sustainable heat treat

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Thermal Loop Solutions, Part 2: A Path to a Sustainable Future in Heat Treatment

/ CONTROLS TECHNICAL CONTENT, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

What is the path forward for thermal loop systems, and how is “sustainability” at the forefront of this technology? The following article is co-authored by Peter Sherwin, global business development manager of Heat Treatment, and Thomas Ruecker, senior development manager, at Watlow. They examine four scopes to take into consideration when assessing thermal loop systems in the context of greenhouse gas emissions and their environmental impact.

This article is a continuation from the introduction of this topic released in Heat Treat Today’s January/February 2024 Air & Atmospheres print edition and published at Heat Treat Today on February 27, 2024, titled “Thermal Loop Solutions, Part 1: A Path to Improved Performance and Compliance in Heat Treatment”.

Sustainability

Heat treatment thermal loop solutions provide several sustainability benefits, including reduced energy consumption and waste. The power controller regulates the power output to minimize energy waste, and the possible integration with renewable energy sources and circular economy principles provides a complete power solution that spans from element design to recycling and renewables. The thermal loop solutions, in combination with insulation design and materials, provide energy-efficient solutions that contribute to sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of heat treatment processes.

When discussing these systems in the context of greenhouse gas emissions and their environmental impact, it is essential to consider Scopes 1, 2, and 3, as well as the less common Scope 4:

  • Scope 1 (Direct Emissions): Heat treatment processes often involve the combustion of fossil fuels like natural gas, propane, or oil to generate heat. These direct emissions are attributed to the equipment used in the heat treatment process, such as furnaces and ovens. Efforts to reduce Scope 1 emissions include upgrading to more efficient equipment or adopting alternative heating technologies, like induction or electric heating systems.
  • Scope 2 (Indirect Emissions from Energy): In heat treatment processes and thermal loop systems, electricity is often used to power various components, such as pumps, fans, and control systems. The emissions associated with generating this electricity are considered Scope 2 emissions. To reduce Scope 2 emissions, companies can improve energy efficiency, invest in renewable energy sources, or purchase green energy from their utility provider.
  • Scope 3 (Other Indirect Emissions): These emissions are associated with activities throughout the value chain of heat treatment applications and thermal loop systems, such as the manufacturing and transporting of raw materials, equipment, and waste management. Companies can work to reduce Scope 3 emissions by collaborating with suppliers to improve the environmental performance of their products and services, optimizing transportation and logistics, and implementing waste reduction strategies.
  • Scope 4 (Avoided Emissions): In heat treatment applications and thermal loop systems, avoided emissions may come from implementing energy-efficient technologies, waste heat recovery systems, or other innovative solutions that reduce overall energy consumption and associated emissions. By quantifying these avoided emissions, companies can showcase the positive impact of their sustainability efforts on reducing their carbon footprint. Avoided emissions can also be highlighted when subcontracting heat treatment requirements to a more energy-efficient source rather than running an in-house operation. In this approach, the heat treatment process is outsourced to an external, specialized heat treatment service provider, especially if the in-house equipment is due to be lightly utilized. These service providers operate independent heat treatment facilities and offer services to multiple clients across various industries and generally run 24/7 with high utilization.

At the component level, energy savings can be realized using current technology. Advanced SCRs provide predictive load management functions and hybrid firing algorithms and contribute to sustainability by optimizing the energy usage of heat treatment processes. These SCRs offer real-time monitoring and control of energy consumption, while predictive load management systems use specific algorithms to manage peak power loads and adjust to optimize for local conditions (load shedding or load sharing). Hybrid firing systems use a combination of firing methods to control power factors and reduce the negative impact on the electrical infrastructure.

Figure 1: Eurotherm EPowerTM Predictive Load Management / Source: Watlow

Heater design is also essential. Switching time impacts heater life with fast, modern switching modes (hybrid firing) significantly extending heater life compared to slower switching from conventional mechanical contactors.

Systems can be rapidly tested, simulated, and modeled through computational engineering. Several thermal loop systems today have improved temperature uniformity due to these methods.

Adaptive thermal system (ATS) solutions are the next frontier of thermal loop solutions. Rather than selecting the best-of-breed components — sometimes with overlapping functionality and kitting a complete solution — ATS provides a merged design between heater and control systems. ATS is already in place in several semiconductor applications, and this type of technology is looking to scale into heat treatment applications shortly.

graphic of 2 circular images (predominantly green), red arrow between; text: Watlow Introduces Adaptive Thermal Systems
Figure 2. Watlow Adaptive Thermal Systems ATSTM
Source: Watlow

Challenges and Limitations

The initial investment in heat treatment thermal loop solutions can sometimes be higher than in traditional methods. However, this investment often leads to a significantly lower total cost of ownership and improved return on investment due to the thermal loop solutions’ increased efficiency, improved quality control, and extended life.

