New Technical Resource for Induction Heating and Heat Treating Professionals

Handbook of Induction Heating (2nd Ed.)

by Dr. Valery Rudnev, FASM

Heating by means of electromagnetic induction is a topic of major significance. In the recently published (Sept. 2017) Handbook of Induction Heating (2nd Ed.), a comprehensive resource on induction heating and heat treating processes, the authors focus on addressing the intricacies of electromagnetic induction heating for the induction thermal community, providing numerous case studies, ready-to-use tables and simplified formulas and graphs.

The new edition (the first edition was originally published in 2002 and maintained a spot on the publisher’s “bestseller” list for the first 10 years) reflects numerous innovations that have taken place over the last decade in the practice and science of induction heating and heat treating, computer modeling, power supplies, failure analysis, quality assurance, and process technology. This technical resource promises to continue to be a synthesis of information, discoveries, and novelties that have been accumulated in industry and academia providing practical, comprehensive knowledge, technical insights, and guidelines.

Dr. Valery Rudnev, FASM, is the Director of Science & Technology, Inductoheat Inc., and a co-author of Handbook of Induction Heating (2nd ed.)

New Content, Case Studies, and Updated Graphics

The majority of content presented in the first edition has been completely rewritten for the second, and a significant amount of new material has been added. This includes

· Up-to-date content is provided for the following: metallurgical specifics of induction hardening of plain carbon and low alloy steels; process parameters selection for hardening cast irons vs. martensitic stainless steels vs. bearing steels vs. powder metallurgy components; the effect of rapid heating on the kinetics of austenite formation; subtleties of quenching techniques applied in induction hardening; the impact of prior microstructure, its heterogeneity, and the presence of the residuals on hardening results.

· A number of innovative induction technologies specifically developed for automotive, aerospace, off-road machinery, energy, construction, and other industries, have been reviewed, emphasizing equipment designs that maximize metallurgical quality, process robustness, machine flexibility and energy efficiency, while minimizing excessive part distortion and probability of cracking; subtleties of induction hardening and tempering of variety of critical powertrain and engine parts, including gears and gear-like components, stepped shafts, parts with geometrical irregularities (such as holes, shoulders, keyways, undercuts, etc.); a comparison of single frequency vs. simultaneous dual frequency vs. variable frequency on obtaining contour hardening.

· Aspects of components failure analysis and problems associated with reaching excessive temperatures, the occurrence of grain boundary liquation (incipient melting), grain coarsening, and other metallurgical factors are reviewed; simple solutions for typical heat treat challenges and a “fishbone” diagram of cracking are provided; transient and residual stresses are discussed.

Handbook of Induction Heating (2nd ed.), by Valery Rudnev, Don Loveless and Raymond L. Cook, 2017, CRC Press

· Inventions and innovations related to inductor designs have been reviewed: for example, in single-shot hardening of shaft-like components, a unique inductor design allows the extension of its life more than sixteen-fold compared to the industry standard as verified by the tool-room tags of the users; aspects related to the failure analysis of hardening inductors and induction coils used in different applications and prevention of their premature failures have been examined.

· The discussion of the causes for crack initiation and the propagation during rapid heating and intense quenching and means to control or eliminate cracking has been greatly expanded. Innovative inductor design made achieving almost undetectable distortion when hardening camshafts possible, allowing the elimination of the necessity of a subsequent straightening operation.

· The modular design concept in induction heating of ferrous and non-ferrous (e.g., Al, Cu, Mg, etc.) metallic materials prior to forging, extrusion, rolling, and upsetting is included, as well as efficient induction heating of billets, bars, rods and tubular workpieces; concept of true temperature control and ways to avoid surface and subsurface overheating and billet sticking (fusing) problems.

· Modern low-, medium- and high-frequency power supplies for various needs of induction heating and heat treating are discussed. This includes novel semiconductor inverter technologies, simultaneous dual frequency power supplies, as well as inverters that allow controlling independently and instantly frequency and power (IFP-Technology) during scan hardening. Topology, applicability, troubleshooting and maintenance, and other aspects of typical induction power supplies have been reviewed. Engineering procedures assuring a proper “coil-to-power supply” load-matching characteristics are provided.

· The use of induction heating in brazing, soldering, bonding, shrink fitting, sealing, coating, and other applications is discussed.

· Common misassumptions and misleading postulations associated with the theory and practice of induction heating are clarified in the 2nd edition.

