What Is Induction Heat Treating Process?

Induction Heat Treating Process

Induction heating is a heat treating process that allows very targeted heating of metals by electromagnetic induction. The process relies on induced electrical currents within the material to produce heat and is the preferred method used to bond, harden or soften metals or other conductive materials. In modern manufacturing processes, this form of heat treatment offers a beneficial combination of speed, consistency and control. Although the basic principles are well known, modern advances in solid state technology have made the process remarkably simple, cost-effective heating method for applications which involve joining, treating, heating and materials testing.

Induction heat treating, through the highly controllable use of an electrically heated coil, will allow you to select the best physical characteristics for not only each metal part—but for each section on that metal part. Induction hardening can impart superior durability to bearing journals and shaft sections without sacrificing the ductility necessary to handle shock loads and vibration. You can harden internal bearing surfaces and valve seats in intricate parts without creating distortion problems. This means that you are able to harden or anneal specific areas for durability and ductility in ways that will best serve your needs.

Benefits of Induction Heat Treating Services

• Focused Heat Treat Surface hardening retains original ductility of core while hardening a high wear area of the part. The hardened area is accurately controlled in respect to case depth, width, location and hardness.
• Optimized Consistency Eliminate the inconsistencies and quality issues associated with open flame, torch heating and other methods. Once the system is properly calibrated and set up, there is no guess work or variation; the heating pattern is repeatable and consistent. With modern solid state systems, precise temperature control provides uniform results.
• Maximized Productivity Production rates can be maximized because heat is developed directly and instantly (>2000º F. in < 1 second) inside the part. Startup is virtually instantaneous; no warm up or cool down cycle is required.
• Improved Product Quality Parts never come into direct contact with a flame or other heating element; the heat is induced within the part itself by alternating electrical current. As a result, product warpage, distortion and reject rates are minimized.
• Reduced Energy Consumption Tired of increasing utility bills? This uniquely energy-efficient process converts up to 90% of the energy expended energy into useful heat; batch furnaces are generally only 45% energy-efficient. No warm-up or cool-down cycles are required so stand-by heat losses are reduced to a bare minimum.
• Environmentally Sound The burning of traditional fossil fuels is unnecessary, resulting in a clean, non-polluting process which will help protect the environment.

Induction Heat Treating Capabilities

With Zion Industries you can heat treat metal components without many of the issues typically associated with other heat treating processes. With over 40 years of experience, we are an industry leader that focuses on the induction heat processing of metal components with plants located in Ohio, Michigan and North Carolina.

• We have 30 plus machines at our 3 locations giving us the flexibility to service a variety of sizes and applications from a large range of markets and customers.
• We build our own machines allowing us to develop technology that reduces cycle times on large projects.
• We update our technology, equipment, and processing consistently to meet the highest quality standards.
• We design and build our own coils and fixtures, so if there are any issues or repairs, downtime is at a minimum.

We are constantly evaluating and developing new uses for this precise form of heat treating. We invite you to contact us about your specific application and needs. We may already have a solution for you! Send us your parts, describe your process, tell us what is most important to you, and we will provide you with our best advice. Are you ready to get started? Request a quote today to learn more.