MWS Wire /
Bondable magnet wire, also referred to as self-bonding magnet wire, is film insulated wire top-coated with a thermoplastic adhesive. When activated, the thermoplastic bonds turn to turn windings to produce self-supporting coils or coils of unusual or difficult configurations. Use of bondable magnet wire may offer advantages over conventional magnet wire in certain winding applications, eliminating the need for bobbins as well as taping or varnishing steps. Activation of the bondcoat may be achieved with either heat, or in some cases solvent, or a combination of the two.
Although bondcoats may be added to any conventional film, consideration should be given to the re-softening temperature of the adhesive in that it may not withstand the operating temperature of the higher rated primary insulations.
Bondable Magnet Wire Technical Data
Bond Coats
Butyral
SOLVENT ACTIVATION: Alcohol
BONDING TEMP (°C)*: 110 - 140
SOFTENING TEMP (°C)**: 105
Epoxy
SOLVENT ACTIVATION: MEK or Acetone
BONDING TEMP (°C)*: 150 - 200
SOFTENING TEMP (°C)**: 130
Polyester Bond
SOLVENT ACTIVATION: None
BONDING TEMP (°C)*: 190 - 210
SOFTENING TEMP (°C)**: 130
Polyamide Bond (999)
SOLVENT ACTIVATION: None
BONDING TEMP (°C)*: 200 - 230
SOFTENING TEMP (°C)**: 180
* May vary based on wire size and coil design
** Most room temperature bond strength lost at this point
Product Spotlight
Solderable Insulations
Polyurethane Bondable - 155 (PB155)
NEMA STANDARD (NW1000): MW131
IEC STANDARD (60317): 60317-35
FEDERAL SPECIFICATION: NONE
Polyurethane Nylon Bondable -155 (PNB155)
NEMA STANDARD (NW1000): MW136/MW29
IEC STANDARD (60317): NONE
FEDERAL SPECIFICATION: NONE
Solderable polyurethane or polyurethane with nylon overcoat and a superimposed thermoplastic butyral film for coils requiring Class F service.
• Coils may be bonded by heat or with isopropyl alcohol.
• Generally made as Type 1 insulation build equal to heavy overall diameter.
Applications: Voice coils, helical coils, inductors, self-supporting coils
Colors Available: Red, Green, Natural, Blue, Yellow, Black, Violet, Orange, White, Brown
Polyurethane -180 (PB180)
NEMA STANDARD (NW1000): MW132
IEC STANDARD (60317): NONE
FEDERAL SPECIFICATION: NONE
Insulation with superimposed thermoplastic film combining high
thermal resistance, solderability, and self-bonding features
Applications: Self-supporting coils, relays, voice coils
Polyurethane Nylon Bondable - 180 (PNB180)
NEMA STANDARD (NW1000): MW137
IEC STANDARD (60317): NONE
FEDERAL SPECIFICATION: NONE
Dual insulation system with superimposed thermoplastic film combining high thermal resistance, solderability, and self-bonding features.
Applications: Self-supporting coils, relays, voice coils
Colors Available: Red, Green, Natural, Blue, Yellow, Black, Violet, Orange, White, Brown
Solderable Polyester Bondable (SPTB)
NEMA STANDARD (NW1000): NONE
IEC STANDARD (60317): 60317-36
FEDERAL SPECIFICATION: NONE
Combines characteristics of various class 180°C film insulations with self-bonding feature.
• Bonding method depends on choice of bond coat.
• May be made as Type 1 (heavy diameter) or Type 2 (triple diameter) construction.
Applications: Voice coils, inductors, yoke coils, small motors
Colors Available: Red, Green, Natural, Black
Polyesters Non Solderable
Polyester-imide Bondable (PTB)
NEMA STANDARD (NW1000): NONE
IEC STANDARD (60317): 60317-37
FEDERAL SPECIFICATION: NONE
Combines characteristics of various class 180°C film insulations with self-bonding feature.
• Bonding method depends on choice of bond coat.
• May be made as Type 1 (heavy diameter) or Type 2 (triple diameter) construction.
Applications: Voice coils, inductors, yoke coils, small motors
Colors Available: Red, Green, Natural, Black
Polyester-amide-imide - 200 Bondable (APTB)
NEMA STANDARD (NW1000): MW102
IEC STANDARD (60317): 60317-38
FEDERAL SPECIFICATION: NONE
Combines characteristics of various class 180°C film insulations with self-bonding feature.
• Bonding method depends on choice of bond coat.
• May be made as Type 1 (heavy diameter) or Type 2 (triple diameter) construction.