· Best practices and recommendations for equipment maintenance and safety principles are provided. Do’s and Dont’s items are reviewed, along with discussion on the direct and indirect effects of electromagnetic field exposure on health, passive and active medical implants, hypersensitivity, etc. Awareness programs regarding non-ionizing radiation and evaluation of the health risks associated with external field exposure and ways to monitor and control them are included.

· Crucial tips executives must know regarding computer modeling of induction heating processes.

“Three World-Class Experts on Staff”

Jon D. Tirpak, PE, FASM; Executive Director, Forging Defense Manufacturing Consortium, and Past President, ASM International (2015-2016)

The 2nd edition Handbook of Induction Heating is intended to reach a wide variety of readers including practitioners, students, engineers, metallurgists, managers, and scientists.

Jon D. Tirpak, PE, FASM; Executive Director, Forging Defense Manufacturing Consortium, and Past President, ASM International (2015-2016) says the following about Handbook of Induction Heating:

“The 2nd Edition of the Handbook for Induction Heating is equivalent to having 3 world class experts on staff without paying high priced consulting fees. For your seasoned, and probably more importantly, your new and emerging manufacturing and process engineers, this comprehensive guide provides the details your company needs to compete around the world. Significant technical achievements have occurred since 2002 with the last edition. Rudnev, Loveless, and Cook have compiled an indispensable, world-class text replete with the basics and advanced concepts of induction heating. The case studies also illustrate and inspire the design and deployment of innovative concepts which transform theory into application. If you are not reading and using this tour de force, it is safe to say that your competitors have read and marked up their copies.”

________________________________________________

Dr. Valery Rudnev, FASM, is the Director of Science & Technology, Inductoheat Inc., and a co-author of Handbook of Induction Heating (2nd ed.), along with Don Loveless and Raymond L. Cook. The Handbook of Induction Heating, 2nd ed., is published by CRC Press.

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Umbilical Tubes Contracted for Offshore Platform

A Stockholm-based global engineering group recently signed a contract for the supply of stainless steel tubes required for 250 kilometers (155.3 miles) of umbilicals, linking a subsea development to an existing offshore platform. The contract value is approximately 700 MSEK ($83M), and deliveries will take place from the end of 2017 and during the first half of 2018.

Sandvik Materials Technology will supply the tubes for the umbilical systems, which are connections used to transport energy, data, and liquids between oil and gas installations on the seafloor to offshore facilities or platforms. The order is booked during the fourth quarter 2017.

The parties have agreed to not disclose the name of the project or customer at this point.

 

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PRI Registrar Recognizes Heat Treat Industry Supplier

A manufacturer of products for the thermal processing industry recently received ISO9001:2015 Registration from the Performance Review Institute (PRI) Registrar while earning their ISO/IEC17025:2005 accreditation from ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB).

Randy Daugharthy, Director of the Registrar Program at the Performance Review Institute

PRI Registrar recognized Super Systems, Inc., (SSi) based in Cincinnati, Ohio, for its commitment to continual improvement in their quality management system and becoming certified to the current ISO9001:2015 international quality standard for manufacturing, calibration, and servicing of sensors, analyzers, control systems, and SSI product support services used in heat-treating organizations. In addition, SSi received its ISO/IEC17025:2005 calibration accreditation while expanding their scope of accreditation.

“Our company and our customers benefit from our commitment to a solid quality management system and we are proud of our ISO9001:2015 and 17025 accreditation. This is a company-wide effort and every one of our employees plays a part in our continuous improvement plan,” said Steve Thompson, President of Super Systems, Inc.

Super Systems, Inc. received ISO9001:2015 registration for demonstrating its ongoing commitment to quality by satisfying customer requirements and industry specifications.

“Super Systems, Inc. has demonstrated its commitment to world-class quality management by implementing and becoming certified to the ISO 9001:2015 standard. They have joined an elite number of organizations worldwide who have achieved certification to this globally recognized quality standard,” said Randy Daugharthy, Director of the Registrar Program at the Performance Review Institute (PRI) Registrar.

Additionally, the SSi team renewed its ISO/IEC17025:2005 accreditation with its accreditation body, ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB). During the renewal audit, the SSi production/calibration team demonstrated technical competence in the field of calibration that resulted in expanding its scope of accreditation in addition to reducing measurement uncertainties.

