Abstract
When you purchase induction equipment, the perishable tooling (i.e., induction coils) will become a point of reoccurring cost over the life of the program. The loss of production that occurs when an induction coil fails and the equipment is idled, is more costly. It is important to note that some coils have a short usable life while others will last for months or years. Some of the notable factors include the coil type, equipment process parameters, the quality of the coil design, and specific coil features employed. All these influence coil life, some profoundly. Due to the number of factors that influence coil life, no induction equipment supplier can closely approximate the expected coil life. A proper understanding of these factors will enable the program manager to execute proper planning for the annual cost of induction coil tooling, number of coils on hand, coil changeover schedule, and possible downtime of induction equipment. It is important that your induction coil supplier has the expertise to provide you with good coil designs and is committed to continuous improvement by resolving early failure modes to maximize coil life.
