Standard Test Method for Determining Interlaminar Resistance of Insulating Coatings Using Two Adjacent Test Surfaces

5.1 This test method is particularly suitable for quality control in the application of insulating coatings. This test method measures the interlaminar resistance of insulating coatings, as defined in 3.1.4. Interlaminar resistance is the measure of the insulating quality of the coating. Interlaminar resistance is reported in units of kΩ.

5.2 The interlaminar resistance determined in accordance with this test method is not the same quantity determined by Test Method A717/A717M.

5.3 This test method is particularly useful for electrical steels coated with inorganic insulating coatings having surface insulation resistivities in excess of 0.3 kΩ·cm² [30 kΩ·mm²] when tested using Test Method A717/A717M (a Franklin current less than 0.02 A). This test method can readily be extended to any range of insulation resistivity that the equipment comprising the two-surface tester allows. For the equipment specified herein, the maximum measurable resistance is 1200 kΩ for the 10-μA current setting and 12 000 kΩ for the 1-μA current setting; the maximum voltage for the test system is 12 V.

5.4 Repeat readings on the same set of two electrical steel laminations using different contact positions, as well as the testing of multiple laminations from the same lot of electrical steel, are recommended. Several readings are suggested because the coating thickness may vary across the surface of a given electrical steel lamination. Additionally, the coating thickness may vary across several laminations taken from the same lot of electrical steel. Such variations in coating thickness are likely to yield variations in the measured interlaminar resistance. The required number of readings depends on the nature of the coating and the accuracy required.