Glossary

Induction Furnace

作成者: 杉本 周平|2024.10.31

Induction furnace is a type of electrical furnace that uses electromagnetic induction to heat a metal object. Induction furnace is designed to melt and cast steel from billets or other raw materials. It is essential for steel production, allowing for the creation of a diverse range of steel products with varying sizes, shapes, and physical characteristics.

Advantage

  1. Enhanced Purity and Quality: Induction furnaces provide a tightly controlled melting environment, effectively removing impurities and improving the overall purity of the metal.
  2. Uniform Mixing: The induction melting process ensures a thorough and uniform mixing of chemical components, resulting in consistent quality and properties of the billets.
  3. Improved Machinability: Induction furnace billets exhibit excellent machinability, making them suitable for various processing techniques like cutting, welding, forging, and stamping.
  4. Accelerated Melting with Oxygen Lance: The integration of oxygen lances further enhances the efficiency of the induction melting process. By injecting oxygen into the molten metal, the oxidation of impurities is accelerated, leading to faster melting times and improved metal quality.

Disadvantage

  1. High Initial Investment: The initial cost of setting up an induction furnace facility is significant.
  2. High Energy Consumption: Induction furnaces rely on electrical energy to generate heat, leading to relatively high energy consumption.
  3. Limited Alloy Compatibility: While highly versatile, induction furnaces may have limitations when melting certain specialized alloys with specific temperature and environmental requirements.