Applications: Voice coils, inductors, yoke coils, small motors
Colors Available: Red, Green, Natural, Black
High Temperature
Polyimide - ML* + Bond
High performance Polyimide with the addition of a bond coat.
Colors Available: Red, Green, Natural, Black
Solvent Bonding
Some bondcoats can be activated by applying certain solvents during or after the coil winding process. Application of the solvent, usually via saturated wick during winding, causes the bond coat to reflow. The process requires the use of a fixture to hold the coil in place while the solvent is drying. Once dry, the coil should be heated to dry off any residual solvent which might cause long-term coil failure, as well as to complete the bonding process.
Heat Bonding
All bondcoats can be heat bonded, either by oven-heating or by directing hot air on to the wire during winding. In either case, the principle is to heat the winding slightly above the bondcoat's reflow temperature and then cool it below its rated bond strength temperature. Oven bonding is accomplished by heating the coil for a period of time sufficient to obtain uniform heating throughout the winding, followed by a cooling cycle. Heating time is generally 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the winding. Disadvantages of oven bonding are the longer bonding time as well as the potential need for many winding fixtures. Hot air bonding, though done typically at slower winding speed, has the advantage of the elimination of a secondary bonding operation. This method is cost effective and usually associated with low temperature bondcoats and wire sizes smaller than 34 gauge.
Resistance Bonding
All bondcoats can be heat bonded, either by oven-heating or by directing hot air on to the wire during winding. In either case, the principle is to heat the winding slightly above the bondcoat's reflow temperature and then cool it below its rated bond strength temperature. Oven bonding is accomplished by heating the coil for a period of time sufficient to obtain uniform heating throughout the winding, followed by a cooling cycle. Heating time is generally 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the winding. Disadvantages of oven bonding are the longer bonding time as well as the potential need for many winding fixtures. Hot air bonding, though done typically at slower winding speed, has the advantage of the elimination of a secondary bonding operation. This method is cost effective and usually associated with low temperature bondcoats and wire sizes smaller than 34 gauge.
Values below derived from NEMA 2020 Standard
| Size (AWG) | Bare Wire Diameter (Inches) | Type 1 | Type 2 | Size (AWG) | ||||||||
| Min. Increase in Diameter (Inches) | Overall Diameter (Inches) | Min. Increase in Diameter (Inches) | Overall Diameter (Inches) | |||||||||
| Min. | Nom. | Max. | Film Coat | Bond Coat | Min. | Max. | Film Coat | Bond Coat | Min. | Max. | ||
| 14 | .0635 | .0641 | .0647 | .0016 | .0006 | .0657 | .0682 | .0032 | .0006 | .0673 | .0698 | 14 |
| 15 16 17 18 19 | .0565 .0503 .0448 .0399 .0355 | .0571 .0508 .0453 .0403 .0359 | .0577 .0513 .0458 .0407 .0363 | .0015 .0014 .0014 .0013 .0012 | .0006 .0006 .0006 .0006 .0006 | .0586 .0523 .0468 .0418 .0373 | .0610 .0545 .0488 .0437 .0391 | .0030 .0029 .0028 .0026 .0025 | .0006 .0006 .0006 .0006 .0006 | .0601 .0538 .0482 .0431 .0386 | .0625 .0560 .0502 .0450 .0404 | 15 16 17 18 19 |
| 20 21 22 23 24 | .0317 .0282 .0250 .0224 .0199 | .0320 .0285 .0253 .0226 .0201 | .0323 .0288 .0256 .0228 .0203 | .0012 .0011 .0011 .0010 .0010 | .0005 .0005 .0005 .0005 .0005 | .0334 .0298 .0266 .0239 .0214 | .0351 .0315 .0281 .0253 .0227 | .0024 .0022 .0021 .0020 .0019 | .0005 .0005 .0005 .0005 .0005 | .0346 .0309 .0276 .0249 .0223 | .0363 .0326 .0292 .0263 .0236 | 20 21 22 23 24 |
