Engineering Services and Testing

We are specialized in engineering of high-quality, high-voltage electrical insulation components made of laminates and fiber composites by combining several materials with different characteristics.

Our main expertise lies in development, design, re-engineering and manufacturing technologies. Other expertise areas include:

• Material competence for thermal, mechanical and electrical behavior of polymers, laminates and fiber reinforced composite materials
• Testing (thermal, mechanical and electrical properties)
• Process technologies
• Consulting regarding design, materials and processing technologies
• 3-D measurements
• Calculation (e.g. FEM)
   

Available testing methods for certificate generation on reuqest:

• Thermal analyses for glass transition temperature (IEC 61006) and thermal expansion (ISO 11359-2)
  • DSC (Hitachi High-Tech - NEXTA DSC600 with autosampler and intracooler)
  • TMA (Hitachi High-Tech - TMA7100 with intracooler)
• Mechanical testing up to 100 kN (e.g. tensile (ISO 527), bending (ISO 178), compression (ISO 604), shear (ISO 14126), peeling) also at increased temperatures up to 200 °C
• Electrical testing (HV-endurance, electrical breakdown (IEC 60243-1), comparative tracking index CTI (IEC 60112))
• Physical properties (e.g. glass content (ISO 1172), water uptake (ISO 62), density (ISO 1183), air tightness, contact angle/surface energy)
• Long-term testing, e.g. after ageing of material (e.g. 30 days at 180 °C)
• Dimensional conformity

Applications

• Electrical insulation components of all shapes and sizes; e.g., for high voltage circuit breakers, switchgear, power conversion and transformers and, but also railway and aerospace
• Laminate components for industrial applications in small and medium-size batches for which automated manufacturing using injection molding systems is not a suitable solution
• Re-fabrication of critical insulation components in case they are not longer available in the marketplace
• Evaluation of samples, prototypes and complex parts

Why Hitachi Energy?

• First choice for repair and maintenance parts made out of fiber reinforced composites
• Short delivery times with express delivery as we machine sample parts in our own factory
• Availability of a wide range of raw materials
• Highest precision for accurate and easy assembly of parts
• Deformation-free insulation materials with superior electrical, dielectric, tracking-resistant and thermal properties, odorless and highly resistant to solvents
• Proximity to Hitachi Energy's research center and universities guarantees access to latest technology and material
• Entire manufacturing sequence for assemblies, from procurement of raw materials for construction of jigs and fixtures to fabrication, assembly and logistics

The manufacturing technologies that we have are:
 

• Various CNC-machines (up to 5 axis)
• Various presses for plate and shaped profile manufacturing
• Various presses for compression molding
• Filament winding (diameter up to 0.76 m, width up to 2 m)
• Vacuum infusion / RTM equipment
• Saws and grinding machines
• Adhesive bonding equipment
• Coating equipment