Disclosed is an annealing system integrated with laser and microwave. The annealing system is provided with a microwave system, a laser system, and a measurement and control system. The microwave system provides a microwave energy to a first area of a to-be-annealed object for annealing the first area of the to-be-annealed object. The laser system uses a laser to provide a laser energy to a second area of the to-be-annealed object for annealing the second area of the to-be-annealed object. The measurement and control system monitors and controls a power of a microwave and/or a laser. The annealing system is capable of reducing a time required for an overall annealing, and also capable of avoiding cracks or defects caused by large stress differences.

An induction heating system includes interchangeable secondary induction heating assemblies and/or secondary induction heating coil flux concentrators that are specifically configured for the particular type of weld being created and/or the particular weld joint where the weld is created. For example, the secondary induction heating assemblies and/or secondary induction heating coil flux concentrators may have specific physical configurations (e.g., shapes, contours, etc.) and/or include specific materials (e.g., ferrites) that are well suited for the particular type of weld being created and/or the particular weld joint where the weld is created. In certain embodiments, a robotic positioning system may be configured to move the secondary induction heating coil to an induction heating coil changing station to, for example, detach the secondary induction heating coil, and attach another secondary induction heating coil, thereby facilitating different secondary induction heating coils to be used for induction heating of different types of welds, for example. In addition, in certain embodiments, the robotic positioning system may be configured to move the secondary induction heating coil to the induction heating coil changing station to, for example, detach the secondary induction heating coil flux concentrator, and attach another secondary induction heating coil flux concentrator.

An electromagnetic induction heater, including: a first cover plate; an inductive coil; a housing; a glass pipe; a second cover plate; a first control plate; a second control plate; a power button; a first baffle plate; a pair of electrodes; a third cover plate; a battery; a support frame; a battery connector; a spring; and a second baffle plate. The pair of electrodes is disposed on the support frame. The first baffle plate is disposed on the pair of electrodes and is fixed on the support frame. The spring butts against the battery connector. The spring and the battery connector are disposed in one end of the support frame. The second baffle plate is directly connected to the spring and fixed on the one end of the support frame. The support frame is disposed in the housing. The inductive coil is disposed on the first control plate.

Heating apparatus and methods for thermally processing a part including improved control of temperature. A thermal management system is coupled to a back surface of a table thermally coupled to an inductive heating circuit. The thermal management system includes a chamber defining an interior space, at least one cooling fin disposed within the chamber, an inlet extending through the chamber and fluidly communicating with the interior space, and an outlet extending through the chamber and fluidly communicating with the interior space. In some applications, an air source fluidly communicates with the inlet and is selectively operable to generate an air flow through the chamber, so that the thermal management system may be selectively operated in an insulator mode and a cooling mode.

A magnetic induction heating system for a railroad switch crib is a system that prevents the accumulation of ice or snow on or around the railroad switch crib area which can cause malfunction of the railroad switch components. To do so, the system includes at least one coil assembly that can be mounted under the railroad crib space between adjacent ties. The at least one coil assembly is designed to generate an oscillating electromagnetic field that agitates the atoms of the different metal components of the railroad crib space so that the metal components radiate enough heat that melts any accumulated ice or snow around the components. The at least one coil assembly can also be used to heat the railroad switch drive motor assembly by placing the at least one coil assembly under the motor drive unit to keep the unit free of ice or snow accumulation.

The invention relates to a method for the inductive surface layer hardening of a surface which runs around an annular component and has an initial zone, an end zone and two intermediate zones extending between the initial zone and the end zone. The initial zone is brought to hardening temperature by an inductor and quenched by a spray. Subsequently, an inductor arrangement is moved in each case along the intermediate zone to the end zone. Each inductor arrangement includes a leading inductor for preheating the region covered by it, a trailing inductor for finish-heating the preheated region and a spray for quenching the finish-heated region. After the inductor arrangements are located at a certain distance from the initial zone, the leading inductor of at least one of the inductor arrangements is moved in the direction of the end zone at an increased feed rate compared to the trailing inductor. The leading inductor thus reaches the end zone by a time interval earlier, whose duration is equal to the duration required by the trailing inductor to overcome the distance previously resulted between said trailing inductor and the leading inductor. In the meantime, the end zone is preheated by the leading inductor that reached it. When one of the trailing inductors of the inductor arrangements has arrived in the end zone, it heats the end zone to the finished hardening temperature.

A method which controls a heating power induced in a component in a generative manufacturing process wherein the heating power is induced by an induction heating system. The closed-loop control method is based on the concept of indirectly determining the previously unknown heating power which is actually induced in component. This is accomplished by the power losses, which substantially consist of waste heat to the cooling liquid and to the other surroundings, being deducted from the electrical power that is inserted into the induction heating system (specifically, the electrical power of the induction generator). The power losses are calculated, insofar as is possible; alternatively, they are also estimated.

Apparatuses, systems, and/or methods for providing an induction heating system are disclosed. The induction heating system includes an induction power supply and an induction heating tool configured to receive induction-type power from the induction power supply through one or more ports. The ports may be part of the induction power supply and/or an associated junction box. The induction heating tool may include a heating coil attached to one or more plugs via one or more cables. The ports of the induction power supply and/or junction box are configured to receive the plugs of the induction heating tool. A communication device may be positioned adjacent the ports. The communication device may be configured to read data from one or more memory devices of the induction heating tool (e.g., in/on the plugs) via close proximity communication.

Induction heating from an induction coil (108) is used to separate a metal medical sharp (144) from its holder (142) by applying a high-frequency oscillating magnetic field that excites eddy currents and resistance heating in the sharp. The heated metal sharp melts the adhesive or plastic securing the sharp to its holder. The use of induction heating is advantageous in that it does not require direct contact between the electrical circuit and the sharp or its holder. The heating can also act to sterilize the sharp and thereby render it less hazardous at the same time that it separates the sharp from its holder. The induction coil can have a stepped or conical shape to concentrate the RF energy at the interface between the metal sharp and its holder.

A device for heating and quenching a tubular member has a central axis. The device includes a first quenching ring, a second quenching ring axially spaced from the first quenching ring, and a heating ring axially positioned between the first quenching ring and the second quenching ring. Each quenching ring and the heating ring is configured to receive the tubular member. The heating ring is fixably coupled to the first quenching ring and the second quenching ring. The heating ring includes an induction coil configured to heat an annular target zone along the tubular member. The first quenching ring is configured to deliver a first quenching fluid to the target zone and a first annular heat affected zone along the tubular member, and the second quenching ring is configured to deliver a second quenching fluid to the target zone and a second annular heat affected zone along the tubular member.