Ensuring regulatory compliance is complex and time-consuming, requiring organizations to have the right people, processes, and equipment.

Future Trends

As Industry 4.0 and digital transformation continue to gain momentum and Industry 5.0 practices are implemented, heat treatment thermal loop solutions will become increasingly important. Integrating digital technology and machine learning algorithms will provide even greater control, traceability, and transparency, enabling organizations to make informed decisions based on real-time data and predictive analytics. In addition, as new materials and manufacturing processes are developed, adaptive and flexible heat treatment thermal loop solutions will need to evolve to meet these challenges and provide the necessary level of control and efficiency for these new applications.

Conclusion

Heat treatment thermal loop solutions provide several benefits over traditional heat treatment methods, including improved temperature control, increased efficiency, and improved sustainability outcomes. The integration with Industry 4.0 and data management systems, as well as the use of FMEA and OEE metrics, further help enhance the performance of heat treatment processes. As Industry 4.0 digital transformation and Industry 5.0 practices continue to evolve, heat treatment thermal loop solutions will play an increasingly important role in the future of heat treatment.

About the Authors:

Peter Sherwin
Global Business Development Manager of Heat Treatment
Watlow
Thomas Ruecker
Senior Business Development Manager
of Heat Treatment
Eurotherm, a Watlow company

Peter Sherwin, global business development manager of Heat Treatment at Watlow, is passionate about offering best-in-class solutions to the heat treatment industry. He is a chartered engineer and a recognized expert in heat treatment control and data solutions.

Thomas Ruecker is the business development manager of Heat Treatment at Eurotherm Germany, a Watlow company. His expertise includes concept development for the automation of heat treatment plants, with a focus on aerospace and automotive industry according to existing regulations (AMS2750, CQI-9).

For more information: Contact peter.sherwin@watlow.com or thomas.ruecker@watlow.com.

This article content is used with permission by Heat Treat Today’s media partner heat processing, which published this article in 2023.

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Fact Sheet: Responding to DOE Regulations on the Heat Treating Industry

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“The effort to stem global warming/climate change must be tempered by open discourse on the efficacy of proposed regulations. Until we have the technology in place to accomplish decarbonization without eviscerating our industrial, transportation, and power industries, we must slow down the indiscriminate steps that the U.S. Department of Energy has laid out for heat treaters.”

Click to download the resource: “Responding to DOE Regulations on the Heat Treating Industry“

Michael Mouilleseaux, chairman of the Metal Treating Institute (MTI) Regulatory Impact Task Force, has written extensively on the topic of green energy regulations on the industry, raising questions for heat treaters to consider, like: Are your heat treat operations ready to eliminate natural gas by 2035? Can it afford revising the heating apparatus of every furnace and increased green energy costs by a factor of 15?

Now, he has provided a fact sheet to help concerned heat treaters take action. This resource highlights the scope of heat treat in U.S. industries and highlights the implications of standing DOE regulations on heat treaters to help heat treaters articulate the concerns to their congressmen.

Laying out what heat treat is, who it serves, how it impacts the national economy/workforce, and what the Industrial Decarbonization Initiative means for the industry, this resource exhorts government officials to slow down these regulations. It posits that without allowing time for affordable technology to develop, the regulations have the capability of “eviscerating our industrial, transportation, and power industries.”

This resource by Michael Mouilleseaux accompanies his 3-part series on the topic in Heat Treat Today’s print magazines. For more background on current DOE regulations on the industry, peruse Michael’s three-part series published by Heat Treat Today: “US DOE Strategy Affects Heat Treaters” in the March 2024 Aerospace Heat Treat print edition; “US DOE Strategy: Ramifications for Heat Treaters” in the April/May 2024 Heat Treat Green print edition; and “US DOE Strategy: Why Target the Heat Treating Industry?” in the June 2024 Buyers Guide Issue print edition.

