Induction process heaters

Types of Induction Process Heaters

An induction process heater is a machine that heats metals using inductive heating, a process that generates heat through electromagnetic induction. Induction heaters work by creating heat through an electric current that flows through coils placed around the metal. The coils create a magnetic field that induces multiple small electrical currents in the metal. Induction heaters have many benefits, and their designs are often compact, reducing the space they use within a production line.

Induction process heaters are used in multiple industries and can serve a wide range of applications. Generally, heaters can be induction hardening machines, heating and melting furnaces, or specialized machines to heat metals before forging or rolling them into sheets. More detailed classifications include the following:

• Induction Hardening Heaters:

  Induction hardening heaters are mostly used in the metalworking industry to selectively case harden metals. Hardening means that metals are made harder by altering their molecular structure when heated. The case in induction hardening refers to the outer layer of the metal. Selectively hardening metals is beneficial when a metal needs to retain a soft inner layer for better toughness while having a hard exterior for superior abrasion resistance.

• Induction Melting Heaters:

  Induction melting heaters can heat metals at high temperatures until they reach their melting point. Depending on the specifications of an induction heater, it can reach temperatures exceeding 1700°C. Induction melting heats are commonly used in foundries and can melt metals like steel, iron, gold, aluminum, copper, etc.

• Induction Preheating Process Heaters:

  Induction preheating process heaters heat metals to a specified temperature before a secondary manufacturing process takes place. They are commonly used to soften metals before machining and increase the temperature of metals before welding.

Specification & Maintenance

Following are the specifications of the induction heater and their maintenance.

• Power Supply: The heating process is powered by supplying up to 30 kW of AC power. It produces up to 10 kW of 50 to 60 Hz frequency heating power. Power units are offered as standalone units or integral to a system cabinet.
• Inductor : An inductor is a coil-shaped device that creates a magnetic field when electricity passes through it. The choice of inductor design and material is closely related to the size and shape of the item to be heated quickly. Other heating inductors include those shaped like a 'U' or a 'serpent.' Inductors can be made from copper, ferrous, aluminum, or other conductors, often with an insulating coating. Off-the-shelf inductors are available in many standard sizes. Custom coil designs for unique shapes or heating purposes can be built to order.
• Cooling System: Induction process heaters' cooling systems are crucial to their temperature control, which affects the heating efficiency. In certain cases, the self-cooling mechanism may work after a heat treatment session, obviating the need for external adjustments. For cooling externally, induction heaters usually have the option of air, water, or a heat sink. Air cooling uses a fan or blower to pass ambient air over the heat sink to dissipate heat. Water cooling uses a heat exchanger through which coolant water circulates. Heat sinks absorb heat without needing additional components, but their effectiveness depends on the surrounding environment.
• Controls: The induction heat controller regulates the power supplied to the heating coil, which in turn regulates the heat produced and its temperature. These controllers can be standalone units in a cabinet or module, or integrated into the power supply within a system.
• Safety: Induction heaters have many safety features to prevent damage to the heater and inductor. These include over-current, over-voltage, over-temperature, and over-impedance protections. They also have automatic fault and alarm indications and the ability to stop output immediately when faults occur.

Induction heaters require maintenance mainly on the cooling system.

• Air Cooling Fan or Blower: To maintain its proper working temperature during the induction heating process, other parts like the coil will also need more induction heating. Generally, induction heaters come with built-in fans or blowers for air-cooling support. Regularly check the air-cooling fan or blower to see if it works, and the wind is normal. Also, check whether the air outlet is blocked or not. This is to prevent the air-cooling system from overheating or damaging it.
• External Air-Cool Fans: External air-cooling fans are additional to the built-in air-cooling fan or blower. Check that it is connected to the induction heater and works properly. Also, the air is normal.

