliminate protruding sharp edges from the winding insulation. Urethane products
Recommended minimum wall thickness for the encapsulant in any
How to remove cured
area is 3.17 mm (1/8”).
Epoxy or Polyurethane

Recommended Casting Steps for Hand Large Castings

Machining Components
Processing:
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6/2/2020 Casting Method for Cast Coil and Instrument Transformers

Dry the core / coil assembly at 125°C to eliminate any residual Procedure for Vacuum /
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moisture, (this is best accomplished in a vacuum oven but a regular
Pressure Casting Fine
oven is sufficient in most cases). Make sure that the assembly itself
Products
reaches byremains
and Application
at 125°C for atSupport
least 1hr. Multimedia Wire Coils
Make sure the mould is thoroughly cleaned and is free of any residue.
Standard Instructions
Pre-heat the mould to 125°C. Leave in the oven until the pour is ready
Thoroughly mix the resin in its container, (this is necessary to re-mix Surface preparation
any settled fillers and create a homogenous mix)
Urethane Processing Tips
Thoroughly mix the hardener in its own container, (to obtain a
homogenous mix) Vacuum Impregnating
Mixing precautions:
4 Reasons you have epoxy
If mixing with a drill mounted blade, keep the blade below the
surface of the material to minimize air inclusion. and polyurethane curing
If mixing by hand, use a dry steel spatula or equivalent and
issues
minimize turbulence during mixing. Occasionally scrape the
sides and bottom of the container to insure a homogenous mix. Trouble Shooting Guide
Never use wooden sticks since wood contains moisture from the
surrounding air
Pre-heat the resin and hardener to the recommended temperature
(usually 80°C)
Lightly stir each component
Weigh each component into a clean steel container according to the
stated mix ratio within +/- 1%. (i.e.: in the case of CLR 1837 / CLH
5185 -100 parts of CLR 1837: 30 parts of CLH 5185).
The container should be large enough to allow the mix to rise
during de-airing without overflowing the container.
It is best to weigh the resin first and weigh the hardener second.
Thoroughly mix the resin and hardener together, using the above
described technique, to minimize air entrapment during mixing.
Place the mixed material into a suitable vacuum chamber and de-air
under 1 - 4 Millibars of vacuum for 5 minutes or until the coarse
bubbles subside.
Please note that it is not always possible to vacuum mixed
material until bubbles disappear. This is because some
hardeners contain volatile components, which will continue to be
“vacuum stripped” after all the air has been removed.
Remove the pre-heated mould from the oven and apply mould release.
(We recommend a silicone based mould release like our CLA 8000 or
equivalent. If possible, apply the mould release via spray to ensure
complete coverage of hard to get to areas.)
Assemble the part to be cast into the mould, carefully positioning
inserts such as connection pads, to avoid any surfaces to be
embedded in the epoxy from contact with the mould release. (Mould
release contaminated inserts will not adhere to the epoxy and could be
a source of corona).
Check the mould temperature and put back in the oven if necessary to
make sure the whole assembly is at 125°C prior to pouring.
Pour the mixed casting compound into the mould, into one corner only,
slowly, letting the material rise pushing the air ahead of it. (It is critical
to continue pouring into only one spot. Turbulent flow or material
“folding over itself” causes excessive air entrapment.)

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6/2/2020 Casting Method for Cast Coil and Instrument Transformers

Place the filled mould into the vacuum chamber and de-air under 1 – 4
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Millibar for 5 minutes. The vacuum may have to be released
periodically to prevent the material from over flowing. Continue
Products
vacuum byall
until Application Support
coarse bubbles disappear. Multimedia
Transfer the mould into a curing oven, pre-heated to 125°C.
It is important that the mould is transferred into a pre-heated
oven immediately after the de-airing is finished. This is
necessary to maintain the "gellation profile" of the encapsulant.
DO NOT PLACE THE TOOL ON A HEAT SINK, such as a
concrete floor or steel workbench, because any cooling will
change the “gel profile” and alter the resultant shrinkage.
Periodically check the tool in the oven and top up with mixed material
as necessary to replace any shrinkage. (Most mould designs
incorporate a "reservoir" as part of the tool for this purpose)
Post cure as per technical data sheet.

Notes:
For best results, pour under vacuum. This is done by placing the
assembled mould into a vacuum chamber and drawing vacuum on the
mould itself. The mixed material is then introduced into the chamber
(poured through a suitable hose or pipe) to fill the mould. Once the
mould is full, the vacuum is released, applying atmospheric pressure
to the material.
For even better results, cure the material under 20 KPS (80 PSI)
pressure. In this case, pressure is applied during the gellation phase,
compressing any residual gas bubbles in the casting. Compressing
such bubbles will increase the corona inception value.

Key points to remember:

We want to make sure that the core / coil is totally dried out before
casting. This is especially important if the cushioning materials used
are prone to moisture pick up (i.e. paper)
The unit has to be above 100°C to drive off moisture. This may take
several hours.
We want to make sure that all sharp edges are cushioned so we don’t
get “micro cracks” in the casting.
We want to make sure that both resin and hardener containers remain
closed until we are ready to use them (some materials pick up
moisture from the air)
We want to make sure that all fillers are properly mixed in and our mix
is homogenous.
We want to make sure our temperatures are correct. (Do not rely on
the oven controller. They are notoriously inaccurate. Measure the
actual temperature inside the oven.)
We want to make sure that we pour into one corner, slowly, letting the
material rise on its own.)
We want to make sure that we vacuum all the air out of the poured
material.

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6/2/2020 Casting Method for Cast Coil and Instrument Transformers

We want to make sure that we maintain the proper gellation profile

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through accurate temperature control.

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Many of our customers have been able to achieve low enough corona levels
to meet corona free status on their metering transformers, which is a
requirement in North America.

Further improvement using SF6 gas.

Further reduction in corona level is achievable by introducing a quantity of
SF6 gas while pouring under vacuum using the following method:

Place the mould containing the part to be encapsulated into the

vacuum tank.
Draw vacuum on the mould (down to 1 – 4 Millibars)
Connect a bottle of SF6 gas to the venting valve (normally used to
release the vacuum)
Open the venting valve for 30 seconds. This action will reduce the
vacuum to some degree in the chamber but, instead of air, the space
will be filled with SF6 gas. Provided the chamber was not allowed to
come up to atmospheric pressure, the remaining vacuum will be strong
enough to de-air the material as it is introduced through the filling
spout into the mould within the chamber.
Disconnect the SF6 from the vent valve so it can be used as normal to
release the vacuum from the chamber at the end of the pour.
Open the filling valve and slowly fill the mould.

The idea behind this process is to mix SF6 gas into the atmosphere inside
the vacuum chamber thus increasing the dielectric strength of any residual
air that may remain trapped in the casting. This is an effective method of
reducing corona due to trapped air but the gas is expensive. In light of this, it
is advisable to reduce the size of the vacuum chamber by displacing as
much volume as possible using inert materials (i.e. cast epoxy sheets etc.).

Disclaimer
The above information is general in nature and is based solely on experiences by Crosslink
Technology Inc. The recommendations provided herein may not be applicable in all situations.
They are provided to the recipient as part of our customer service and the user must determine
the relevance of the information to his/her application, considering any limitations that may be
applicable thereto. Crosslink Technology Inc. does not accept any liability for direct or
consequential damages resulting from the the implementations of these recommendations or the
use of this information.

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