IEC 60034-18-1:2022 deals with the general guidelines for functional evaluation of electrical insulation systems, used or proposed to be used in rotating electrical machines within the scope of IEC 60034-1, in order to qualify them. IEC 60034-18-1 defines general requirements on the qualification of insulation systems, where – for thermal ageing – the Arrhenius equations do not necessarily fit, according to many experiences.

This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition published in 2010. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a. provides general guidelines for functional evaluation of different types of windings as before but incorporates those changes, which have been introduced for the electrical qualification and evaluation of windings which are electrically stressed by converter-supply; b. is now focused on general guidelines with all technical details of procedures and qualification principles moved to the subsequent parts; c. details additional general aspects of functional evaluation and qualification, particularly the procedure for comparison between reference and candidate insulation systems, the introduction of the concept of qualification for different expected life-times in service and the evaluation of minor component or manufacturing changes.