We foresee huge demand for Mica-based insulating materials in the future

Ankit Bagaria, Director, Ruby Mica Co. Ltd. In an Interview with EPR Magazine.

Discussing the demand trends for Mica products in the cables and wires market, Ankit Bagaria shares his optimism towards uptick in the market for Mica-based insulations across the electrical industry. 

Can you brief us on the latest Mica products and solutions offered for the electrical sector?

Mica is synonymous with the electrical sector, insulating critical components from intense heat and electricity. Since it is a wire and cable special issue, we will shed light on the cable insulating products offered. Ruby Mica has introduced its latest, reliable and consistently high-performing line of Cable Mica Tapes. The majority of LPCB-certified cable companies are using our products to their immense satisfaction. Kindly refer to the advertisement page for more product information.

Looking at the transformations in the electrical sector, how do you foresee the requirement for heat insulation materials in high voltage machines and equipment?

Maximum power output from a continuously shrinking product footprint fuels demand for better and more robust insulation, making way for Mica-based insulating materials. Mica is the only mineral that is truly versatile in nature, retaining its composure under heavy mechanical, electrical, and thermal stresses combined. Just to give you an idea, a smaller frame size turbo-generator is generating 210MW instead of the 80MW it did 10 years ago, all thanks to several layers of  insulation combined with Mica and better coil heat dissipation systems. Hence, the requirement for mica-based insulating materials is bound to increase in the near future. 

What kind of R & D activities are being carried out for technology upgradation and material selection in your Mica products?

R & D is an integral part of our manufacturing activities at Ruby Mica. At the moment, we are trying to combine mica paper with the binding/reinforcement material that can enhance or complement the overall insulation performance. For instance, mica combined with Aramid Fibrids has higher mechanical strength and aids in VPI resin absorption. Mica combined with Kapton Film enhances the material’s dielectric strength per layer by several Kv’s.  

Who are the primary consumers of mica products? And what are the key highlights of your offerings?

Mica is widely used across more than 12 different industry segments, basically wherever there is high heat and electricity involved. Mica Tapes are used in a big way by cable manufacturers for making fire-survival and resistant cables that ensure circuit integrity for 3 hours even at elevated temperatures to the tune of 1000 degrees centigrade and voltages exceeding 13Kv. Ruby Mica Cable Tapes have strong interlayer bonding with crack and tear resistant properties, making them the No. 1 choice for cable manufacturers around the globe.