Induction heat treatment equipment has greatly improved the speed and ease of the heating of large scale metal pieces for construction, weld preheating/post-heating and the maintenance of industrial equipment. Red-D-Arc has become known for our expertise in the application of induction heat using induction heat blankets, coils and ovens in a diverse variety of applications.
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FABTECH is North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event and will take place from September 11 to 14, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.
FABTECH provides a convenient place for manufacturers, suppliers, educators and other industry professionals to discover innovative solutions and find the tools to improve productivity and increase profits.
This is the place to be for expanding your knowledge, networking and exploring the latest technology while finding out more about the latest industry trends.
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Induction heating is a modern approach to supporting the welding process with preheat and post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) as well as other industrial tasks such as coating removal and placing or removing shrink-fit components. Although the conventional use of induction heating is limited to magnetic base materials, applications capable of using the process can reap significant operational savings and benefits compared to “conventional” heating processes such as flame/torch or even resistive heating. Could you be a good candidate for implementing induction heating into your welding or industrial maintenance processes? Shown here are just a few target use cases.
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Miller’s ArcReach air-cooled induction heating system is designed for preheat and bake-out applications at temperatures up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit (315°C), without requiring cooler and coolant. Temperature control settings can be manually programmed or uploaded via USB stick. All heating data is recorded automatically and can be saved for quality control and documentation purposes.
“Achieve critical temperatures quickly and hold them steady over long periods of time”
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Red-D-Arc’s latest customer success story highlights the benefits of using induction heating in rotating equipment applications.
A client contacted Red-D-Arc to inquire about the use of induction heating to remove a coupling hub from a motor shaft. The hub was 12 inches in diameter and roughly 4 inches thick.
The overall work scope was straightforward: the client needed to remove an old motor and replace it with a new motor. The coupling hub had to be reused, so the hub would need to be removed from the old motor and installed on the new one. Two things made this job challenging: the location and the time limit. The work was to take place on an offshore platform. Use of an open flame was not an option, as it would have led to a safety violation.
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This article originally appeared in Connector Magazine, Fall 2020 Edition
Large steel erection projects commonly require heat treatment for welding because of the thick materials used in structural steel construction. Proper implementation is critical; so often this work is outsourced. The perceived level of expertise to perform this work can make the prospect of using in-house personnel daunting. However, most welding contractors are actually fully capable of performing on-site heat treatment operations.
The two primary methods for heat treating metal are preheating and post-weld heat treatment (PWHT). Preheating is the process of heating the base metal to a specific temperature prior to welding to minimize the temperature difference between the welding arc and the base metal. This process helps to reduce internal stresses that occur as substantial temperature differences between the weld and the base metal normalize, which can cause cracking and distortion. Slowing the cooling rate also allows hydrogen to escape from the weld, which minimizes the potential for cracking.
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In the fabrication of storage tanks, as in most other welding applications, there are two crucial processes that storage tank fabricators must carry out to ensure the final quality and durability of the tanks. They are weld preheating and post-weld heat treatment.
Preheating involves heating the material to be welded to a particular temperature before welding. This process reduces shrinkage by minimizing the temperature between the arc and the base material. It also removes moisture, lowers hydrogen, and slows the weld cooling rate. These reduce the risk of cracking, brittle welds, and failure of the welds. Preheating is crucial for storage tanks as they are to withstand high pressures during operation.
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In welding, like in many other manufacturing and fabrication processes, the process is not complete until the necessary post-processing has been carried out. Post-weld operations are usually performed for reasons such as improving mechanical properties, relieving stress, and improving aesthetics. The two most common Post-weld operations are Post-Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) and Finishing.
During welding, the welded materials are exposed to very high temperatures that can cause micro-structural changes in them. Also, residual stresses build up in welded materials when they are allowed to cool naturally. If left unaddressed, these stresses and structural changes can severely compromise the mechanical properties of a material and can lead to failure during use. To prevent this, PWHT is required for welded parts. There are two major types of Post-weld heat treatment and they are as follows.
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Originally built in the 1930s, the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington State has been undergoing a series of maintenance projects to ensure that it will continue to produce safe and reliable power into the future. One stage of the project required the heating of a 40-ft wide, 7-ft tall outer headcover of the turbine shaft to specific core temperature. In order to achieve this temperature, the engineers applied induction heating to one side of the workpiece.
Only when the opposite side of the workpiece reached target temperature could the maintenance engineers be certain that the required core temperature had been achieved. The team from Red-D-Arc provided induction heating systems and assistance with training and set up during this essential part of the maintenance process.
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Texas – One of our customers was trying to heat 42” diameter pipe using pear burners so that welders could weld out the joints. Our team saw an opportunity to create a solution that would help our customer get the job done much more quickly. To make this in-the-field heating job go faster, we put together a package including a Miller ProHeat 35 induction heating system, a 60kVA generator and a DP25 power distribution panel.
Red-D-Arc provided a reliable RDA Induction heating solution to a pipeline construction and maintenance company in Houston who needed to maintain consistent temperatures for their welders to weld out joints from pipes. Our induction heating specialist supplied our customer with a portable induction heating package consisting of a 60 KVA generator, a Miller Pro-Heat 35 induction heating system, and a DP25 power distribution panel. As a cost-effective alternative to their existing propane burners, induction heaters allowed them a secure heating, consistent temperature control, increased weld time, and improved safety.
With this setup we were able to get the pipe up to 250 degrees in about 5 minutes. Our customer was able to beat the competition’s target time by over 19 hours and has been asked to quote on other pipeline work for their client. Needless to say they were pleased with the solution and the opportunity for extra work it created.
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Pre-weld and post-weld heat treating is critical for many welding operations. Without proper thermal manipulation, welds and heat affected zones can have mechanical properties that are undesirable. Worse yet, inadequate heat treatment can result in cracks and devastating weld failures. While temperature and time are the primary concerns when heat treating a weld, the heating method should also be considered diligently when selecting a process. Induction heating is one of the most popular types of heat treating methods, and rightfully so. The benefits of induction heating are many, and Red-D-Arc has the equipment you need to successfully implement an induction heat treating operation for your projects.
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It’s a beautiful day in Tulsa Oklahoma. – April 4, 2018
Drop by booth #507 and check out our Orbital Tig and Induction Heating systems. We’ve got a beautifully reconditioned 300 amp Red-D-Arc Diesel welder for sale with special show pricing!!
Don’t forget to scan your badge for PennWell Drone Draw!!
www.pipelineenergyexpo.com – April 3-5, 2018
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Preheating reduces the risk of cracking in weld metal and heat-affected zone (HAZ) by:
The requirement and level of preheating for steel is determined by the relevant welding code and is dependent on the weld heat input, chemical composition of steel (carbon equivalent), thicknesses, diffusible hydrogen etc. Non-ferrous materials generally require preheat because of their high thermal conductivity.
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Red-D-Arc staff at the Moncton, New Brunswick branch recently helped a customer save time and money repairing the world’s largest rock crusher through the use of induction heat. The hydraulic cylinder that operates the pressure plates used by the enormous rock crusher needed to be brought to a temperature of 500 °F and that temperature needed to be maintained for 3 full days. This was required in order to allow welders to repair the lifting tabs on the cylinder. Normally 3 workers would have used blow torches to heat the metal which would have taken 2 weeks or longer. Red-D-Arc Induction Heating Equipment allowed them to get the job done in less than half the time. Induction heating has many applications in construction, shipbuilding, hydro dam maintenance and bridge building. Red-D-Arc technicians are recognized in the industry for their innovative application of this technology, ready to meet any variety of customer challenges. (more…)
For more information induction heating metal, please get in touch with us!