Induction heating and polymer processing can be hard to predict and control

Induction heating is a well-known industrial process, typically used for heating metals immediately before forming processes – or for heat treatment of steel. Recently it has also found its way into household product such as stoves and rice cookers.

Induction heating has a number of advantages and disadvantages. Induction heating is extremely fast and easy to regulate under the right conditions, and it will function even without direct contact. On the other hand, working with complex geometries and multi-material parts – induction heating can be very difficult to predict and control.

Through a large number of research contracts or consultancy projects, IPU has gained a considerable experience predicting induction heating, even for very complex geometries. Numerous physical tests of several metallic materials have provided important magnetic and thermal data used for numerical simulations. Through the simulations it is possible to predict the heating rate of the part to be heated – as well as the temperature distribution in the surrounding areas. This saves time and money as it keeps down the number of actual physical experiments to a minimum.

Through experiments, construction of dedicated power supplies, electroforming of special electrodes in copper or nickel and extensive use of Finite Element Analysis, IPU has assisted several customers in development of production equipment particularly for polymer processing. Applications include joining of polymers, forming of polymers, selective welding of polymer foils and injections molding of parts with micro- or nanostructures.

Using induction heating rates of up to 1000 degrees pr. second has been obtained.

If you would like to know more about how IPU can help you find solutions for your most complex challenges, contact us. Our international team of specialists will be happy to assist you.