Objective: A cable manufacturer is looking for a new technology for preheating music wire. Induction heating is a very suitable method for this application.
The customer runs a 0.105″ (0.27 cm) diameter music wire into a cable coiling machine. This machine winds the wire into a 0.375″ (0.95 cm) diameter spring.
Currently, they heated 90ft (27.43 m) of the spring through a 6ft (1.83 m) long furnace set at 850°F (~454°C). The wire moves 14ft (4.27 m) per minute.
The main goals of the application test are two. The first is to find an alternative method of preheating to optimize and free up the workspace. The second one is to demonstrate the coupling of the music wire to the induction field.
Industry: Wire and Cable
Equipment: In this application, the test was used UltraHeat SM – 5kW Induction Heater – compact and easy-to-use induction heating system. With this induction machine, the customer will have a cleaner and safer working environment.
Process: With this test, we had to demonstrate the advantages of induction preheating and the possibility of coupling the music wire to the induction field. The material of the element is carbon-based, and it is magnetic. We are heating the finished product – the coiled wire. That demonstrated how well we could couple the elements. In reality, the process will be to preheat the smaller diameter wire before forming it into a coil.
During the test, we used tempilaq paint to identify the process temperature. The required temperature was 850°F (~454°C), and we confirmed it. With a power of 5 kW, the heat cycle time was only 1 sec.
Our recommendation is to manufacture a custom induction coil. With a tighter coil, the results will be more satisfying.
Benefits: Induction heating is a green technology that helps a manufacturer of different industries to increase production rate, improve their energy efficiency, reduce time, optimize processes, and be safer for employees.
Reference Info: Application Note 3463-7234
Read more about other induction preheating and postheating applications.
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