Introduction

Melting cast iron efficiently and cleanly is a top priority in modern foundries and metal processing plants. Traditional methods like cupola and arc furnaces often fall short due to high emissions, energy loss, and inconsistent melt quality. That’s why more industries are turning to the induction furnace for cast iron melting, a cleaner, faster, and more controllable option that revolutionizes how iron is processed.

2. How Induction Furnaces Work

An induction melting furnace for iron relies on the principle of electromagnetic induction to generate heat directly within the metal, making it one of the cleanest and most efficient methods for melting cast iron.

The process unfolds in the following steps:

• Alternating current (AC) flows through a specially designed copper coil.
• This current creates a rapidly changing magnetic field around the coil.
• The magnetic field induces eddy currents within the metallic charge (workpiece) placed inside the coil.
• These eddy currents generate resistive heat internally, raising the temperature until the metal melts.

Unlike combustion-based systems, induction furnaces use no flames or fuel. This offers significant advantages:

• Uniform and rapid heating across the entire charge
• Zero direct emissions and no combustion by-products
• Precision control over temperature and alloy chemistry

This section is illustrated below with labeled diagrams to help visualize both the electromagnetic heating principle and the typical system setup.