In inductive hardening or induction hardening, an alternating current is driven through a coil-shaped conductor, thereby creating a magnetic field. When placing a product in that field, an electric voltage is produced which results in an opposite alternating current. Due to the phenomenon of current displacement (penetration depth / skin effect) that occurs in the core of the product, this induction current is the strongest and directly below the workpiece surface.
Due to the resistance in the material, the flow in the workpiece is then converted into heat, depending on the frequency. By accurately adapting the coil shape to the workpiece surface, all kinds of asymmetrical surfaces can be heated accurately and quickly into the austenite area. Subsequent rapid cooling then results in conversion to martensite in the heated surface. The depth of the heated layer depends on the applied frequency (medium or high) and the heating time. A high frequency leads to a lower depth than a medium frequency. Larger depths of hardening can be achieved by allowing the induction heat developed in the surface layer to be further penetrated into the material by means of conduction in case of a delayed heating.
With inductive hardening, products up to 76 HRc can be hardened (depending on the type of material).
The purpose of these induction hardeners is to make the products wear-resistant
In the field of induction hardening we work together with SABO Boxtel (www.saboboxtel.nl)