Applications of Induction Process Heaters

Induction heaters are essential equipment to help heat various products made of ferrous, non-ferrous, and magnetic materials. Below are some of the typical applications of induction heaters in different industries:

• Hardening Metal: Induction heaters are primarily used in the metal fabrication and treatment industry to harden and temper metals. By applying quickly increasing and decreasing temperatures, the metal achieves the necessary hardness level for its required usage or for further processing.
• Melting Metal: Induction heaters are very helpful for melting metals like copper, aluminum, steel, iron, brass, and gold, among others. The heater helps raise the metal's temperature until melting occurs so that the molten metal can create new products through casting or other processes.
• Preheating Before Welding: In welding, induction heaters preheat metals before carrying out the welding process. This improves metal's strength, increases its ductility, and reduces the likelihood of cracks. On top of that, induction heaters make it easier for the welding equipment to penetrate and fuse the metal better.
• Removing Broken Components: Induction heaters can help remove broken or damaged components, such as rusted bolts, threaded parts, and frozen assemblies. Heating the surrounding area allows a quick and easy removal of the damaged component either through mechanical force, while using the appropriate extraction technique.
• Plastic and Composites Manufacturing: Induction heaters can help in plastics and composites manufacturing by maintaining the temperature of molds and mixing heads during the manufacturing processes like extrusion and injection molding . Keeping the equipment at a constant temperature allows for precise control over the production process, as well as the quality of the end product.
• Glass Production: Induction heaters can help achieve a more even and faster melting of highly viscous raw glass materials. This ensures that the final product will be of excellent quality with the necessary optical and physical properties. Also, induction heaters can be used to heat molds and improve the efficiency of the glass manufacturing process.
• Heat Treatment of Mechanical Components: Mechanical parts like shafts, gears, couplings, bearings, and valve bodies need to go through a heat treatment process to achieve desired physical and mechanical properties to ensure longer life and better performance. Induction heaters provide a quick and non-contact heating method for these intricate mechanical components.
• Crystal Oscillator and LC Circuit: Induction heaters are widely used in the consumer electronics industry for crystal oscillators and LC circuits. These two play pivotal roles in determining the frequency of operating signals for various electronic devices and communication systems. Induction heaters provide a precise and rapid heating method to achieve the desired resonance frequency when processing crystal oscillators and LC circuits.

How to Choose Induction Process Heaters

When buying induction process heaters, it's essential to evaluate the suppliers thoroughly to ensure their products will benefit the end-users. Check if the manufacturer provides customization services. This is important as it allows the distinct needs of various industries and applications to be fulfilled. The supplier should be open to tailoring the size, capacity, voltage, frequency, and heating coils of the induction heater to suit specific requirements.

Consider the advisability of portable induction process heaters for sale that are easy to transfer from one workstation to another as well as lightweight induction heaters that don't take up too much space. Induction process heaters with remote monitoring capabilities allow users to monitor their performance from a distance, thus enabling condition-based maintenance. Induction heaters with self-diagnosis and safety features assist operators in identifying potential issues and prevent accidents and hazards, thereby promoting a safer working environment. These process heaters should be easy to install and require minimal maintenance so that downtime can be reduced.

Check the warranty on the product, as it shows the manufacturer's confidence in their product. A longer warranty period indicates that the manufacturer believes in the durability and reliability of their induction heaters. This provides the buyer with additional reassurance. Pay attention to the power output of the induction heater. Different processes and applications require distinct levels of power output. Ensure the final choice can meet specific heating needs efficiently. Also, assess the overall energy efficiency of the induction heater. Selecting a heater that is more energy efficient not only reduces operational costs but also contributes to the sustainability goals of businesses.

Finally, consider how the induction process heater complies with international standards and certifications. This ensures that the products are safe, reliable, and of high quality. It's also essential to consider the variety of heating coils that induction heaters offer. Ensure that the induction coils available can cater to specific applications and processes.

Induction Process Heaters Q&A

Q1: What is the working principle of induction heating process?

A1: Induction heating works by electromagnetic induction. The process heats metal components through the coils that generate a heat source. The metal will be heated up when an electric current is passing through the coil, creating a magnetic field that induces an electric current in the metal object.

Q2: What are the parts of an induction heater?

A2: An induction heater consists of an induction coil, a power supply, and the metal workpiece. The induction coil is usually in a circular shape or made into other shapes to fit various objects. The power supply provides the electric current, which may come from direct current (DC) power, an AC power, or other sources.

Q3: What are the application areas of industrial induction heaters?

A3: Industrial induction heaters are commonly used in the machinery manufacturing industry. They are also used in automotive, aerospace, metal fabrication, and other industries. Induction heaters can perform various heating processes such as hardening, tempering, brazing, annealing, and melting.

Q4: What are the advantages of using induction process heaters?

A4: Induction process heaters have many benefits. They heat up quickly, and the heating is precise and evenly distributed. Induction process heaters are also safe to use because they do not have an open flame, and the heating is localized, reducing the risk of fire. Additionally, induction heaters are environmentally friendly because they do not produce emissions.