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New Heat Treat Facility in Wisconsin to Accommodate Expanding Operations

Dave Strand, president and CEO of Thermal Product Solutions

A leading industrial furnace manufacturer recently opened a new facility in East Troy, Wisconsin, accommodating oven product lines and providing additional manufacturing space for expanding operations. The company will be investing $1.5 million in equipment and renovation work at the building.

Wisconsin Oven Corporation and parent company Thermal Product Solutions (TPS) celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included company officials, as well as local, regional, state leaders.  It was announced at the ceremony that the new 130,000 sq ft facility will be named after Bruce Champion, a former vice president of operations for Wisconsin Oven, who played a key role in the company’s success.

“Wisconsin Oven Corporation is pleased that the community and local leaders were able to join us today to celebrate the opening of our recently purchased facility,” said Dave Strand, president and CEO of TPS. “This 130,000-square-foot facility will soon see massive renovations and production, which will result in more employment throughout the region.”

 

 

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Most Powerful U.S. Rocket Engine in 20 Years Fired by Amazon’s Bezos

 

Source: ThomasNet.com

 

The most powerful U.S. rocket engine fired in two decades is also reusable and could become a leading rocket engine for commercial and military launches. It was also launched by an unlikely source, the founder and CEO of a company which is more broadly known for its presence as a major online retailer.

Amazon’s Jeff Bezos launched his space tourism and commercial rocket company Blue Origin in September 2000. Roughly 17 years later, the company fired the BE-4 engine. Fueled by a liquid oxygen and liquid methane mix that generates 550,000 pounds of thrust, the BE-4 could be used in multiple rockets, including Blue Origin’s New Glenn orbital rocket.

 

Read more: “Bezos’ Blue Origin Goes Hot with First Engine Test”

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TimkenSteel Increases Quench-and-Temper Capacity with New Facility

A leader in customized alloy steel products and services has brought online its newest thermal-treatment asset and has begun processing orders for the oil and gas industries.

Tom Moline, Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations, TimkenSteel

The $40 million advanced quench-and-temper facility, located at the company’s Gambrinus Steel Plant in Canton, Ohio, increases TimkenSteel’s existing capacity by 50,000 tons or 45 percent and brings the company’s total annual thermal-treatment capacity to 500,000 process tons.

“We’re pleased to bring this newest asset online now that market demand for thermal-treated bars and tubes has increased,” said Tom Moline, executive vice president of commercial operations. “The advanced quench-and-temper facility is the largest of our four thermal-treatment facilities and enables us to meet customer needs faster and at more precise specifications. In addition to servicing automotive applications, this will be especially beneficial for our oil and gas customers’ most demanding applications in down-hole tools and top-of-hole infrastructure.”

TimkenSteel announced its plan to build the advanced quench-and-temper facility in October 2014. The company announced earlier this year that it expected the startup to occur in the fourth quarter, after deferring commissioning of the facility in response to market conditions.

Manufactured by SMS Group with custom modifications made by TimkenSteel’s in-house team of scientists and engineers, the facility can accommodate 4-inch to 13-inch bars and tubes.

 

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U.S. Army Arsenal Upgrade Includes Heat Treat Facilities, Boosts Readiness

Arsenal Commander Col. Joseph Morrow

The U.S. Army upgrade at its manufacturing center at Watervliet, New York, will include heat treatment facilities to position the Arsenal to better support the emerging readiness needs of U.S. and foreign militaries.

Arsenal Commander Col. Joseph Morrow said the Arsenal has received more than $100 million in new orders over what it had at this same point in time last year.

“This is not the same Arsenal that it was when I took command in July 2016,” said Morrow. “Due to a significant and recent rise in sustainment and modernization readiness needs of our Army and of our allies, we must nearly double our current manufacturing capacity in the next four years.”

Recent Arsenal commanders have raised the issue of aging plant equipment to the Army’s senior leaders and, as a result, various Army weapon program managers have stepped in to augment the Arsenal’s limited-funded CIP activity by paying for equipment upgrades or for new machines. The Arsenal team was well prepared for the day when additional funding would come in by already having an established list of priorities for capability and capacity upgrades, said James Kardas, an Arsenal industrial engineer.

Although funding has arrived, due to the complexity of some of the larger machines and the challenges of preparing foundations to support the new machines, the final machine from this funding may not be on line until 2020. Nevertheless, some of the smaller, less complex machines may arrive in 2018.