| 25 26 27 28 29 | .0177 .0157 .0141 .0125 .0112 | .0179 .0159 .0142 .0126 .0113 | .0181 .0161 .0143 .0127 .0114 | .0009 .0009 .0008 .0008 .0007 | .0005 .0005 .0005 .0005 .0004 | .0191 .0171 .0154 .0138 .0123 | .0203 .0182 .0165 .0147 .0133 | .0018 .0017 .0016 .0016 .0015 | .0005 .0005 .0005 .0005 .0004 | .0200 .0179 .0162 .0146 .0131 | .0212 .0191 .0173 .0155 .0141 | 25 26 27 28 29 |
| 30 31 32 33 34 | .0099 .0088 .0079 .0070 .0062 | .0100 .0089 .0080 .0071 .0063 | .0101 .0090 .0081 .0072 .0064 | .0007 .0006 .0006 .0005 .0005 | .0004 .0004 .0004 .0003 .0003 | .0110 .0098 .0089 .0078 .0070 | .0121 .0108 .0097 .0087 .0078 | .0013 .0012 .0011 .0010 .0009 | .0004 .0004 .0004 .0003 .0003 | .0116 .0104 .0094 .0083 .0074 | .0128 .0114 .0103 .0092 .0083 | 30 31 32 33 34 |
| 35 36 37 38 39 | .0055 .0049 .0044 .0039 .0034 | .0056 .0050 .0045 .0040 .0035 | .0057 .0051 .0046 .0041 .0036 | .0004 .0004 .0004 .0003 .0003 | .0003 .0003 .0003 .0002 .0002 | .0062 .0056 .0051 .0044 .0039 | .0070 .0063 .0057 .0051 .0045 | .0009 .0008 .0007 .0007 .0006 | .0003 .0003 .0003 .0002 .0002 | .0067 .0060 .0054 .0048 .0042 | .0075 .0067 .0061 .0055 .0049 | 35 36 37 38 39 |
| 40 41 42 43 44 | .0030 .0027 .0024 .0021 .0019 | .0031 .0028 .0025 .0022 .0020 | .0032 .0029 .0026 .0023 .0021 | .0003 .0003 .0002 .0002 .0002 | .0002 .0002 .0002 .0001 .0001 | .0035 .0032 .0028 .0024 .0022 | .0041 .0037 .0033 .0029 .0026 | .0005 .0005 .0005 .0004 .0004 | .0002 .0002 .0002 .0001 .0001 | .0037 .0034 .0031 .0026 .0024 | .0044 .0040 .0036 .0032 .0029 | 40 41 42 43 44 |
| 45 46 47 48 49 | .00169 .00151 .00135 .00119 .00107 | .00176 .00157 .00140 .00124 .00111 | .00183 .00164 .00146 .00129 .00116 | .0002 .0002 .0001 .0001 .0001 | .0001 .0001 .0001 .0001 .0001 | .00199 .00181 .00155 .00139 .00127 | .0024 .0021 .0019 .0017 .0015 | .0004 .0003 .0003 .0002 .0002 | .0001 .0001 .0001 .0001 .0001 | .00219 .00191 .00175 .00149 .00137 | .0027 .0024 .0021 .0019 .0017 | 45 46 47 48 49 |
| 50 | .00095 | .00099 | .00103 | .0001 | .0001 | .00115 | .0014 | .0002 | .0001 | .00125 | .0016 | 50 |
Bondable wire sizes finer than 50 AWG available upon request.
Special Processes
Our magnet wire can be customized to your exact need
- Ablated
- Annealed
- Cut to length
- Custom shapes
- Spooling
Ablated | Annealed | Bondable | Cut to length | Custom shapes | Spooling
Ask a sales representative about any special temper or wire finish.
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Why Choose MWS?
Quick and Right Answers.
We invest heavily in our customer service and engineering team so that we can give you the right answers and the most effective customized solutions. Our success, as well as our very purpose, is directly linked to the long-term satisfaction of our customers using our wire products.
Unrivaled Availability, Low Minimum Order Quantity, and Quick Delivery.
MWS has one of the largest inventories of stainless-steel wire and other wire products. We provide wire from 1/4lb to 50lb spools. Ninety percent of our stock orders go out within a week. Short production runs and quick turnarounds are our specialty.
Pre-cut Wire Lengths and Other Custom Orders.
We can provide straight wire cuts from one inch to 6-foot lengths holding the tolerances you require for your specific application. Need shaped wire? We have a variety of special shapes including square wire, flat wire, and ribbon wire. Special coatings and finishes are available as well.
Headache Free Compliance Documentation.
Let us help you satisfy your customer's needs for clear and comprehensive compliance documentation including RoHS, REACH, DFARS, MADE IN USA, USMCA, etc. Chemical and physical testing reports are also available upon request.
Let Us Manage Your Inventory for You.
With 40,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space and thousands of products in stock, inventory management is our specialty. It doesn't have to be yours. Whether it's same day shipment from inventory or producing a wire to meet just-in-time schedules, we can get what you need when you need it. Ask about scheduled shipments synchronized to work with your inventory control, JIT, or Kanban system.
