Induction hardening parts with small grain size achieves higher fracture strengths, but close control of thermal cycles is required to prevent grain growth.

As a regular contributor to the HTPro eNewsletter, Professor Induction answers a wide variety of questions regarding induction heating and heat treating. This column addresses control of quenching temperatures and affect on induction hardening results.

Professor Induction answers a wide variety of questions regarding induction heating and heat treating. This article addresses differences between auto-tempering and self-tempering.

As a regular contributor to the HTPro eNewsletter, Professor Induction answers a wide variety of questions regarding induction heating and heat treating. Included here are three recent challenges and solutions.

Induction heating is used to produce high quality, reliable aerospace components as well as unique combinations of engineering characteristics.

Modern, high quality induction heat treating equipment must be readily available and flexible enough to allow for easy retooling and reprogramming to process a variety of parts. This article focuses on the technical revolution taking place in induction heating, which for the first time enables preprogramming of induction equipment to change frequency and power during the heating cycle in the same manner manner as machinists have been programming CNC machines for years. This is illustrated through a case study of induction hardening a shaft-like component.

Computer modeling is used in the design and development stages of induction hardening to optimize the process and to improve component quality including hardness, beneficial stress distributions, and reduced distortion.

Properties and performance of lower cost “simple” alloy steels processed using induction coupled thermomagnetic processing can rival those of conventionally processed, expensive specialty alloys. This article discusses some of the demonstrated improved mechanical properties achieved for steels in a industry-government project that evaluated the viability of processing metals in a strong magnetic field.

Induction coils are considered the weakest link in an induction hardening system, so advanced designs and precise fabrication are paramount to ensure long life while producing high quality treated parts. This article describes material selection and fabrication techniques for conventional inductors and new breakthrough designs.

Induction Heating and Heat Treatment, Volume 4C of the ASM Handbook, was developed to serve as a comprehensive resource on induction thermal processes to meet the needs of the induction heating and heat treating communities. This article reviews the topic coverage of the volume.

Coupling a high magnetic field environment with an applied induction elevated temperature capability can achieve stronger, more durable components and materials with improved performance. This article describes work to develop high magnetic field processing technology.

This article discusses the implementation of a stationary induction hardening process for crankshafts and camshafts and the measures taken to maximize production rates while controlling part distortion.

This article demonstrates how FEA-based tools are used to model residual stress and distortion in a full-float truck axle induction hardened and cooled at different rates. The effect of cooling rate on axial displacement is discussed.