Electric steels are processed to avoid the phenomenon known as magnetic aging. Non-oriented electrical steels are mostly used in rotating electrical machines and oriented steels used in transformers, which during operation generates heat. This could cause carbide precipitation/coalescence in the metallic matrix, impairing the magnetic properties of the steel, called magnetic aging. The steel has to contain very little carbon to avoid aging. This is achieved during the making of the steel or by a decarburising annealing of the final thickness strip or of the stamped laminations.
The magnetic material for cores of a transformer and electrical machines should be characterised by high permeability and low energy losses in changing magnetic flux.
In order to test that the magnetic properties do not become worse during these working conditions, the steel can be tested for magnetic ageing. The European standard defines the test cycle as 225°C for 24 hours. The American ASTM standard suggests two different cycles: 100 hours at 150°C or 600 hours at 100 °C.
A test the losses after a heat treatment of 150°C f or 10 days for coils with higher carbon content than 26 ppm of the final product has performed here. This longer cycle has proved to give larger increases in the loss than the shorter one according to the European standard.
The ageing process was much faster for a higher carbon content slab with 90 ppm C than for a lower one with 30 ppm C.
ANN method using LMS has performed to aging real time identification. Results showed a 97% best fit. It showed that using ANN can predict the aging and a modern advanced relay can control the loading and temperature of electrical equipments to prevent of harmful damages.