Stator bars are the critical components in generators with respect to their lifespan. The winding insulation may be susceptible to damage under excessive alternating temperature loads incurred by a high number of start–stop cycles and heavy overloads. The differences in thermal expansion between the different components in the multi-layered winding insulation lead to thermal stresses. This work deals with the thermo-mechanical characterisation of the individual constituents of the winding insulation and the finite element model of a stator bar, based on the material data obtained from the tests that enable the identification of the thermal stresses leading to delamination over thermal cycles. The out-of-plane and the interfacial shear stress are found to be in the critical range with respect to the relatively low cohesive strength of the included individual mica layers.