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Induction and Sustainability Tips Part 1: Cleaning and Maintenance

/ INDUCTION HEATING TECHNICAL CONTENT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, PARTS CLEANING TECHNICAL-CONTENT

OC

Discover expert tips, tricks, and resources for sustainable heat treating methods Heat Treat Today's recent series.  And, if you're looking for tips on combustion, controls systems, or induction in general, you'll find that too! Part 1, today's tips, digs into cleaning and maintenance

This Technical Tuesday article is compiled from tips in Heat Treat Today's May Focus on Sustainable Heat Treat Technologies print edition. If you have any tips of your own about induction and sustainability, our editors would be interested in sharing them online at www.heattreattoday.com. Email Bethany Leone at bethany@heattreattoday.com with your own ideas!

1. Maintenance of Induction Coils Used in Hardening Applications

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Soap and hot water will remove sticky quench and debris.
Source: Induction Tooling, Inc.

How should you maintain induction coils used in hardening applications? Elbow grease — a little goes a long way. After each use, a simple solution of soap and hot water will remove sticky quench and debris. Scrub hardened dirt with a Scotch-Brite pad. Check for pitting, arcing, and insulator damage. If all is good, use a hot water rinse, and it’s ready for use. If the inductor is to remain on the machine for an extended period, it is advised to wash it and the associated bus daily. Check for damage. Following this simple procedure will reduce business waste.

Source: William Stuehr, President/CEO, Induction Tooling, Inc.

#partscleaning #inductorcoil #hardening

2. Maintaining Tooling Fixtures for Induction Hardening

Tooling fixtures are usually maintained simply by storing them inside a mandrel and a box. This system will prevent coils from getting distorted.

Most tooling should be rinsed in hot water to wash off the polymer and then dried and stored away for future use.

It is a good practice to use deionized water for cooling the power supplies.

Source: Madhu Chatterjee, President, AAT Metallurgical Services LLC

#partscleaning #toolingfixtures

3. Switch to Aqueous

As industry tries to become more “green,” a number of companies are switching from lubricants that are petroleum or mineral oil-based to water-based (“aqueous”) lubricants instead. However, some of these companies then make the mistake of not changing their degreasing fluids that they use to remove these lubricants prior to their next processing operations, and stay with their standard degreasing fluids, such as acetone or alcohol, which are not effective at fully removing water-based lubricants. Instead, they need to run tests to find an appropriate alkaline-based degreasing fluid for such water-based lubricants, since alkaline-based degreasers will be effective at removing such lubricants. Commonly available dish-detergents (alkaline-based) have been shown to be highly effective for such use.

Source: Dan Kay, Owner, Kay & Associates

#aqueouscleaner #gogreen #lubricants

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Upfront Planning: What To Expect with Induction Design and Fabrication

/ FEATURED NEWS, HARDENING TECHNICAL CONTENT, INDUCTION HEATING EQUIPMENT TECHNICAL CONTENT, INDUCTION HEATING TECHNICAL CONTENT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

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Induction heat treating: no harsh chemicals, gases, or even CO2 emissions. But to get there, heat treaters should first understand how to plan for an induction design and fabrication project upfront. Consider these five important factors before you dive into induction.

This Technical Tuesday article was composed by John Chesna, general manager at Induction Tooling, Inc. and honoree in Heat Treat Today's 40 Under 40Class of 2022. It appears in Heat Treat Today's May 2023 Sustainable Heat Treat Technologies print edition.

Introduction

John Chesna
General Manager at Induction Tooling
Source: Induction Tooling, Inc.

There are many less than obvious factors to consider when preparing and planning for induction. So where to start? There are five important factors that manufacturers with in-house heat treat operations should understand in order to successfully prepare an induction heating project and design.

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But first, what is induction heating? Induction heat treating is the process in which a high frequency conductor (induction tool) induces currents (eddy currents) into an electrically conductive workpiece. Without ever touching the work-piece, the current generated and the resistance causes heating. Ever since its proven usefulness around the time of World War II, induction has been chosen as the go-to heat treatment for a variety of applications across many industries including agricultural, medical, and transportation. Now, it seems that most industries have taken advantage of induction heat treating, and its popularity will likely only continue to increase with the push for the use of “clean” and “green” energy.

#1 Plan for Inductor Wear

One of the most important factors to an induction project is realizing the inductor/ coil is a wear item. It can be highly engineered, hand fabricated, machined, or even 3D printed. Yet, in the overall process, it is still a wear item: an item that will eventually require replacement or repair. The inductor is exposed to the worst of the elements during the induction process and can fail from standard use, accidents, or unforeseen circumstances. Inductor designers are constantly being challenged to create tools that will last longer, require less maintenance, or run more cycles. All of those can be achieved, but the inductor will eventually require replacing and that is not a bad thing!

