IEC 60317-0-4:2020

Overview

IEC 60317-0-4:2020 defines the general requirements for glass‑fibre wound, resin‑ or varnish‑impregnated, bare or enamelled rectangular copper wire used as winding wire. This fourth edition (2020) is a technical revision of the 2015 edition and sets dimensional, electrical and mechanical requirements, plus test and inspection methods for these specialty rectangular conductors. The standard is part of the IEC 60317 series and is intended to be read alongside the IEC 60851 winding wire test methods.

Key topics and technical requirements

IEC 60317-0-4:2020 covers the following technical areas (clause numbers correspond to the standard):

• Conductor and overall dimensions (clause 4) - nominal conductor sizes and tolerances; rounding of corners and increases in dimensions due to insulation (see Tables referenced in the standard).
• Electrical resistance and dielectric requirements (clauses 5 and 13) - including breakdown voltage limits. The 2020 edition adds dielectric breakdown requirements for grade 1 enamelled wire (Table 7).
• Mechanical properties and flexibility (clauses 6–8) - elongation, springiness, mandrel winding test and adherence testing for glass‑fibre covered bare and enamelled wires (newly added requirements in 8.2.1 and 8.2.2).
• Thermal and reliability tests (clauses 9, 15) - heat shock, temperature index and related performance checks.
• Durability and chemical resistance (clauses 10–12, 16) - cut‑through, abrasion, solvent resistance, and resistance to refrigerants and transformer oil.
• Manufacturing and quality tests - solderability, heat/solvent bonding, dielectric dissipation, continuity of insulation, pin‑hole testing, loss of mass and packaging requirements.
• Reference data - nominal cross‑section tables and specification sheets for conductor sizes (Annex A and Tables).

Notable 2020 changes:

• Dimensional requirements for grade 1 enamelled wire added (Table 4).
• Dielectric breakdown values for grade 1 enamelled wire added (Table 7).
• New adherence test requirements for glass‑fibre covered wires (clauses 8.2.1, 8.2.2).

Practical applications and who uses this standard

IEC 60317-0-4:2020 is essential for:

• Winding wire manufacturers - to design, qualify and supply glass‑fibre wound, resin/varnish impregnated rectangular copper wire to international specifications.
• Motor, transformer and coil designers - to select conductor sizes and insulation grades that meet mechanical, thermal and dielectric performance for reliable windings.
• Quality and test laboratories - to perform mandated tests (mandrel winding, adherence, breakdown voltage, heat shock, abrasion, solderability).
• Procurement and OEMs - to specify compliant materials in purchase orders and ensure interchangeability across suppliers.

Typical applications include power transformers, motors, inductors and other wound electrical equipment where space‑efficient rectangular conductors and robust insulation systems (glass‑fibre plus impregnation) are required.

Related standards

• IEC 60851 series - Winding wires: test methods (normative companion for test procedures)
• Other parts of IEC 60317 - Specifications for particular types of winding wires
• IEC 60264 series - Packaging of winding wires

Keywords: IEC 60317-0-4:2020, winding wire specifications, glass‑fibre wound rectangular copper wire, enamelled rectangular copper wire, resin impregnated wire, dielectric breakdown, adherence test, mandrel winding, IEC 60851.