This chapter describes two types of auxiliary equipment required in most induction heating installations: cooling systems and device timers. Water- and vapor-based systems used for cooling the power supply and the induction coil are described. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of timers, with emphasis on open-loop timing systems.

This chapter discusses the maintenance needs of major components in induction heat-treating systems, including power supplies, heat stations, capacitors, high-frequency output stages, induction coils, water systems, quench systems, and fixturing.

This chapter discusses the basic components in an induction heat treating system. It describes the design and operating characteristics of power supplies, load-matching transformers, tuning capacitors, power regulators, controllers, process monitors, and diagnostic systems. It also provides information on fixtures and work-handling devices, quench systems, and load matching and tuning procedures.

This chapter discusses the quenching process and its adaptation to induction heat treating. It describes the three stages of quenching, the cooling characteristics of various types of quenchants, and the details of nearly a dozen compatible quenching methods. It also explains how to verify whether a quenchant can cool a workpiece fast enough to achieve martensitic transformation without cracking or distortion.

This chapter discusses the various factors pertinent to gravity permanent mold (GPM) castings, along with their advantages, limitations, and significance. The discussion covers the geometric factors, process and manufacturing elements, gating practices, and feeding principles of and pouring systems in GPM. The influences of mold coatings on GPM and low pressure permanent mold castings are described. The chapter also discusses various processes involved in the engineering of core boxes and cooling of GPM for casting integrity and cycle time control. It provides information on some of the processes involved in post-casting operations, namely de-coring and de-gating. The key design aspects for consideration in water quenching during the T6 heat treatment are reviewed. The chapter also provides information on two critical cycle events important in engineering at the manufacturing facility: tipper cycle planning and table or cell cycle planning.

This chapter, a detailed account of furnaces and related equipment for heat treating, begins by describing three basic modes of heat transmission, namely conduction, convection, and radiation, followed by a discussion on the working principle, applications, advantages, and disadvantages of furnaces classified based on the heat transfer medium employed. The types of furnaces covered are batch-type, continuous-type, liquid bath, fluidized bed, and vacuum. The subsequent sections provide information on furnace parts, fixtures, quenching mediums, and quenching systems. The final section of the chapter describes the types of atmospheres available, emphasizing their applications and limitations.

This appendix discusses the sizing, scaling, and configuration requirements of the basic components in a quench cooling system, including tanks, pumps, hoses, and inlet and outlet fixtures and the materials from which they are made.

The machinery and equipment required for rod and tube extrusion is determined by the specific extrusion process. This chapter provides a detailed description of the design requirements and principles of machinery and equipment for direct and indirect hot extrusion. It then covers the presses and auxiliary equipment for tube extrusion, induction furnaces for billet processing, handling systems for copper and aluminum alloy products, extrusion cooling systems, and age-hardening ovens. Next, the chapter describes the principles and applications of equipment for the production of aluminum and copper billets. Then, it focuses on process control in both direct and indirect hot extrusion of aluminum alloys without lubrication. The chapter describes the technology of electrical and electronic controls in the extrusion process. It ends with a discussion on the factors that influence the productivity and quality of the products in the extrusion process and methods for process optimization.

Phases are distinct states of aggregation of matter and one of the primary leverage points for understanding and applying materials. This chapter discusses the phase nature of metals and alloys, the concept of solid solutions, and the use of phase diagrams. It also describes some of the metallurgical effects of freezing or solidification, including the segregation of solutes and the formation of metal glasses.

This chapter describes various aspects of the billet making process and how they affect the quality of aluminum extrusions. It begins with an overview of the direct-chill continuous casting technique and its advantages over other methods, particularly for hard aluminum alloys. It then discusses the influence of casting variables, including pouring temperature and cooling rate, and operating considerations such as the make-up of charge materials, fluxing and degassing procedures, and grain refining. The chapter also provides information on vertical and horizontal casting systems, billet homogenization, and the cause of casting defects, including cracking and splitting, segregation, porosity, and grain growth.

Ion nitriding equipment can be categorized into two groups: cold-wall continuous direct current (dc) equipment and hot-wall pulsed dc equipment. This chapter focuses on these two categories along with other important considerations for ion (plasma) nitriding equipment and processing. Other important considerations discussed include the hollow cathode effect, sputter cleaning, furnace loading, pressure/voltage relationships, workpiece masking, and furnace configuration options. The chapter describes five methods of cooling parts from the process temperature to an acceptable exposure temperature after plasma nitriding. The chapter also presents some of the advantages of the pulsed plasma process.

The practical application of metals and alloys is guided largely by information obtained through the study of their microstructure. This chapter examines a wide range of titanium microstructures, identifying characteristic features and explaining what they reveal about processing, properties, and performance. It includes images of elongated and equiaxed structures, primary alpha, transformed beta, and metastable phases as well as spheroidal and intergranular beta, alpha case, and intermetallic compounds. It also defines important terms and provides step-by-step procedures for preparing titanium for metallographic analysis.

Coal-based thermal power plants play a major role in the welfare of many nations and the overall global economy. This chapter describes the basic equipment requirements and operating principles of thermal power plants, particularly subcritical, supercritical, and ultra-supercritical types.