Induction heating is at the core of numerous modern-day forging technologies. Induction heating helps to reduce wastefulness of flame or gas based furnace forging applications. With the use of progressive induction forging equipment, heating can be delivered quickly and with extreme precision. This ensures that heating is restricted to the workpiece, eliminating wastage.
Advantages of Induction Forging:
- Better Consistency — Using induction technology, forging delivers consistent results. Uniform heat energy ensures accuracy, and can reduce machining allowances, thereby increasing the life of the die.
- Quicker Temperature Rise — A higher power density means that the component is heated to the required temperature very quickly. This reduces the chances of scaling and other surface defects associated with surface metallurgy.
- Conserving Energy — Induction heating is more precise. In this process, the heat is generated within the component, so only the item that has to be forged is heated by the induction heater. Negligible heat energy is wasted as the atmosphere around the part is not heated.
- Better Control — With the use of modern induction forging equipment, there is no need for pre-heating cycles. This also eliminates the need for repeated shutdowns. In case there is an unexpected interruption, the power can be turned off. This also decreases the chances of scaling the components.
Thermal Energy and Power in Induction Forging
Ensuring appropriate power is critical. Power consumption for a typical induction-based forging process can vary from some kilowatts. Power consumption is primarily dependent on power supply efficiency. To ensure accurate power supply, thermal energy has to be calculated. This refers to the energy required for raising the metal’s temperature to the required range within a specific time. To do this repeatedly and with precision, the material’s weight, time cycle, and heat content are important.
Thermal energy calculations can be affected by radiation losses, coil losses, and other types of system losses. Using standard induction forging equipment, the metal item is heated to a very high temperature. This is vital since forging requires the metal to be malleable.