A properly serviced and maintained inductor will ensure quality parts are being produced. As the inductor wears, the efficacy degrades, leading to undesirable results. Repair of the inductor will correct this issue and ensure the parameters required for the desired heat treat pattern are restored. Depending on production needs, a good principle is to have more than one inductor on hand so that while one is being repaired the spare inductor can remain on the machine to keep up with manufacturing demand. Planning for this is important for the project’s timing and budget.

#2 Types of Inductor Designs

Determining a specific inductor design will be necessary to properly heat parts. The inductor creates the magnetic field in the workpiece, and typically the inductor is shaped to couple closely where heat treatment of the part is desired. Additionally, if quenching is required for the heating application, this function will be considered in the inductor’s design. The inductor’s design must deliver the electrical energy and quench medium to the workpiece while allowing accessibility for material handling purposes. For this reason, inductors take on many different designs.

Common inductor designs include:

  • Pancake: used for heating flat surfaces
  • Single turn or multi-turn: commonly shown as copper tubing wrapped around cylindrically around the workpiece
  • Hairpin: typically, a simple back and forth loop used to heat long lengths internally or externally on the workpiece
  • Split return: used to focus the energy in particular areas of the workpiece
  • MIQ (machined integral quench) paddle: the most commonly used design for scanning applications

#3 Power and Frequency

Know the power supply and/or work-head power and frequency. Depending on the composition of the part that requires processing, the power and frequency of the equipment will help estimate the depth of the pattern that can be achieved, as well as help determine how successful the part will be for induction heating. Irregularly shaped geometries with points, holes, or sharp edges sometimes cause difficulty establishing eddy currents where the induction pattern is desired. Some parts, after review, are good candidates for induction heat treatment but cannot be processed with the existing power supply and/or work-head setup.

If an inductor is being built to mount to existing induction equipment, it is important to know the scope of parts that are currently being processed or expected to be processed on the machine. The electrical circuit of the power supply, work-head, and inductor must load match to the part. If a variety of parts are being run then multiple styles of inductors may exist or will be required to be used. Different designs of inductors, e.g., single-turn, multi-turn, or split return used on the machine will change the transformer effect and capacitor requirements of the system. Availability to tune the system capacitance and inductance becomes vitally important for operation. Please note that adjusting capacitance can be dangerous and should only be done by a trained technician. Newer power supplies function differently than older models, yet load tuning needs to be considered.

#4 Part Details

A detailed pre-induction print is needed. The print should list the material as well as the desired heat treatment pattern to determine the inductor design. As the print specifies the pattern, it should also provide limits. Inductors are then typically designed to the shape of the part. The inductor may require an integrated quench, electrically insulating protective coating, locators, or additional assembly fixturing depending on the part’s size. An inductor built for one part may be used or tried on a similar part. However, the same results cannot be expected to render on the part for which it was not designed. If the manufacturer knows that a family of parts will be run, the full scope should be presented to inductor designers for consideration before the build.

#5 Material Handler

Ideally an inductor supplier would be contacted to develop the induction heating process for a part; then, that information should be shared with the material handling designer. That would be the ideal, but that’s not the way it usually happens. Sometimes, a machine is built to process a part that no longer is in use, so the machine is now being retrofitted to process different parts. The design of a new inductor is needed to accommodate this existing machine which may create size constraints to the inductor’s design.

The contact style, how the inductor mounts to the work-head, will need to be determined. There are a variety of commonly used power supplies and work-heads available from OEMs in the market. As each OEM keeps their contacts standard to their equipment, there is no singular standard footprint in the market. Once the contact style has been determined, the inductor can be designed for maximum power delivery efficiency. How the part and inductor are presented to each other is important. The centerline distance, a measurement from where the inductor mounts to where the part will be processed, needs to be known. The centerline determines the required length of the inductor and indirectly how much room is available for the inductor’s design.

Conclusion

Due to the variety of factors, no two projects are ever the same. Induction heating is an exciting technology, and I encourage everyone to learn more about it.

 

About the Author: John Chesna is the general manager of Induction Tooling, Inc. and has been involved with the induction heat treating industry for over 8 years. He is a graduate of the University of Akron with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology. His responsibilities include overseeing day-to-day operations including the design, manufacturing, and testing of induction heat treating inductors. Additionally, John was a recipient of Heat Treat Today's 40 Under 40 award in 2022.

Contact John at jchesna@inductiontooling.com.

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