The Watervliet Arsenal, an Army-owned-and-operated manufacturing facility located in Watervliet, New York, is the oldest, continuously active arsenal in the United States, having begun operations during the War of 1812.

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What Do Fashion Watches and Aerospace Components Have in Common? 3D Metal Printing

A Swedish producer of metal powders announced recently that it has launched commercial production of the industry’s first high precision binder jetting 3D metal printer, resulting in smaller and more intricate components than any previous technology, and because heat treatment occurs after printing, the process is adaptable for a variety of materials.

Digital Metal®, a Höganäs Group company, developed the DM P2500, which continuously prints in 42 µm layers at 100 cc/hr without the need for any support structures. It has 2500 cm3 print volume available. This makes it possible to manufacture small objects in high quantities (up to 50,000 parts in one print run), comprising shapes, geometries

Ralf Carlström, General Manager, Digital Metal

and internal and external finishes never before achieved. The DM P2500 delivers a resolution of 35 µm and an average surface roughness of Ra 6 µm before additional finishing processes are applied.

Powder removed before sintering is reused for subsequent jobs, resulting in high yield and low scrap rates, meaning downtime is kept to a minimum, and there is no de-generation of the powder that other AM processes experience.

“The Digital Metal business has doubled year on year since its inception,” said Ralf Carlström, General Manager, Digital Metal. “However we’ve barely scratched the surface in terms of the potential this technology offers for designers and engineers. We’ve seen relatively small (but previously unachievable) changes to the internal structure of components result in a 30 percent improvement in overall product efficiency, which would have been impossible to produce using conventional methods. As the design and engineering community begin to explore and understand what our highly repeatable and reliable technology enables, we believe we will see huge demand for this technology.

Don Godfrey, Engineering Fellow – Additive Manufacturing, Honeywell Aerospace

By making the printers commercially available we hope to facilitate and fuel that demand.”

The second DM P2500 outside Digital Metal was installed in June 2017 and licensed to Centre Technique des Industries Mécaniques (CETIM), France’s benchmark institute and technological innovation hub for mechanical engineering. The machine started production just two days later and is already showing consistent results. The first printer is confidentially licensed to a global leader in fashion design and will see its new serial production items available at the end of this year.

Luxury watch start-up Montfort approached Digital Metal to print the dials for its watches inspired by the Swiss Alps. The binder jetting technique was the only solution that allowed Montfort the creative freedom to make watch dials with a design and finish that resembles the mineral, crystalline structure of rocks.

Additionally, in the U.S., Honeywell Aerospace and Digital Metal are exploring a number of joint 3D printing projects that will merge Honeywell’s expertise in aerospace engineering with Digital Metal’s leadership in additive manufacturing.

“The binder jetting technology Digital Metal uses to print small metal parts has the potential for various applications within the Honeywell Aerospace program,” said Don Godfrey, Engineering Fellow – Additive Manufacturing, Honeywell Aerospace. “We believe this will also be critical to applications in other key areas of the broader aerospace industry.”

 

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Grinder, Polisher Offers Choices to Heat Treat Shops

 

Source: BusinessInsider

 

Quality control and lab technicians now have a choice. A global industrial manufacturer of value-added and testing equipment recently introduced a semi-automatic and manual grinder and polisher for use in heat treat, automotive, aerospace, and electronic laboratory environments, unveiling the new product at the 2017 Heat Treat Expo in Columbus, Ohio, last month.

Read more: “Eco-Met 30 – Semi-Automatic and Manual Grinder Polishers Introduced by Buehler at Heat Treat 2017”

 

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Austenitizing, Salt Quenching Processes Enhance Auto Supplier’s Heat Treating Capabilities

A Mexico-based automotive supplier recently awarded a contract for the design and manufacture of a 1,500 lb/hr mesh belt furnace system for the austenitizing and molten salt quenching of unique components used in the manufacture of its drivetrain systems.

This contract was awarded to Can-Eng Furnaces International Ltd, which has scheduled the project to be commissioned early 2018 in Mexico’s centralized automotive manufacturing corridor. Incorporating several technological advancements for continuous atmosphere processing of products requiring carbon diffusion and quenching via a molten salt system, known as austempering, the new system includes: automated bin-dumping loading, mesh belt atmosphere hardening furnace, salt quench, post-quench wash and rinse system, mesh belt temper oven, and endothermic gas generator.

 

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