Electrical insulator is a very important component in the electric power systems such as sub-stations and distribution & transmission lines. In the early days, insulators were made of ceramic and glass materials. But in 1963, polymeric insulators were developed and its improvements in design and manufacturing in the recent years have made them attractive to utilities. It consists of a fiberglass core rod covered by weather-sheds or skirts of polymer such as silicone rubber, equipped with metal end fittings. It is also called composite insulators, which means made of at least two insulating parts – a core and housing equipped with end fittings. Polymeric insulators have many advantages over the ceramic and glass insulators such as good performance in contaminated environment, light weight, easy handling, maintenance free, and considerably low cost etc. Because of these properties it is gaining popularity worldwide and replacing the conventional ceramic and glass insulators.

This write-up gives the salient features considered by GOLDSTONE in developing SILICONE RUBBER POLYMER INSULATORS. Two aspects are to be essentially considered in the development, one is the material suiting to the requirements and the other is design aspect. The following few lines will briefly describe the important aspects considered.