Induction heating computer simulation is a powerful tool for process design and optimization, induction coil design, equipment selection, as well as education and business presentations. Fluxtrol has vast experience in the practical use of computer simulation for different induction heating and heat treating processes.
Fluxtrol created the “Rule of Pyramid” strategy for efficient use of computer simulation. This rule states that a designer should begin process or coil development with a simple program and progressively move to the more complicated and time-consuming software.
User-guided computer simulation (Flux 2D program) had been used for optimal scan hardening coil design for a deep case hardened full float axle.
Traditional Scan Hardening Inductor Design
Temperature distribution at the end of dwell heating for 8 seconds at 1 kHz using standard inductor.
Optimized Single-frequency Scan Hardening Inductor Design
Temperature distribution at the end of dwell heating for 8 seconds at 1 kHz using optimized inductor. Optimum temperature distributor was achieved by variation of copper’s cross-section and magnetic flux concentrator from Fluxtrol A material.
Optimized “Multi-frequency” Scan Hardening Inductor Design
Temperature distribution at the end of dwell heating for 4.5 s @ 3 kHz + 3.5 s @ 1 kHz using optimized inductor.
The simulation results revealed that there is significant potential for cost savings by using optimized regimes and precision machined inductors with selective use of Fluxtrol magnetic flux controllers. It was shown also that frequency of 3 kHz is more favorable for heating of the flange area during the dwelling stage while frequency of 1 kHz is more adequate for fast scanning of the axle stem.
Present intensive study shows advantages of using variable frequency during the part processing. The progress in available power supplies are able to deliver to the induction coil the power of two frequencies simultaneously or to switch from one frequency to another “on the fly”. This method makes possible to have optimal conditions for both scanning and dwelling stages of scan hardening of axles and can provide better quality, which is very essential for some critical deep hardening of heavy loaded axles, reduce process sensitivity to the system parameter variation and increase production rate compared to a single frequency process.
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