As our 90th-anniversary year winds to a close, we take a look at an updated reader resource affectionately called the Heat Treat Wheel. Ninety years of serving our industry results in quality resources in a wide range of topics/industries. We aggregate that in this easily referenced feature.

Some years ago, we created this source of reader-chosen “evergreen” articles for all of our topic categories. It can be found under our “Featured” tab by clicking on “Heat Treatment Processes.” Admittedly, it looks more like a pie than a wheel, but the wheel is a better metaphor, so we will continue to use that name.

The hub of our wheel is Heat Treating, and all of the spokes are the various topics we cover. Let’s primarily focus on just one of these spokes – Induction – for the purpose of this article.

Induction Heat Treating

We have chosen four articles in each of the topic categories based on online metrics indicating reader interest. In this induction category, an article nearly 10 years old is one of the four top choices. When you consider mining a resource for information, there is no substitute for depth. Check out the following for a deep dive into induction.

Example of a vertical induction-hardening (scanning method) application (courtesy of SMS Elotherm GmbH)

Methods of Cooling an Induction Process

If you use induction and find cooling to be one of your challenges, this article from Dry Coolers is for you. Most post-induction cooling is done by water, but how do you keep that water at the optimum temperature cycle after cycle? We suggest you use this link to learn more.

Comparing Induction Hardening, Case Hardening

This article by SMS Elotherm make a case (pun intended) for induction hardening over case harden-ing. Both processes are discussed, and a couple of examples are provided for each option. There may be some possible exceptions, but the case for using induction over case hardening is compelling. Link to this article here to learn more.

10 Considerations When Selecting an Induction Heating System

If you are wondering about induction as you consider certain processes or possibly an equipment addi-tion to your facility, this article from Ambrell is a great place to start. Induction can be tailored to your process more than almost any other heat-treating option, and the 10 considerations provided here help you decide what you need and how your new induction equipment can meet that need.

A specially designed induction coil

Induction Hardening – A Quick Guide to Methods and Coils

The fourth article on this spoke of the wheel is from EFD Induction. There are two alternative methods of induction hardening: conventional scanning hardening and the less common single-shot hardening. This article, which the oldest of the lot from early 2012, looks at the induction hardening process and discusses these options.

Bigger Induction Picture

In just these four articles, a great breadth and depth of information can be found. Of course, in addition to these features, a search on our website for “Induction Heating” results in almost 600 results and over 50 pages. Narrowing this down to articles, more than a dozen pages of results can be found. Now that’s depth!

The industrial sector consumes 27% of the natural gas in the U.S. with projected increases of 6.25% between 2014 and 2021. (EIA Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS), 2010)

More from the Wheel

If you are curious which articles received the most reader interest, here are the top four for your perusal.

Understanding the Jominy End-Quench Test

This is by far the most-popular article in our history, as measured by web metrics. Because of its popularity, we have updated it at least once to make sure all of the content was easily accessible. This article is a great short refresher course for this basic hardenability test. Included is a discussion of hardenability factors such as alloying elements and microstructure as well as how hardenability results should be used.

Pearlitic structure of a cryogenically treated gray cast-iron brake rotor; 100x; 2% nital etch (courtesy of Controlled Thermal Processing Inc.)

Heat Treatment of Cast Irons

This “article” is actually a Heat Treat Doctor column from three years ago. It’s understandable why it is so popular. It seems to be an entire primer on cast irons and their heat treatment. If you want or need to learn more about cast irons, this is your resource.

Calculation of Heat-Treating Costs

From almost eight years ago, this is another evergreen and ever-useful article. Everyone in business – heat treaters included – wants to get and keep their costs under control. This article spells out these costs for different types of processes (e.g., induction, atmosphere, etc.) and helps you separate them into direct, allocated, capitalized and G&A costs. This is a great start at understanding your costs and getting a handle on them.

How to Maximize Burner Efficiency

Contributed by Honeywell, this is another article that discusses the control of our process (combustion) for peak efficiency and quality. The title of this one says it all. If you are interested in maximizing burn-er efficiency, check it out.

Conclusion

We hope you have found something here that will help you do your job better. Our website contains a wealth of resources just waiting to be mined.

Thank you for being part of our 90th-anniversary year. We look forward to continuing to serve you to 100 and beyond.