Company Roboterm Ltd. made a device for induction heating of steel rods for the University of West Bohemia. The device is unique because it enables to reach intended uneven heating of rods, which is used by university researchers in the development of incremental forging.
The heater is equipped with five short inductors. The heating rods are moved between the inductors by means of pulleys. Variable arrangement of inductors and the possibility to insert the device for rapid cooling provide the scientific department with a lot of varieties of carrying out tasks of research and development. The heating is realized by two oscillating circuits. Each of them has its own source. One of them is used for the basic heating and the other one for finishing the uneven heating. Frequency converters and transformers are placed separately outside the heater box. As a result of that, the dimensions of the heater are small. The temperature of heated rods is sensed by a contactless thermometer. The heating output is controlled by Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).
Heated material | magnetic steel | |
Dimensions of rods | Ø D [mm] | 12 - 30 |
length l [mm] | 800 - 1500 | |
Output [kW] | 200 + 40 | |
Maximum heated amount [kg/h] | 400 | |
Rated output temperature of heated rod end [°C] | 1250 |